Chisme at the Museum: Rebuilding Community and Nurturing Tradition with Elena Baca and Jana Gottshalk

Chisme at the Museum: Rebuilding Community and Nurturing Tradition with Elena Baca and Jana Gottshalk

February 25, 2026 · 48 min · Episode 64

About this episode

Elena Baca and Jana Gottshalk discuss the importance of preserving traditional Nuevo Mexicano art forms and fostering community engagement through education.

Some of New Mexico's most prominent artists are passing traditional Nuevo Mexicano art forms like colcha embroidery, retablos and bultos, tinwork, and straw applique down to the next generation. These artists include Jean Anaya Moya, Vanessa Zamora, Vincente Telles, Arthur Lopez, Eric Romero, Vanessa Alvarado, Rhonda Crispin, and Cleo Romero. Elena Baca, education program manager at the National Hispanic Cultural Center (Albuquerque), and Jana Gottshalk, curator and director at the Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum (Santa Fe), create spaces where these traditions stay alive and where kids can explore and express themselves freely. Discover more: National Hispanic Cultural Center Learning programming National Hispanic Cultural Center Museum Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum ongoing programming Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum Wonders on Wheels Read more in El Palacio: "Art and Activism at Highlands University," by Myrriah Gόmez, in Winter 2025 issue of El Palacio magazine Learn more: Traditional Spanish Market Contemporary Hispanic Market We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what you loved about the episode, share a personal story it made you think of, or ask us a…

People in this episode

Guests: Elena Baca, Jana Gottshalk

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Hispanic Cultural Center, Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum, El Palacio, Highlands University, New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs

Places: Albuquerque, Santa Fe

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