Rendering showing a few buildings with walkways, gardens, and a green lawn between them. Light shadows of people standing on the walkways and sitting in the grass give a sense of scale.

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Press Release

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum to Celebrate Milestone for New Building with Party in the Parking Lot

October 19, 2023

Attendees Will Enjoy Free Admission to the Museum, Performances by Local Entertainers, Art Activities, and More.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–October 18, 2023–(Santa Fe, NM)–Northern New Mexico residents will have one last chance to celebrate “the Old Safeway” in downtown Santa Fe. Bring the whole family for an end-of-summer season celebration, and a look forward to the new Georgia O’Keeffe Museum campus, set to break ground in 2024. Party in the Parking Lot will kick off a new chapter for the Museum in front of the Museum’s Education Annex, at 123 Grant Avenue, on Saturday, October 28, from 1:00 PM-4:00 PM. Visitors can start the party at the Museum, where admission will be free from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM.

Party in the Parking Lot will begin with remarks from Museum Director Cody Hartley and the Museum’s Board of Trustees Chair, David Warnock, followed by addresses from the offices of US Senator Ben Ray Lujan and US Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez, and Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber.

Mariachi Euforia will kick off the entertainment for the rest of the afternoon, followed by performances by the Lightning Boy Foundation Youth Dancers, and an energetic set from DJ Celeste Worl (Tlingit). Get ready for trick-or-treating by screen printing a bag for Halloween goodies with the Museum’s mobile art studio, Art to G.O. Clay sculpture-making with Tumbleroot Pottery Pub, face painting and other art activities will keep the whole family entertained. Costumes are encouraged for an afternoon of fun!

“This building has served many community purposes throughout the years. We look forward to celebrating its history and sharing our vision for the future,” Hartley said. 

History of 123 Grant Avenue:

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum opened in 1997 at 217 Johnson Street with the building at 123 Grant Avenue serving as an Education Annex. Previously, the site has been home to the first grocery store (Safeway) in downtown Santa Fe (opened in 1941), commercial spaces, private residences, Fort Marcy officer quarters (1846-1895), and part of the royal presidio, a military fortification that protected Santa Fe (1610-1846). The site is the ancestral land of the Tesuque Pueblo.

About the New Museum:

The new Georgia O’Keeffe Museum building will be a 54,000 square foot building on a one-acre lot (32,000 square feet at street level and 22,000 square feet below ground for collections care) and almost an acre of community green space. The new campus will be reimagined with three goals in mind: a new and innovative museum worthy of the finest art, civic revitalization, and a deepened commitment to Northern New Mexico.

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For media inquiries, contact:
Renee Lucero
Public Relations Manager
505.946.1063
rlucero@gokm.org

ABOUT THE GEORGIA O’KEEFFE MUSEUM: Since 1997, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum celebrates the art, life, and independent spirit of Georgia O’Keeffe. Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Georgia O’Keeffe lived the final decades of her life, the O’Keeffe has sites and experiences in two historic destinations, Santa Fe and Abiquiú. For more information, please visit gokm.org

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