Lucy Whitmarsh / Executive director
I am Lucy Whitmarsh and I am pleased to announce that I have been selected as the new Executive Director of the Southwest New Mexico Arts Culture and Tourism (swnmACT). I started in the Executive Director position on July 1, 2025.
I am new to the role of Executive Director for the organization but not a stranger to the organization having been involved since it started as the Arts and Culture Committee of Silver City MainStreet. Since the organization became an independent 501.c.3 we have been able to expand our service area outside of the Silver City Arts and Culture District to all of Grant County.
When I was the Executive Director for Silver City MainStreet I successfully completed the courses that certified me as an Executive Director. The process that I went through with Silver City MainStreet is similar to what I have experienced with Southwest New Mexico Arts Culture and Tourism. I started out as a volunteer and was then asked to join the Economic Vitality Committee. One of our projects that we worked on was the renovation of the SILCO Theater and I worked on the project as a Board Member, President of the Board and Executive Director. Renovating the SILCO Theater was a collaborative effort between the Town of Silver City and Silver City Mainstreet. The renovation of the Waterworks Site is a similar project because the Town of Silver City owns the property and Southwest New Mexico Arts Culture and Tourism is assisting with the renovation of the property.
My primary responsibility as Executive Director for swnmACT is to manage the daily operations of the organization. I am also responsible for coordinating the implementation of the organization’s policies and projects. The major project that I am currently working on is the successful completion of deliverables in a grant from the Outdoor Recreation Division of the New Mexico Economic Development Department. The improvements planned for the Town of Silver City’s Waterworks Annex property are providing camp host accommodations, developing 20 parking spaces for the Waterworks Site and refurbishment of the existing commercial building.
My office is in the Silver City Visitors Center located at 201 North Hudson Street in Silver City. I do not have regular office hours but I can be contacted at director@swnmact.org or 575-574-8394 for an appointment.
Lucy Whitmarsh and Sharla Lefkowitz-Oberg Silver City MainStreet Executive Director inspecting the Silver City Visitor Center grounds in preparation for a meeting with the Gila Resources Information Project about the Southwest New Mexico Community Forestry Network grant that will fund new trees and landscaping at the Visitor Center.