Every September, the Albuquerque Art Business Association, the gallery association that brings you First Friday ARTScrawl, recognizes and honors Albuquerque artists who not only excel in the arts and their artistic discipline, but who have given back to their community. By sharing their time, talent and passion, they help develop a whole new generation of art lovers and artists and ensure that New Mexico will continue to be home to the thousands of working artists for many years to come.

This year’s master of ceremonies will be the 2016-2018 City of Albuquerque Poet Laureate Manuel Gonzalez.The 2017 recipients of the Local Treasure designee are Elaine Bolz, Jade Leyva, Renee Gentz, Mark Horst, Cheryl Godin and Ilene Weiss.