El Zócalo Cooperative Art Gallery

El Zócalo Cooperative Art Gallery has been a fixture on Las Vegas's Old Town Plaza since approximately 2010, and is now celebrating its 15th year as one of the most community-rooted gallery spaces in northeastern New Mexico. The gallery is jointly owned and operated by roughly 20 member-artists, who apply for membership, pass a jurying process, pay monthly dues, and take turns staffing the gallery - which means that on any given day, the person behind the counter is likely the person who made the work on the walls. The inventory at El Zócalo is eclectic in the best sense: paintings, jewelry, fiber art, collage, handcrafted furniture, photography, and handmade goods coexist in a space that feels more like a collective studio than a commercial gallery. That's the point. The cooperative structure keeps the work authentic and keeps the prices accessible - this is art made for people who live in and around Las Vegas, not for the Santa Fe collector market. Located steps from the Corner Art Gallery, El Zócalo is part of a small cluster of art spaces that makes a walkable art afternoon possible on the Old Town Plaza.