Banners Installed on West Central Route 66

City Councilor President Klarissa Peña and the West Central Community Development Group (WCCDG) are excited to announce the installation of the “Celebrate West Central Route 66 Street Light Banner Project.” The banners feature the artwork of 15 local artists including; Jeanette Baca, Tony Barros, Roberta Begaye, Lindsay Brenner, Ginnie Brown, James Calvert, Adan Carriaga, Kate Coucke, Cassidy Gallegos, Joe Stacey, Anthony Temer, Diego Trujillo, Ray Trujillo, Jasmine Vigil, and Sean Wells y Delgado.

“I would like to thank the sponsors of the Celebrate West Central Arte Escondido Contest; City Councilor Ken Sanchez, City Councilor Cynthia Borrego, County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada, Bank of the West, Gilbert Sanchez Tax Services, and the McCune Foundation,” said Councilor Peña. “Also, to the West Central Community Development Group, Nancy Montaño and Bianca Encinias for organizing this initiative. They were able to uncover several talented “hidden artists” in our community whose artwork will be featured on light pole banner frames along west Central from Atrisco to Coors.”

WCCDG has worked to provide opportunities for local artists and to nurture arts and culture along West Central. This past June, WCCDG with Arte Escondido, hosted a community pop-up event to meet the artists and celebrate Route 66 with music, poetry, food trucks, and a car show.

The “Celebrate West Central Route 66” Street Light Banner Project highlights cultural and historic traditions of the Southwest area of Albuquerque. For Albuquerque residents especially, those of us west of the river, West Central was the only way to cross back and forth across the Rio Grande. It was a place for young and old to cruise, to meet new and old friends at popular drive-ins along the route, shop, socialize, and to show off our vintage cars and low-riders. Named the Mother Road, Route 66 is far more than just a sign on the side of the road; it‘s a passage into our culture, traditions, and history.