516 Arts adds two new staff members

Kathaleen Roberts, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·2 min read

Jul. 31—516 Arts has added two new staff members from Santa Fe's Center for Contemporary Arts.

A contemporary arts museum in Albuquerque, 516 Arts has hired April Chalay as deputy director and JC González as program and marketing manager.

The nonprofit, artist-run organization operates with a total of six staff, including Suzanne Sbarge, executive director.

Chalay and González have joined the 516 Arts staff after working at Santa Fe's CCA, which underwent a board-sanctioned closure last spring. It recently reopened.

Sbarge says, "516 Arts is fortunate to be able to keep these two stand-out arts leaders in the contemporary art field here in New Mexico. I'm also thrilled for 516 Arts to have created the new position of deputy director, which greatly strengthens our small team."

Chalay says, "516 Arts has been on my radar since moving to New Mexico. I am pleased to be a part of a contemporary art museum that has a mission I am passionate about, and which is both community-based and nationally-recognized. With a healthy mix of local and national funding, the future of 516 Arts looks bright, and the team is a joy to work with."

Chalay received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fiber and material studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2006, where she developed a foundation in interdisciplinary fine art disciplines and conceptual development. She also has a certificate in human resources management from the ILR School at Cornell University, eCornell. She served as the director of operations at the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center and as deputy director at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe before joining the staff of 516 Arts as finance and grants manager and moving into the role of deputy director in 2023.

González is a designer, writer and artist whose professional history includes various New Mexico-based arts nonprofits. Originally from Anthony, he relocated to Santa Fe to attend the College of Santa Fe where he acquired a self-designed degree in media arts. Following his education, he pursued a design and communications career which led to working with the Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe, CENTER, and as a freelance writer for various publications. Additionally, González works as an artist and self-publishes a regional, annual artist-showcase zine.

González says of his new position, "As a long-time fan of 516 Arts, I'm honored to be joining such a vibrant and committed team with an organization that has strong roots in New Mexico's contemporary art world."