Mystery enforcers, heightened tensions: The changing face of Albuquerque's Artwalk

Jul. 25—During the pandemic, artists lined the sidewalks along Central to hawk their wares, create art and perform live music at the monthly Albuquerque Artwalk. But as restrictions loosened, some tensions have arisen between vendors who want to keep selling on the sidewalks and event organizers intent on moving the official Artwalk back indoors. Now vendors are claiming that for the past few months, unidentified people have been telling artists set up on the sidewalks during the event to leave. Some of those mystery people claimed to be City of Albuquerque code enforcers, but refused to present identification, others failed to identify themselves at all, vendors told the Journal. Both the city and Artwalk organizers deny having asked sidewalk vendors to leave. Whoever the enforcers are, vendors said they've had a chilling effect on the event as a whole. "They killed it, they really did," said Kevin Parkman, a jewelry artist and sidewalk vendor, "It's not a tenth of what it was." Pre-pandemic Prior to the pandemic, the monthly event was held inside of businesses and galleries where artists would gather to share and sell their work, said Danielle Schlobohm, director of the DowntownABQ MainStreet and Arts & Cultural District, which hosts the Artwalk event. During the pandemic — when inside gathering was not allowed — the event pivoted outside, Schlobohm said. The Artwalk organizers have since cut ties with the sidewalk vendors entirely, a policy change that went into effect after indoor gathering restrictions began to lift in October 2021, Schlobohm said. This change was a shift back to the event's "original programming" which was inside of galleries and businesses, Schlobohm said, although she also mentioned that some sidewalk vendors have caused safety concerns. Some specific concerns she gave in an email to the Journal were "flame throwing chain saw art" and "marijuana sales." "As far as I know the city is sending out appropriate city departments to check that vendors are in compliance with public safety and permitting requirements," Schlobohm said, "If anyone has been asked to leave it is because they are outside of those requirements." The city requires sidewalk vendors to have business registration and a solicitor's license, said city Planning Department spokesman Tim Walsh. For accessibility, sidewalk vendors also have to leave a minimum of four feet of sidewalk space for pedestrians. Despite following all the rules, some sidewalk vendors were told that their business registrations and solicitor's licenses would be revoked if they refused to leave, said Parkman. Code enforcement specialists from the city have never asked sidewalk vendors to leave, Walsh said. City enforcers have also never threatened to revoke registrations, he said. Code enforcers have yet to issue a fine for vendors lacking documentation, Walsh said. Enforcers choose to educate vendors rather than penalize them with a trivial $10 fine. Vendors' experiences People claiming to be with the city have approached art curator Roxanne Roybal and her vendors asking for permits, but then failed to identify themselves, she said. Roybal books artists for private lots owned by Curious Toast Cafe and the art gallery OT Circus. Other vendors have been approached and asked for documentation of business insurance by supposed authorities, said Hillary Frost, the program manager with New Mexico Community Capital. NMCC is a nonprofit that mentors Native American business owners. Frost helps vendors in NMCC programs register their businesses and manages NMCC's vendors at the Artwalk. Walsh told the Journal in an email that Code Enforcement never requests to see business insurance documentation. Additionally, city enforcers always carry badges either on a lanyard or on their hip that identify them as city personnel. If so-called enforcers refuse to present this identification, Walsh said, they're likely "imposters." "If there is some third party out there telling people to leave we are not aware of who or what that is," Schlobohm said. Whoever these people are, the remaining artists said, they've done an effective job of discouraging vendors. "All this insecurity and uncertainty with everything makes people not really want to attend," said Lance Neves, a street vendor. During the peak of the event, Central was lined from 2nd to 8th Street with artists. Walking down the street now, there are only a few vendors left, Neves said. In one of the lots Roybal manages beside Curious Toast, vendors set up their tents and tables but this crowd is "way less than half" of the turnout from previous months, said Roybal. Red tape Vendors say the city's permitting requirements for sidewalk vending are unclear, especially with unknown enforcers attempting to impose their own rules. All these rules "kind of hindered people wanting to get out just to try selling something for their first time," Roybal said, "But now they got to jump through like 20 hoops just to see if they even want to pursue it." Following the city's requirements is difficult enough without this extra layer of confusion, artists said. Getting a business registration is not an easy feat for many artists. Artist Piper Tasoulas agreed that the paperwork was daunting while placing the finishing touches on her first ever art exhibit in the Orpheum Community Hub during July's Artwalk. "If English is not your first language, there's no way," said artist Piper Tasoulas, "They didn't make it easy."