Shopping - The Arts

The Southwest has always been a virtual Mecca for artists. Even long ago, the first groups to reach the Borderlands area were compelled to draw it, carving petroglyphs into the rocks in the mountains above what is now El Paso. Something about the arid desert landscapes—the hues of brown, yellow, and red dirt contrasting against a vivid blue sky that stretches for miles—have since ancient times captured the hearts of artists and found their way onto canvases. So, it is no surprise that El Paso today has a thriving art scene that includes many visual artists who have migrated here from other places, often coming for a short stint and then finding themselves unable to leave. The dozens of art galleries dotted around the city and the handful of excellent museums speak to El Paso’s commitment to the visual arts, and the willingness of the community to both support and participate in maintaining a vibrant local art scene.

Visual arts aren’t the only thing one can find in El Paso, though certainly the Martian–like landscape provides special inspiration for them. Music, opera, film, and theater all thrive in the city, with organizations like the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, El Paso Opera, and El Paso Pro Musica holding excellent series of musical seasons each year. The existence of many beautiful, historic venues only furthers the city’s capacity to host a wide variety of performances, from Shakespearean plays to rock concerts, and everything in between. So, whether you are interested in seeing a formal opera or a casual afternoon of children’s theater with the kids, you are sure to find what you’re looking for in El Paso.

Overview

This chapter is designed to give you a broad overview of the many arts-related activities and venues available in the El Paso region. Though not an entirely comprehensive list, those places and events catalogued here present the best of El Paso’s arts community. The listings are presented in alphabetical order by heading and subheading.

It should be noted that the museums listed in this chapter are specifically arts museums only. To find out more about the many history, archaeology, nature, and other local museums in and around El Paso, refer to the Attractions chapter. Likewise, listings for bookstores have been kept to the Shopping chapter. Also, since operating hours and entrance fees are always subject to change, they have been left out of these listings. However, every effort has been made to procure contact information for these venues and organizations, including Web addresses, so you should have no trouble finding out the current hours and prices. There are plenty of arts-related events and venues around El Paso that are geared specifically to children.

Shopping

Whether you are interested in art and antiques, want to find a good used book to curl up with, or want to get in the Texas spirit in a pair of cowboy boots, there is an endless array of things to be bought here. The city’s location along the U.S.–Mexico border has long made it a hotbed of cheap retail stores and outlet markets where locally produced goods are sold. The North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994 opened up a world of possibilities for trade between the U.S. and Mexico and allowed many businesses to begin freely importing and exporting between El Paso and Juárez. As a result, you’ll find a large number of Southwestern and Mexican-inspired goods for sale here, particularly furniture and home decor, as well as affordable clothing manufactured locally.

Often referred to as the Boot Capital of the World, El Paso has one of the largest concentrations of boot manufactures and retailers in the world, providing plenty of opportunities to find a pair. Among your choices is the Cowtown Boot Company, which claims to be the world’s largest boot factory outlet store, and the world-famous Tony Lama Factory Store.

There are plenty of unique and upscale clothing and gifts available in the area’s sweet little boutiques, and if it’s books that you’re after, El Paso is home to some of the best small presses and bookstores in the Southwest. The Book Gallery offers new, used, scarce, and rare books, while Cinco Puntos Press is a nationally known literary publishing house that specializes in printing the literature of the Borderlands, Mexico, and the American Southwest.

Antiques stores also abound in El Paso. In fact, there are so many antiques stores you might have trouble getting to them all! A number of flea markets and swap meets are also held regularly across the city, so if you have a hankering to peruse the used and unusual, you’ll find no shortage of great spots. The city is also dotted with malls, national chains, outlets and shopping centers.