City of Albuquerque Launches Route 66 Remixed: An Art-Fueled Road Trip

Today, the City of Albuquerque’s Department of Arts & Culture along with Mayor Tim Keller and local partners officially launched Route 66 Remixed, an innovative art project celebrating the Mother Road’s legacy through creativity and community. As part of the announcement, the City also shared exciting new partnerships with local businesses for Albuquerque’s Route 66 Centennial celebration. 

With support from Visit Albuquerque, New Mexico Tourism Department, community organizations, and property owners, Route 66 Remixed transforms Albuquerque's Central Avenue into an art-fueled road trip across the city. Along the route, travelers will discover large-scale installations and site-specific digital features that reflect the stories, traditions, and people that have helped shape Albuquerque. Route 66 Remixed is created in partnership with Meow Wolf, Refract Studio, and local artists.

The project includes 18 art attractions along Albuquerque’s 18-mile stretch of Route 66 that can be experienced on their own or explored together via a web interface. Hakim Bellamy, Albuquerque’s inaugural poet laureate, is the road trip narrator and storyteller.

“Route 66 is part of who we are as a city,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “Through Route 66 Remixed, we’re both preserving history and spotlighting it by combining art, storytelling, and community pride in one experience.”

A centerpiece of the launch event was the mural entitled Mother: Moment at the University of New Mexico’s Arts Lab on the northwest corner of University and Central. The mural, by Noé Barnett and Travis Bruce Black, merges contemporary aesthetics with historical narratives of travelers and trade. UNM partnered with the City on the piece with UNM President Garnett Stokes noting the university's roots on Route 66 and expressing appreciation for how positively the mural has been received by students, faculty, and the broader community.

The project also includes a hand-illustrated Route 66 map created by local artist Dante Betsch capturing the city’s legendary roadway in playful, colorable detail. The map highlights iconic stops, historic landmarks, and hidden gems along the route, making it both an art piece and a program guide for locals and visitors to explore Albuquerque’s creative heart.

The business community has also joined in supporting Route 66 Centennial efforts. Presbyterian Healthcare Services and Blake’s Lotaburger, both long-standing Albuquerque institutions, are partnering with the City to engage local residents through creative endeavors. Presbyterian will offer “Born on Route 66” onesies to every newborn delivered at their facility in 2026. Blake’s sponsored the illustrated map, which they will carry at their restaurants. Blake’s is also planning a very special experience at one of their Albuquerque locations during the centennial.

“Partnerships like these remind us that Route 66 is more than a road, it’s a living thread that connects businesses, families, and neighborhoods,” said Arts & Culture Director Dr. Shelle Sanchez. “We’re excited to bring everyone together for something that really reflects Albuquerque’s unique spirit and can be experienced every day of the centennial, not just during one event.”

Lancing Adams, acting cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Tourism Department, and Tania Armenta, president and CEO of Visit Albuquerque, discussed the impact the Route 66 Centennial will have on local tourism. To note: The national Route 66 Centennial Commission selected Albuquerque as one of five satellite cities across the U.S. in launching centennial celebrations in April, with a national simulcast and simultaneous events and programming.

The official Albuquerque Route 66 Centennial website, Route66ABQ.com, explains Route 66 Remixed, including how to access the digital experiences, local Route 66 history, photo slideshows, centennial event listings, and more.

Arts & Culture and Visit Albuquerque will also encourage locals via social media to “hit the road” and experience Route 66 Remixed for themselves with fun perks to be found along the way. More details will be posted soon. Route 66 Remixed creative collaborators include local artists, the Route 66 Centennial Community Committee, Ripe Inc., and 2540 Group.

Route 66 Remixed installations include:

• Singing Arrow Open Space AR experience by Deb Jojola.
• East Central Open Sky sign installations by Nazario Sandoval.
• Talin Market AR experience by Helen Atkins.
• Guild Theater AR experience by Dale Deforest.
• M’tucci’s Bar Roma sculpture by Nazario Sandoval.
• University of New Mexico Arts Lab mural by Noé Barnett and Travis Bruce Black.
• Special Collections Library AR experience by Jessica Helen Lopez.
• Historic Crossroads (4th & Central) AR and installation by Gael Luna and Carmen Montes.
• 505 Central Food Hall mural by Lynnette Haozous.
• Historic El Rey Theater mural by Jesse Littlebird and Thomas Christopher Haag.
• Albuquerque Museum Sculpture Garden AR experience by Sonja Killer.
• ABQ BioPark Aquarium and Botanic Garden AR experience by Lea Anderson.
• Albuquerque Rapid Transit bus wrap traveling installation by Dante Betsch.
• Historic Unser Garage Route 66 shield by Rob Vanderslice.
• Route 66 Visitor Center AR and mural by Akilah Martinez and PAZ/Mapitzmitl.
• Nine Mile Hill AR experience by Karl Orozco.