A Call for Professional Artists

Join Us!

Ways We Support Participating Artists

Artist Pages / Sections on Our Website

Participating professional artists may be featured on the True Taos website with:

  • Artist name

  • 3–4 images of themselves and their work

  • Studio or shop address

  • Instagram and/or website links

These pages are designed to be:

  • Shareable

  • Search-friendly

  • Easy for visitors to use as a “next stop” while exploring Taos.

Ongoing Visibility

  • Artists may be reshared on Taos Rocks social channels.

  • Artist pages remain live beyond a single event.

  • New visitors discovering Taos Rocks later can still find you.

Local Foot Traffic

People who find rocks often:

  • Look up the artist immediately

  • Visit studios and shops while already nearby

  • Share finds with friends and visiting family

This is especially effective for artists with physical locations in or near the Historic District.

Connection to New Art Fans

Rock-finders tend to be:

  • Curious

  • Art-friendly

  • Visitors actively exploring town

  • Locals paying closer attention to their surroundings

These are people who are already primed to care about art and artists.

What This Is

(and Is Not)

This is:

  • A visibility and connection project

  • A way to meet people who care about art

  • A gentle invitation into your work

This is not:

  • A giveaway expectation

  • A contest

  • A replacement for exhibitions or sales

  • A demand for constant posting or participation

Interested in Participating?

Paint a rock.
Photograph it.
Send us the image.

From there, we’ll take care of the rest—and make sure your contribution leads people back to you.

#TaosRocks is a community-based art initiative rooted in place, participation, and shared experience. The project invites residents, visitors, artists, elders, and families to engage with Taos in a more attentive way—through small, hand-painted works of art hidden throughout the Historic District and discovered by people moving through town on foot.

At its core, Taos Rocks is about connection: between generations, between artists and the public, and between people and the cultural landscape they’re moving through. The project encourages curiosity, walking, lingering, and noticing—while offering artists a meaningful, low-pressure way to contribute to Taos’ creative life and be discovered by new audiences.

For professional artists, collaboration with #TaosRocks can also translate into real-world benefits: increased visibility, social media discovery, foot traffic to studios and shops, and ongoing connections with people who are actively seeking art, story, and place-based experiences.

How Artists Can Contribute

Artists are invited to participate in ways that fit their schedule, practice, and comfort level. There is no required minimum beyond one painted rock.

1. Paint a Rock

  • Paint at least one rock in your own style.

  • Sign or mark the rock in a way that feels appropriate to your work.

  • Include #TaosRocks somewhere discreet on the back or underside.

2. Photograph Your Rock

  • Take 1–3 clear photos of the finished piece.

  • Photos can be simple—studio lighting not required.

  • Detail shots are welcome.

3. Email the Photo(s) to Us

  • Include:

    • Your name (as you want it displayed)

    • Studio or shop address (if public-facing)

    • Instagram / website (optional but encouraged)

4. Hide the Rock

  • Place the rock on public property within the Taos Historic District.

  • Do not place on private property, inside businesses, or in protected natural areas.

  • Placement should be respectful, visible, and easy to retrieve.

5. Share on Social Media (Optional but Encouraged)

  • Post a photo or short video of your painted rock.

  • Let people know:

    • You participated in #TaosRocks

    • The rock is hidden somewhere in Taos’ Historic District

    • It’s part of an ongoing, town-wide art hunt

The fun is in the hunt—keeping locations general helps get people out of their cars and into the Historic District to explore on foot.

Benefits of Participating in #TaosRocks

  • Low time investment
    One rock can create weeks—or months—of engagement.

  • No sales pressure
    Participation is about visibility and connection, not transactions.

  • Artist-controlled presence
    You choose what images, links, and information are shared. (All we ask is that we keep images generally uplifting / positive and refrain from political statements.)

  • Organic social growth
    Followers who arrive to your work via #TaosRocks tend to be genuinely interested.

  • Community alignment
    The project emphasizes respect for place, people, and working artists.

  • Repeat participation welcome
    Artists can contribute occasionally or regularly, as it suits their practice.


Our Story

#TaosRocks is a year-round community led art experience