Karen Lupton serves as a Commissioner on the New Mexico Arts Commission and is the Downtown Coordinator for the City of Farmington, where she leads initiatives that strengthen cultural vitality and creative placemaking. She holds a B.A. in International Affairs from the University of Colorado–Boulder and an MBA from the University of Phoenix–Denver Campus, bringing a blend of policy, community development, and administrative expertise to her work in the arts.
Before her public service roles, Karen spent ten years as a trustee of a fine arts trust, guiding stewardship, preservation, and strategic support for visual arts. Her lifelong relationship with the arts began as a musician; she played cello throughout high school and college, performing in school orchestras as well as All-State and All-Regional music festivals. These early experiences continue to inform her belief in arts access, youth engagement, and the transformative power of creative expression.
In her role with the City of Farmington, Lupton helped to develop the community’s first outdoor juried sculpture program—an annual rotating exhibition that highlights regional artists while enriching the public realm of Farmington’s historic downtown.
A resident of New Mexico for 26 years, Lupton is committed to advancing the arts as a driver of community identity, economic vitality, and statewide cultural resilience