UNM College of Fine Arts to honor distinguished alumni

The University of New Mexico College of Fine Arts will honor five outstanding graduates at the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Awards on Thursday, May 7.

Hosted by Harris Smith, dean of the UNM College of Fine Arts, the annual celebration recognizes alumni who have achieved excellence in their respective fields while making meaningful contributions to the arts. This year's honorees represent Tamarind Institute and the four departments within the College of Fine Arts: art, film and digital arts, music, and theatre and dance.

The 2026 recipients are Lynne Allen, Kim Arthun, Fritz J. Bitsoie, Kathleen Ives Clawson and Rujeko Dumbutshena.

The event will begin with a reception and awards presentation from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Draft and Table in the UNM Student Union Building. The evening will continue with a UNM Symphony Orchestra performance at 7:30 p.m. at Popejoy Hall, conducted by Karin Hendrickson. Friends and family of those being honored are invited to RSVP.

Honorees

Tamarind Institute: Lynne Allen (MFA, 1986)
Lynne Allen is an internationally recognized artist and educator whose work has been exhibited and collected by institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Library of Congress and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. She has participated in major exhibitions across the United States, Europe and Asia, and has received honors including a Guggenheim Fellowship and two Fulbright scholarships. Allen currently serves as a professor of art at Boston University and previously worked at UNM's Tamarind Institute.

Department of Art: Kim Arthun (BFA, 1978)
Kim Arthun is an Albuquerque-based artist, entrepreneur and arts leader with a career spanning more than four decades. A UNM graduate, she has exhibited work nationally and internationally and founded the custom sign business Vital Signs, which operated for nearly 40 years. Arthun is also the longtime director of EXHIBIT/208 and founder of Thirsty Eye Brewing Co., a space that supports both visual art and live performances.

Department of Film and Digital Arts: Fritz J. Bitsoie (BA, 2016)
Fritz J. Bitsoie is an Emmy-nominated Diné filmmaker based in Los Angeles whose work blends documentary realism with a strong cinematic voice. His films have screened at major festivals including SXSW and the Seattle International Film Festival, and his project Through the Storm earned a Sports Emmy nomination. A UNM graduate, Bitsoie's work focuses on identity, place and Indigenous storytelling, and he currently serves as the Native Voices Indigenous Film Programmer at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.

Department of Music: Kathleen Ives Clawson (BM, 1980; MM, 1987)
Kathleen Ives Clawson is an accomplished director, educator and former mezzo-soprano whose career spans opera and musical theatre. A UNM graduate, she is currently the artistic director of Dayton Opera and previously taught and directed productions at UNM for more than 20 years. Clawson has directed more than 70 productions and performed with opera companies nationwide, while also contributing to the Santa Fe Opera's Apprentice Program for more than two decades.

Department of Theatre and Dance: Rujeko Dumbutshena (BFA, 2004; MFA, 2019)
Rujeko Dumbutshena is a Zimbabwean-born dancer, educator and cultural arts organizer focused on African dance and community-based performance. She earned her MFA from UNM and is currently an assistant professor of dance at the University of Florida. Dumbutshena has taught at multiple institutions and has performed internationally, including as part of the Broadway production FELA!.

The Distinguished Alumni Awards highlight the College of Fine Arts' commitment to celebrating creative excellence and honoring graduates who continue to shape the arts locally and globally.

To RSVP, contact Shelly Smith at [email protected] or RSVP online by April 30. For more information about the Distinguished Alumni Awards, visit the events webpage.