June 24, 2026 | Filed under: News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 23, 2026
Film spending in rural New Mexico hits all-time high
Governor-backed incentive focuses on productions in smaller communities
SANTA FE — The New Mexico film industry’s Uplift Zone incentive brought in a record $55.74 million to the state’s economy in direct spending in Fiscal Year 2026, driven by productions across the state.
According to New Mexico Film Office data, the total bests the previous record of $50.2 million in fiscal year 2022.
The Uplift Zone is part of New Mexico’s broader film incentive strategy to encourage productions to film in smaller communities, support economic development in rural areas and create jobs and boost local economies outside urban centers.
Productions shooting in New Mexico can qualify for a base refundable tax credit of 25% on qualified New Mexico expenditures. Shooting in the Uplift Zone can add 10% to the base credit for qualified expenditures made in areas at least 60 miles outside the City Halls of Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Additional uplifts can bring the total credit to 40%.
In 2023, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham doubled down on the incentive by signing Senate Bill 12, which increased it from 5% to 10%. The move helped to further incentivize production spending in rural communities across the state.
“New Mexico continues to set the standard for film incentives, with states across the country following our lead,” said Lujan Grisham. “The Uplift incentive helps keep us competitive, bringing jobs, production spending and continued economic opportunities to communities throughout the state. Productions may come for the incentives, but they return for our talented crews and strong industry infrastructure.”
“It’s about creating film opportunities far beyond New Mexico’s traditional production hubs to keep New Mexicans working,” said Steve Graham, New Mexico Film Office director. “For small towns, there is an immediate and significant impact. This record setting year shows the value of investing in our communities and expanding the reach of New Mexico’s film industry.”
Since 2020, the film industry has generated more than $6.4 billion in economic impact in New Mexico. The state has hosted 63 productions generating $320 million in spending across New Mexico in the current fiscal year ending June 30.
Uplift production spending increased from $4.5 million in fiscal year 2020 to $6.5 million in fiscal year 2021, reached a record of $50.2 million in fiscal 2022, and hit $21.2 million amidst industry strikes in fiscal 2023. Fiscal year 2024 brought in $42.15 million and fiscal year 2025 brought in $32 million. The current fiscal year has seen 26 total productions that have filmed at least partially in the uplift zone.