Downtown is the cultural hub of Silver City, boasting dozens of art galleries, studios, gift shops, antique stores, souvenir vendors, restaurants, coffeehouses, bars, bakeries, museums, bookstores, and specialty retailers. Many artists live or work in this district, taking advantage of upstairs lofts and spacious rooms with generous light. Most art studio are open to visitors by appointment or during special events.

Bullard and Broadway are Silver City's main streets, intersecting with Yankie (named after one of the town's founders, Joseph Yankie) and Texas (the home state of many early arrivals).

Arts and crafts run the gamut from painting to sculpture, pottery to jewelry, furntiure to fabric, and photography to glasswork. There is something to suit every budget, décor, and taste, often produced within Silver City's fast-growing creative community. Folk art, Native American ceramics, and collectibles from ancient cultures are displayed here, too. Many of the eating and drinking establishments display work by local artists, much of it available for purchase.

Ongoing events here include summer weekend outdoor craft markets and sidewalk sales as well as annual arts-oriented celebrations each fall and spring.