When one thinks of Nevada, their mind invariable turns to the garish lights of the casinos and the fabulous, heart stopping shows that delight visitors and residents of the state alike, so the uninitiated might well be surprised by the array of artistic and cultural . That being said, the state is also home to a myriad of artistic expressions that spans the gambit from performance art to festivals to top-rate art museums. For those who thought that Nevada was little more than a collection of hotels and casinos, the following list of the best cities in Nevada for art will belie those misconceptions. If you are thinking about relocating to the Silver State, be sure to check out these five towns that have garnered the title best cities in Nevada for art, which will have house hunters rethinking the role art plays living in the Silver State.
As the self-styled “Entertainment Capital of the World,” Las Vegas brings more to the table than exciting gaming activities, elaborate stage productions, and 24/7 lifestyle. In fact, Las Vegas has carved out a spot amongst those in the know as a leading destination point for those with an appreciation for the arts. The Contemporary Arts Center, situated in the industrial downtown arts district, features a diverse mix of artists and their works, which are displayed in a rotating series of shows.
As such, visitors are treated to an array of avant-garde artistic displays that have graced such regional museums as San Francisco’s SOMA. Another favorite is the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Arts. When they first opened their doors in 1998, the Bellagio collection was the first attempt at introducing fine art to the denizens of Sin City. The attempt was highly successful. In the years since, the museum has partnered with the Boston Museum of Fine Art, which brought the works of Monet to the southern Nevada dessert.
Additionally, the area plays host to an array of festivals and shows that aims at highlighting the arts for those who love them in Clark County. For instance, Las Vegas is home to the Harvest Festival Annual Art & Craft Show, which is the largest indoor art craft show on the west coast and features hundreds of artists displaying their American handmade craft items.
For aficionados of the theater, dance, and music, the Smith Center for the Performing Arts occupies a huge chunk of the downtown art district, and an even bigger place in the hearts of fans of high culture within a city more known for its lavish casino-style stage shows. Home to the Nevada Ballet Theater and Las Vegas Philharmonic, the Smith Center plays host to a myriad of world class touring troupes who are legendary in their field of artistic expression. From the Broadway smash hit musical, The Bridges of Madison County, to jazz ensembles to classical and contemporary musical productions.
The residents of the Biggest Little City in the World takes their art seriously, and the broader community have embraced this trend with a litany of artistic endeavors from staging ArtTown, the largest art festival in America, as well as proudly hosting the state’s premier artistic collection at the Nevada Museum of Art. ArtTown is a month long celebration of the arts that features a blend of performance and establishment art that fills the streets of downtown Reno throughout the month of July. Typical ArtTown festivals in the past have witnessed as many as 500 events, more than a hundred workshops, and upwards of fifty ongoing programs, many of them completely free to the public, to enchant and delight the art lover in Reno. The Nevada Museum of Art, located just south of downtown on Liberty Street, features a blend of permanent exhibits and regularly rotated traveling shows.
When it is time to give their eyes a rest, and make their ears do the heavy lifting for an evening of entertainment, Reno-ites enjoy a vibrant music scene. Whether attending a concert for a nationally touring bands appearing on the stage at the Reno Event Center or catching a show and one of the smaller venues, the Knitting Factory is particularly popular, music lovers have plenty to get excited about when they’re looking for good tunes. Additionally, the Biggest Little City in the World is well known for its beautiful summers, and the street festival celebrations that come with that great weather with live musical entertainment, incredible food, and great fun.
A range of cultural activities is available at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. This 1,500-seat venue showcases classic theater favorites, as well as the latest in Broadway offerings like the critically acclaimed The Book of Mormon, which recently packed the house with capacity crowds at its recent Reno running. Additionally, in its dedication to the arts, the Pioneer Center hosts the Reno Philharmonic and Northern Nevada’s leading ballet troupe, the AVA Ballet Theater. The arts are alive in Reno, Nevada, and the town’s denizens are the leading beneficiaries of that fact.
This small town located approximately thirty miles south of Reno, Nevada comes alive artistically during the town’s annual Candy Dance Arts and Craft Fair. This yearly event has been ongoing for more than 90 years, and the traditions continue each festival season as more than 300 artists converge on this small historic town to celebrate the food, crafts, artwork, and talent of so many artists within such a small space. In addition to the hundreds of art pieces on display to brighten up the home, the festival is also the place to enjoy some of the more than 4,000 pounds of homemade candy for which Genoa is rightly famous. During the remainder of the year, Genoa residents avail themselves of the artistic outlets available in nearby Carson City and Reno.
Yerington has secured its spot on the list of best cities in Nevada for art based on a very special program that is located in the city. “Through the Eyes of a Child,” a program owned and supported by Through the Eyes of a Child Foundation, seeks to bring the power of dance to children of all ages. The Studio Academy of Dance offers classes to disadvantaged youth that teach the fine points of ballet from beginning moves to advanced dancing techniques. In addition to their renowned ballet coursework, the academy also has offerings in jazz, hip-hop, tap, and other dance forms.
Home to the Silver State’s vast mining operations, Elko is one of the best cities in Nevada for artistic expression. Proud of its cowboy and western heritage, this passion for the past is evident in the town’s artistic expression. Most famously, Elko hosts a weeklong celebration during the month of January of all things western known as the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Poetry, songs, films, pictorial collections, and more are the highlight of the week as participants tell the stories of the old west through the vehicle of performance art. For those who have never attended a cowboy poetry gathering, they are in for a true treat with the opportunity to experience an artistic expression that unlocks the culture and history of the American West life few others can possibly approach. .
Also popular, the Western Folklife Center, located in downtown Elko, places a microscope on the everyday traits and traditions of those living in the American west, and the folk art that emerged from that hard-bitten existence.
