VEGASinsight Archives

(capital h gallery, First Friday, October 2006)

What started as hushed rumors last month has developed into full-blown — and painful — truth: the City of Las Vegas has cut its funding for the monthly First Friday arts festival in downtown Las Vegas, forcing Whirlygig, Inc. — the nonprofit that runs the event — to turn to its patrons for support.

“We believe the thousands of people who participate in First Friday want to see it continue, and will willingly make this small gesture of support,” said Whirlygig executive director Nancy Higgins in a press release. “We also thank the City of Las Vegas Office of Cultural Affairs for all they have done over the past five years and for what they will continue to do for this popular community event in the future.”

Just what the city will continue to do is act as host sponsor for only six events during the year, reportedly in the milder months, to better capitalize on opportunities for increased participation in the festival. Outside of that $80,000 annual sponsorship, Whirlygig is left to its own devices to support the festival’s hard costs — security, stages, power, toilets, lighting, etc. — and that means (you all saw this coming, right?) asking all First Friday attendees for a $2 donation. Remember those fences that went up around the heart of the festival on Casino Center Boulevard starting last year? Those gates will now become donation-making access points.

Now, $2 a month per person is not a lot to ask. And certain sponsors are offering incentives, such as drink discounts at the Downtown Cocktail Room and Big Island Smoothies, with the sticker each paid admission receives. But here’s the question: How does this help the art scene grow? The answer is: Even though it obviously won’t, maybe it shouldn’t.

For years now, what started as a relatively small gathering of a few hundred people in 2002 has slowly turned into a bloated street party that lost its connection to the original purpose, which we think had something to do with connecting artists and art-lovers. The festival likely reached critical mass long before its fifth anniversary last October, and with the development of the Fremont East Entertainment District, “First Friday” now has two meanings: The art festival, in which both artists and patrons have lost interest; and the pub crawl, which has increased in popularity to the point that for many people, “First Friday” starts at 10 p.m. inside the Beauty Bar.

Whirlygig has taken certain measures to try and revive the festival, especially the increasingly sparse offerings on Casino Center. Brian and Jennifer Henry, who ran capital h gallery inside the Arts Factory for a number of years (and who currently produce the First Friday Newsletter), have been tapped to curate the tents along Casino Center. However, especially starting with the coldest months of the year, the resourceful couple has an uphill battle ahead.

Some voices in the scene have anonymously noted this signals not only the death of First Friday, but also the Vegas art scene in general. Others speculate — as we do — that this could be just the thing needed to cut the fat from the bloated event and return it to a beacon for the art scene, not the beached whale it seems to have become.

(Photo courtesy Main Gallery)

Main Gallery (1009 S. Main St.) may have just opened in April 2007, but its already become a fixture in Las Vegas’ Arts District, featuring cutting-edge contemporary art exhibits, garnering press in the Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas Weekly and Racket magazine.

Now the Main Gallery is giving back to the community with a benefit exhibition for Opportunity Village running from Jan. 18 – Feb. 8. Featuring the work of eight artists from Opportunity Village’s Arts & Enrichment Program, all proceeds from any art sales will be donated to Opportunity Village. Guests to the reception, held Friday, Jan. 18 from 6 to 9 p.m., are encouraged to bring a donation of art supplies for the program. There will also be a silent auction held that evening to benefit the charity.

For more information, call Main Gallery at (702) 257-MAIN or visit www.maingallerylv.com.

Is it a lamp? Is it art? Is it form over function?

You can decide for yourself when you visit the Fallout (1551 S. Commerce St.) to scope out the new exhibition by Joe Clark, “So Rare II,” on display throughout the month of January. The new installation of art lamps will take patrons from the past to the present as they move through the exhibit.

An opening reception will be held on Thursday, Jan. 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.thefallout.net or call (702) 269-3111.

Three UNLV graduates are joining forces — and distinct styles — to present one heck of a show at the Contemporary Arts Collective gallery (inside the Arts Factory, 101 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 101) this January. The exhibit, entitled “extra.ordinary,” features the works of Zak Ostrowski, Grayson Ronk and Barret Thomson, whose different approaches will explore “closely related underlying conceptual themes and ideas.”

A reception for “extra.ordinary” will be held on Thursday, Jan. 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. The trio’s art will be available for viewing until Jan. 26. For more information, visit www.lasvegascac.org or call (702) 382-3886.

Alan Choate wrote an interesting, in-a-nutshell article about the progress of development in Las Vegas’ ever-struggling Arts District in yesterday’s Review-Journal, spurned by the relocation of Mark Rowland’s Homage graphic studio to the S2 building at Main Street and Charleston Boulevard.

Tender this with derision over the proposed “gateway” arches planned for the very same intersection, well-reported in this Las Vegas Sun article from Oct. 23. Oh, hell, while you’re at it, scope out plans for the Smith Center in yet another Sun article from that month, since it was mentioned in Choate’s report as well.

‘Tis maybe the season to be jolly, but for most Americans–especially those car-confined, harried Las Vegans–the holiday season is all about consumerism and last-minute freaking out (or, as some call it, “holiday shopping”). Well, we know you VEGASinsight readers are a different lot–you appreciate music, art and culture, right? So why don’t you share that appreciation with your loved ones?

City of the World, a non-profit gallery located in the heart of the Las Vegas Arts District at 1229 S. Casino Center (at Colorado), is holding a “Super Saturday Art Sale” on Dec. 22 from 1 – 9 p.m. A number of the featured artists will be on hand for you to haggle with over prices. City of the World features an eclectic collection of styles and items, from Gina Quaranto’s Gothic-tinged Christmas ornaments and Sean Jones’ humorous comic panels to artisan handbags by Sol Sisters and hand-painted silk scarves by Brent Haug.

For more information, contact Roz at 702-523-5306 or visit the City of the World website at www.cityoftheworld.org.

One of Las Vegas’ oldest arts organizations has a fresh, new face–in the form of new Contemporary Arts Collective gallery director Beate Kirmse.

The German-born director’s background is in strategic business planning and IT, though she holds a certificate in arts administration from NYU.

Now a downtown Las Vegas resident, Kirmse is responsible for managing operations for the CAC’s gallery, as well as playing a role on the collective’s exhibition committee.

Though she worked as a senior business analyst for BusinessEdge Solutions in New York City, Kirmse was active in the Big Apple’s art scene, donating her time to help both local galleries and a small arts magazine.

The CAC is located on the first floor of the Arts Factory (101 E. Charleston Blvd., Ste. 101) in the heart of the Vegas Arts District. For more information, visit www.lasvegascac.org or call 702-382-3886.

Las Vegas arts scene secret No. 1: First Friday is for amateurs. The best action for true art enthusiasts is typically on the Thursday before the monthly art festival, when a number of galleries hold their invite-only receptions (which are never really invite-only). This is a good time to enjoy the art, converse with artists and consume snackery and libations without having to dodge every spiky-haired emo kid in the valley.

This week, the action’s at the Arts Factory (103 E. Charleston Blvd.) with a double-dose of art-tasticness. First up is the reception for the “minUMENTAL Artist Invitational” at Trifecta Gallery. More than 16 artists — including Eric Joyner, Brian Henry, Casey Weldon, Chad Brown and Marty Walsh — are showing a number of works, all in the 6-by-6-inch range. A number of artists will be on hand to sign their work or answer your insightful questions. The reception runs from 5 – 8 p.m.

Not too far outside Trifecta’s doors, Racket Magazine is presenting an opening party for the debut of DJ 88’s art show, “88 Ways.” Not only will the lovely music-spinner’s paintings be on display, but she’ll also be providing tunes, along with DJ Five. The art of Ruckus One will also be featured during this show. SpyOnVegas.com‘s Open Bar will provide free beverages courtesy of King 888 and Ty Ku, so there is no good reason for you not to be at the Arts Factory sometime between 6 and 10 p.m. Unless you don’t like art, free booze or good music.

Assuming you didn’t max out on your art intake Thursday, I have one major First Friday recommendation for you: Dirk Vermin’s “Tattoos & Trash” at MTZC gallery (inside Commerce Street Studios, 1551 S. Commerce St.). This annual treat features the art of Pussykat Tattoo Parlor’s talented tat-gunslingers and their skin art pals. Unlike other art shows, don’t look for wine and cheese here–but surely there will be cheap American beer and Doritos. We think.

This Friday you could do whatever typical Vegas drinking/clubbing/sex toy partying thing it is you normally do to inaugurate your weekend … OR you could immerse yourself in something really sexy: CULTURE.

“Noise” — the semi-regular live painting/music/hippie fest held inside the Aruba Hotel’s Thunderbird Lounge (1215 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) — is hosting a special, themed event, “Day of the Dead,” this Friday night at 10 p.m. Yes, it’s two weeks after the actual dia le los muertos. Whatever, don’t get technical.

There will be spoken word, a drum circle, live music by The Experimental Freakshow with The Touch, and art by a whole slew of folks, including Gina Quaranto, Jada Fire and Katlyn Breene. There will also be a special slide show/altar set up to honor dead loved ones, featuring images submitted by “Noise” attendees.

The “Noise” people are also asking for canned food and sleeping bag donations for Las Vegas Peace Project and Project Purpose.

Oh, yes, and I’m sure you can drink and fornicate and whatever else you enjoy doing as well. Well, save the fornication for AFTER the event. Maybe get a room at the Aruba. I highly recommend it.

And a thanks to Chris Snethen for linking to my Killers rant from yesterday on his excellent blog, The Vig. Hope that Sam’s Town taste washes out soon.

So it’s nowhere near Las Vegas, but since we feel a certain kinship with New York City, I’m going to share a little about the upcoming “The Walls Belong to Us 2” benefit being held on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 55DSL (281 LaFayette St.) in SoHo from 7 – 9 p.m. It’s the second in a series of art benefits held to raise money for the legal defense fund of Alain “Ket” Maridueña, the legendary NYC graffiti artist, author and activist who was arrested and charged with graffiti-related crimes in three of New York’s five boroughs.

On Sept. 10, Ket plead guilty in a Brooklyn court to one count of second-degree
criminal mischief—a felony—for painting a train in Brooklyn last March. The artist was given a three-year suspended sentence, plus an order to pay $3,000 in restitution. As well, Maridueña will paint a mural as commissioned by the District Attorney’s office.

The art benefit at 55DSL will feature an open bar, music by DJ Soul and new artwork by such street-born artists as Shepard Fairey, Rolo, Grotesk, Daze and Mario Pena.

If you live in or plan to be in the NYC area, you can RSVP for the event at rsvp@soundofart.net. Suggested donation is $20. Online auction of the art opens on Thursday at www.thewallsbelongtous.com. More info can be found at www.supportket.org.