Reno is STILL Artown

The news about the de-installation of the Space Whale sculpture from downtown got me to thinking about how much art we have locally, even when we're not in the middle of one of the nation's coolest arts festivals. Reno’s annual Artown celebration has grown to hold quite a position in the local community since it came into being in 1996. When Artown 2020 took place earlier this summer, if it had been a person, it would have been plenty old enough to pop into one of the downtown casinos for a drink and a few pulls on the slots. Given its current reputation as a nationally recognized arts festival, it’s funny to think back to the time when the idea of Reno, Nevada, as an arts destination was a pie-in-the-sky, head-in-the-clouds kind of idea. And even now, outside of Artown or Burning Man, the average person on the street in other parts of the country is still more likely to think of the gaming industry if you ask them about Reno. Some of the more tech- or business-savvy of them might call to mind the industrial renaissance. But most of them aren’t going to bring up the arts as a talking point. So this week’s post is a tip of the hat to a few of Reno’s visual arts spots, the galleries that are still here throughout the rest of the year. Photo at left: Pixabay, Nikeysha Gordon.

And, of course, the two-ton gorilla in the Reno art scene is the Nevada Museum of Art. An anchor of arts and culture in the Downtown and Riverwalk area, the museum is an innovator and leader not only locally and regionally, but it is in fact the only accredited art museum in the state. I could go on and on for several hundred words about this institution. Oh, wait, I already did, in the summer issue of Tahoe.com Magazine. It’s a great write-up on what the museum has to offer and how you can enjoy it, even in times of pandemic caution. If you haven’t had a chance to pick up a hard copy of the magazine, you can click on over to the Tahoe.com website for a digital version of the issue.

Also in the Downtown/Riverwalk area, you can find the Sierra Arts Foundation Downtown Gallery in the historic Riverside Building. Through most of the rest of August, they have the virtual exhibition “Trash, Treasure or True Art?” on display. The Foundation’s Depot Gallery, a collaboration with the city of Sparks, also has a virtual exhibition posted, and, finally, the Scott Robert Hudson Pop-up display, originally scheduled to end its run in June, is still available for viewing. For in-person visits at the downtown site, call ahead to check the schedule – for the most part, the hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. but can vary depending upon other activities in the space. Photo at left: Wikimedia Commons, Ken Lund.

In Midtown is Stremmel Gallery, specializing in works by mid-career and established American and European artists. There are no exhibitions currently taking place here, but the gallery artists are on display, and with nearly four dozen creators to choose from, this makes for a dazzling presentation with a wide range of pieces. The Stremmel Gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is strictly adhering to social-distancing guidelines including face coverings and a six-foot space between other visitors and staff members.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Holland Project Gallery, a hip, all-ages initiative with a focus on highlighting and encouraging young emerging artists. Running through the end of August on view in the Holland Project Window Gallery is “The House of Representatives of the United States in the 116^th Congress in Two Quilts (One for Each Party)” by Jen Graham. The Holland Project is on Vesta in the Downtown/Midtown area. Photo at right: Facebook, The Holland Project.

And coming up in the first week of September (August 30 through September 6), the Empathy Co-op presents a simultaneous virtual/in-person art installation designed to push back against the isolation and loneliness some people may be experiencing in the current pandemic. The IRL version will be located in the Civic Plaza in downtown Reno, while the digital iteration will be made available in the Burning Man Multiverse at the same time. More information on this project is available at the Empathy Co-op's website.

I know, and you know, and I know you know, there’s tons more local art out there in the Truckee Meadows, and it kills me not to be able to touch on more here in this space. So, your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to get out there and enjoy the art and then to signal boost it to the rest of the world. Reno is, after all, Artown.