Las Vegas City Wire

More than 200 members of the Las Vegas arts community gathered at the Historic Fifth Street School in downtown Las Vegas for the second annual Arts & Culture Summit on February 29. The event aims to foster collaboration and strengthen ties within the local arts sector.

The summit is an initiative from a city-led focus group designed to promote cooperation among leaders and representatives from various arts organizations, including nonprofits, museums, galleries, performing groups, and venues. "The overwhelmingly positive response from leaders in the Las Vegas arts community to last year’s inaugural Arts Summit is driving us to continue building upon its success," stated Maggie Plaster, director of the city's Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs. She emphasized that a unified approach leads to a stronger and more resilient arts community.

Keynote speakers at the summit included Randy Cohen from Americans for the Arts and Felicia Shaw from San Diego Arts and Culture Coalition. The event also featured two panel discussions.

Throughout the day, attendees enjoyed performances by several artists and groups such as The High Stakes Barbershop Quartet, opera singer Amara Wertin, Vegas Theatre Company alongside Majestic Repertory Theatre, poet Vogue Robinson, Mariachi Alma Del Sol, Rainbow Company Youth Theatre, and Southern Nevada Paiute Tribe. The day concluded with a happy hour performance by the Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Plans are already underway for another summit in 2025. According to Plaster, these events are crucial for fostering dialogue and resource sharing among diverse art organizations.