About The Arts District
For those who think that Las Vegas has no soul, all they have to do is head to the downtown zone. Las Vegas has so much more to offer than just gambling, like the arts district, for instance; it’s teeming with a vital arts scene.
An artist busy painting a portrait or a photographer trying to capture a unique perspective of the looming Las Vegas skyline. The Las Vegas arts district has it all. Be prepared to haggle with hawkers and artisans for rare finds that you’re not likely to find anywhere else.
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Living in The Arts District
Admittedly, the Las Vegas arts district isn’t like Paris, France. Rather, the area comes on its very own with its antique shops and art galleries. It’s alive and well with artwork sales that can rival the briskness of any casino transaction.
In fact, the Las Vegas arts district has a secret name: 18b. It’s an abbreviation for 18 blocks, which will give you an idea of just how vast this art district truly is. Art retail stores in the arts district span the nine to five operation over the typical work week.
However, what makes the Las Vegas arts district so unique is that the first Friday of the month is when the arts scene heats up. Hence, it’s not only during the summer when the artsy bug takes hold in Las Vegas. All the seasons are fair game for the love of art. On other days, the artistic community usually communes in the arts district at sundown.
Call them vampires or night owls, but these night-time communes are what further sets the Las Vegas arts district apart from any other arts district in the world. There’s just something in Las Vegas nights that inspire creative sparks or gets the artistic juices flowing with the serving of wine, beer, and other alcoholic beverages that are never second best. An important lesson to be learned here is that when you plan on succeeding in your art business or your pursuit of creative inspiration, you need to do as the Las Vegas art district does.
Things To Do in the Las Vegas Arts District
1998 was a pivotal year for the Las Vegas arts district. A strong hippie culture in the lower part of Nevada would give rise to the art scene. Almost overnight, derelict warehouses and loft spaces would be transformed into makeshift art galleries that would hawk everything from vintage clothing to abstract art.
To find 18b yourself, you need to know the coordinates. The centerpiece of the Las Vegas arts district is Charleston and Main. And in case you get lost, remember that this intersection of the arts district is less than a mile down historic Fremont, the enduring symbol of the Las Vegas downtown core. You can always let local graffiti help you find the pulsating arts district. For out here, high-rise residential properties proudly sport the wacky art, rather than erasing it from building facades.
Photo Courtesy of Teresa Meeks on Flickr
The Arts District Zip:
89101
The Arts District Geo Coordinates:
Lat: 36.1587622
Long: 115.150752
Even an old bakery wouldn’t be spared from the burgeoning art movement in Las Vegas. The arts district has deemed it proper to convert good old Holsum Bread into an art trade mecca and restaurant in one. Just don’t look for gambling if you don’t want to get disappointed; it’s off-limits in this part of Las Vegas.
One recurring thread in the development of the Las Vegas arts district is the propensity to transform a warehouse into a beehive of artistic expression. And when it comes to upholding this distinct tradition, nothing can rival the frenetic art atmosphere of the Arts Factory. Name it, and every art form is represented in this warehouse conversion. So you can’t miss out the all-important arts center unless you want to cover up one of the city’s best-kept secrets.
Artistic expression and commerce are alive and well in Las Vegas, thanks to a non-profit initiative that sparked it all two years before the strike of the second millennium. In keeping with the tradition, the Art Square Theater was born, which once again showcases a 1950s building that was remodeled to keep the art movement aflame. As an integral and enduring part of the Las Vegas arts district, the theater stands adjacent to the Arts Factory. Thus, you can hit two birds with one stone by adding this important intersection of the arts district to your Las Vegas travel itinerary. Leaving Las Vegas too soon? Don’t forget a visit to the heart and soul of the city.