If you have lived in the Las Vegas Valley for more than a few years, you’ve heard the comments. “There’s no culture here” is a popular cry when residents and visitors discuss the valley’s fine-arts options.

According to industry experts, it is difficult for many people to see beyond the glitz and glitter of the Las Vegas Strip.

“Developing cultural arts takes time to build generation by generation,” said Philip Koslow, executive director of the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

Clark County Museum’s Mark Ryzdynski said cultural arts in any city take time and money to develop.

“History and museums are long-term investments in cultural arts of any community,” said Ryzdynski, the museum’s administrator. “They take time to build multi-generational followings.”

Judy Moore, vice president of planning for Opera Las Vegas, agreed and said the Las Vegas Valley is ready for a more cultural experience. “Las Vegas has an incredible appetite for culture. We have one of the fastest-growing cultural areas in the United States,” she said. “We’re seeing younger people coming to the opera, and they like it. That’s a great sign for the future.”

Nevada Ballet Theatre’s Executive Director Beth Barbre also sees the valley’s cultural environment growing. “As we enter our 2007-2008 season, we are pleased at the growth we are experiencing, especially in the rise in our season subscriptions,” she said.

Moore and other experts contend a major performing arts center in the valley would jump start the valley’s cultural experiences. “We need a visual icon of culture,” she said. “That’s a big piece of the puzzle. It will make a major difference in our valley’s cultural experience.”
According to plans from the Las Vegas mayor’s office, Downtown Las Vegas will soon be home to a marquee, state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center.

“The time is right since we have nearly two million people in the area,” said Hal West, vice president of marketing and public relations for Opera Las Vegas.

Casino Connection Nevada searched the Las Vegas Valley for cultural experiences from mainstream to hidden gems and from high-end excursions to reasonable-priced family outings.


Popular Culture

Since its inception July 4, 1998, the Las Vegas Philharmonic (www.lvphil.com) has entertained thousands of people searching for the cultural arts. Quickly establishing a reputation for artistic credibility and stunning, complex and demanding performances, the philharmonic orchestra has played alongside international cultural icons including Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman and Placido Domingo.

As Nevada’s third-largest arts organization, the philharmonic is a six-time recipient of the Best Performing Arts Group award. “We’re finding the Las Vegas Philharmonic is having a great response from the community,” said the Philharmonic’s Koslow. “We’re trying to enhance everyone’s quality of life.”

The philharmonic also provided support at the CineVegas Film Festival and the openings of Bellagio and Venetian hotel-casinos. With nearly a decade in town, the philharmonic is now taking additional steps to provide valley residents more cultural activities.

“We offer a variety of events now from youth and family concerts to a classical series of performances and our annual Hills Park July 4 event,” said Koslow.

Koslow said the youth concert series is dedicated to providing informative and entertaining educational programs with performances at Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall for fourth and fifth graders. The philharmonic has a holiday program beginning in early December.

Another popular Las Vegas Valley cultural activity is the Nevada Ballet Theatre (www.nevadaballet.com). Beginning in 1972, the professional ballet company entertains thousands of spectators every year at the UNLV Performing Arts Center’s Judy Baylay Theatre.

Thanks to a grant, the company of performers—led by internationally acclaimed artistic director Bruce Steivel—call Summerlin home. The company moved its practice academy in 1998 and now enjoys seven dance studios at the 36,000-square-foot facility.

“Through special collaborations, including a joint project between our company and Cirque du Soleil, hosting world-renowned choreographers and adding live music whenever possible, we continually strive to elevate our presence in the Las Vegas community and beyond,” said Barbre.

One of the state’s most-respected cultural organizations, the Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT) attracts dancers from around the world and has performed a number of classic efforts during the year including Don Quixote and The Nutcracker. The company performs annually at the Summerlin Arts Festival as well.

The Nevada Ballet Theatre’s popular performance—the Nutcracker—returns for the holiday season from December 14-27. Show times vary with tickets ranging from $39. The NBT hosts The Black & White Ball 2008 on January 26 at 8 p.m. and February will issue in the company’s school matinee series with Stravinsky to Sinatra. Other 2008 performances include East Meets West and Cinderella.

Barbre said, “We are diligently working to garner new audiences in preparation for our
move into the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in 2011.”

Opera Las Vegas (www.operalasvegas.org)
features a variety of major productions, youth artists programs and outreach school programs. Created to bring an opera company to the valley, Opera Las Vegas engineers two major productions a year.

“This valley needed a viable opera company,” said Moore. “Our growth
has been consistent with the growth
of the community.”


Culture, Culture, Everywhere

Not all cultural options in the Las Vegas Valley require black-tie attire and high-end venues. In fact, there are plenty of hidden gems of cultural activity throughout the valley.
One such option is the Clark County Museum (www.co.clark.nv.us/Parks) on
South Boulder Highway in Henderson. With reasonable admission rates, the museum offers kid-friendly programs and showcases some of Nevada’s historic landmarks.

“We collect, observe and report local history,” said Ryzdynski. “Now, we have an extensive inventory of restored historic structures. We offer a chance for people to experience the valley’s history.”

The museum features its annual Native American Cultural Festival in April every year showcasing cultural food, performances and art.


A Night at the Museum

• Lied Discovery Children’s Museum, located at 833 North Las Vegas Blvd., offers educational opportunity from science to history. A hands-on facility, the museum has a “Desert Discovery” for visitors age 5 and younger. Various exhibits and experiments rotate throughout the year, including opportunities for children to learn about other cultures. Open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., admission is just $8 for adults and $7 for kids under 18.

• Guggenheim Hermitage Museum, located inside the Venetian Hotel Casino, is one of the most respected museums in the international art community. Through the end of April, the museum presents “Modern Masters from the Guggenheim Collection.” Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., admission prices range from $10 to $15. Featured works of art include Picasso, Claude Monet, Edouard Manet and Paul Cezanne. Platforms including genre painting, portraits, landscape, still life and more.

• Las Vegas Natural History Museum, located at 900 N. Las Vegas Blvd. next to Cashman Field, brings to life the animal kingdom housing more than a dozen unique exhibits from African savannah to desert life and prehistoric Nevada. The museum event offers a Marine Life Gallery with a 3,000-gallon live shark tank, a Snake Pit and Dinosaur Gallery. Admission ranges from $3 to $7 with the museum open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.


More Hidden Gems

• Nevada State Museum and Historical Society, located 700 Twin Lakes Drive, features a full range of interesting displays about the rich history of Nevada from the ice age to today. With galleries featuring the traces of man in Nevada to extinct creatures and nuclear testing, the museum even details of state’s gaming history. Children under 17 are admitted free, while adult admissions are just $4. The museum is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Atomic Testing Museum, located at 755 E. Flamingo Road, showcases a history of atomic energy and testing in Nevada. Free admission for children 6 and under, students pay just $9 and adults are $12. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

• Las Vegas Art Museum, located at 9600 W. Sahara Ave. in Lorenzi Park, has displayed a variety of contemporary art since 1950. With different collections throughout the year, the museum showcases Titian, Botticelli, Gaugin and others. Closed Monday, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Children under 12 are free, while adult admission is $6.

• A few not-so-noticeable opportunities for cultural include the Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum. Located throughout the McCarran International Airport, the Cannon Aviation Museum showcases the history of flight from 1920 to today’s latest jet aircraft. The main exhibit is in the baggage claim area.

• On the campus of UNLV is the Marjorie Barrick Museum of National History. Offering free admission, the museum is open Monday through Friday at 8 a.m and Saturday at 10 a.m. The education treasure includes some of the area’s oldest inhabitants and live retiles. The center of the facility features an open-air tortoise habitat.

• The City of Henderson’s Department of Cultural Arts and Tourism offers a variety of concerts, performances and visual art exhibits. Ideal for its many festivals and civic events, the city operates six venues including the Henderson Pavilion, Henderson Convention Center, Henderson Amphitheatre and Henderson Events Plaza.

Events are staged throughout the year including musicals, Shakespeare in the Park, art exhibits, cultural celebrations and more. Art galleries are located at the Henderson Multigenerational Center, Paseo Verde Library Art Gallery and Old Town Gallery.

By Tann Summers

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