First Murals Revealed In Historic Westside Mural Project

The first three murals of the Historic Westside Mural Project are revealed. Take a walk with the project coordinator and local artist Chase McCurdy as he describes the powerful messages behind public art. Also hear why the West Las Vegas Arts Center was selected as the location for the first murals.

The new outdoor murals in Las Vegas send messages of hope, inspiration and history. Check out the Historic Westside Mural Project and see the work of local artists D'Andre, X. Darvi and Michelle Graves. The video will show where to find outdoor murals in Las Vegas and why the project coordinator, Chase McCurdy, says Las Vegas outdoor art and Las Vegas public art are so important for community pride.

View the video here.

Chocolate Jazzed Café to present Kimo & Ryzen on Jan. 14

Enjoy a relaxing evening listening to live performances by local musicians while being surrounded in a world of art by over 40 local artists. During the performances, delight in chocolates & wine. Kimo & Ryzen will be the featured program at The Chocolate Jazzed Café in the City of the World gallery at Meadows Mall on Jan. 14.

Ryzen Williams is a Las Vegas-born artist made of coffee and creativity.

From the website:

I originally went to college to study business, as I am a huge accounting nerd. While I did enjoy it, I often found myself being drawn back to art. During that time, I started doodling mandalas and other pattern work after reading about how they can be used for meditation and stress relief. So when my education journey suddenly came to an end, I followed the call, shifting my focus to diving deeper into the healing properties of sacred geometry.

Art has been a very helpful tool to cope with social anxiety as well as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Painting allows me to maintain dexterity and release stress related to living with chronic pain. Outside of visual art, I am also a folk singer-songwriter. You can find me and my guitar playing at City of the World, on Instagram, on open mics, or at a park. I strive to inspire and help others heal through art and music.

City of the World, Inc. is an established 501(c)3 nonprofit community art gallery offering programs, workshops, and art for children serving the Valley since 1996.

Chocolate Jazzed Café will be at the City of the World Art Gallery at the Meadows Mall, 4300 Meadows Lane, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14. Tickets are $15 for members, $20 for the general public and students are free. The gallery is located on the first floor near Macy’s. For more info, call 702-523-5306 or visit cityoftheworldlasvegas.org.

Activities for the Youth to be held at 2022 Las Vegas Book Festival

Youth can enjoy readings, illustration demonstrations and musical performances during the 2022 Las Vegas Book Festival Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The free festival is held downtown at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St., and is open to all ages.

EMMY and Latin Grammy-Award winner Lucky Diaz will read from his book “Paletero Man,” perform with the The Lucky Band and host an interactive workshop that will guide children through the entire process of writing a song.

Additional youth activities include:

• Pictionary with illustrators Troy Cummings, Heather Fox, Cyndi Marko and Mika Song

• Readings with authors Julie Berry and J. L. Esplin

• An introductory workshop to zines for those ages 6-15 with Co-Zi LV.

The city of Las Vegas will host a Children’s Rainbow Wonderland with pop-up mobile recreation activities, arts and crafts, and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This year’s festival headliners includes Washington Post investigative journalist Carl Bernstein, celebrity chef and author Hubert Keller, “Such A Fun Age” author Kiley Reid and New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand.

A full schedule of festival activities that includes panel discussions, book signings, arts and crafts for children and musical performances can be found here. For updates and more information on the book festival, visit www.lasvegasbookfestival.com. Keep up with festival news on Facebook and Twitter (#VegasBookFest).

Produced by the city of Las Vegas, Nevada Humanities and NV Energy, the Las Vegas Book Festival also is supported with funding from donors via The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE. Additional sponsors include the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Audacy Radio and The CW. Gold/silver/bronze sponsors include Arts Midwest, Healthplan of Nevada, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, the Las Vegas Rotary and the UFC. Additional event sponsors include the National Endowment for the Humanities, Nevada Center for the Book and Spread the Word Nevada.

The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE was established in 2018 as a vehicle for corporate and philanthropic partners to support innovative programs that improve quality of life for all Las Vegas residents with a special focus on vulnerable populations. The Fund creates opportunities for public-private partnerships as well as donations of cash, time and in-kind goods and services. Guided by a diverse group of community leaders who serve as members of the fund’s Advisory Committee, the fund targets specific community needs with a goal of making Las Vegas a national leader in four areas: Livability, Innovation, Future and Education. The Nevada Community Foundation, a public charity under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, serves as The Mayor’s Fund fiscal agent, receiving all private donations. Donations to the Nevada Community Foundation for The Mayor’s Fund are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For information, visit MayorsFundLV.org.

The Las Vegas Book Festival is the largest literary event in Nevada, presented by the city of Las Vegas, The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, NV Energy and Nevada Humanities, along with many sponsors and supporters, including the National Endowment for the Humanities. The 21st annual celebration of the written, spoken and illustrated word is free and open to all ages. Through the years, the festival has presented countless well-known authors, panel discussions, readings, workshops and book signings. Topics of interest include politics, social issues, history, popular fiction, cooking and science fiction. There’s something for everyone. For information, please visit lasvegasbookfestival.com. Keep up with festival news on Facebook and Twitter (#VegasBookFest).