University of Nevada, Reno School of the Arts
There is something going on with the arts almost constantly at UNR and much of it is free to the public. For example, the flagship Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery offers a variety of free exhibits It is located in the Church Fine Arts Building on the UNR campus. Other free events include concerts, musical performances, and dance. Check the
School of the Arts calendar for details on what's happening and when. Call (775) 784-6682 for more information.
Nevada Historical Society
The Nevada Historical Society is really a museum and research facility. However, it does have a free exhibit that Reno/Tahoe residents should find interesting. It is titled
Reno: Biggest Little City in the World and features items from Reno's early days as a crossing point on the Truckee River all the way through to the 21st century city of today. Everything is specific to Reno and its colorful history - photographs, manuscripts, artifacts, gambling memorabilia, and art work. For more information, call (775) 688-1190.
Galleries at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC)
Admission to TMCC art galleries is free and open to the public. These are professional quality galleries that display a variety of works on a rotating basis. The TMCC website has an
art galleries page where you can see what is on display and check out pictures and floor plans of the facility. All galleries are located on the Dandini campus, in north Reno next to US 395, 7000 Dandini Blvd. The information number is (775) 674-7698.
- Red Mountain and Erik Lauritzen Galleries are on the third floor of the Red Mountain Building. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Main Art Gallery is on the first floor of the V. James Eardley Student Center. Hours are Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.
Public Art to See When You're Out and About
Aside from what I've included here, public art you are free to enjoy dots various other spots around Reno.
- Tribute to Native Americans: Paiute Tribe - Summit Ridge Park, 4560 Summit Ridge Drive
- Swimming Bench - Valley Wood Park, 6555 Valley Wood Drive
- Aspen Grove - Terrace Sports Complex, 2525 Robb Drive
- Call of the Panther - Panther Valley Park, 1850 Link Lane
- Alfresco - University Ridge Park, 990 S. University Ridge Park Loop
- Luminous Balloon Seeds - Downtown Reno Events Center
- Community, Diversity, and Independence - Wells Avenue Streetscape
- Rose Waterfall - Idlewild Park Rose Garden
- Mountaintop - McKinley Arts and Culture Center, 925 Riverside Drive
- Wind Dancers - Horizon View Park, Wilbur May Parkway near Carat Drive
Artown
Artown is probably what has established Reno as a thriving center for a multitude of artistic endeavors. The
Artown festival runs the entire month of July and well over half of the hundreds of activities, shows, and performances are free. With success as its tailwind, Artown is slowly branching out to include performances during other parts of the year as well.
More Information About the Arts in Reno
