Arts District has a forum to vent

Friday, June 16, 2006 | 7:24 a.m.

The denizens of the Las Vegas Arts District always find plenty to shout about. Residents holler about rent increases; artists about living and work spaces; landowners about development; gallery and shop owners about crowd control for the First Friday monthly arts festival, which many say has gotten out of hand.

But when Las Vegas Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian asked them Wednesday whether they believed that the city has failed to make progress in the Arts District, everyone fell silent.

Tarkanian asked the question of about 70 people who showed up at G-C Arts gallery on Main Street for a town-hall-style meeting. City officials mapped out projects, bus routes and "urban pathways" that are planned for the Arts District.

Scott Adams of the city's business development office gave a slide-show presentation of lofts and towers planned for the area. He said Las Vegas has one of the worst downtowns he has ever seen, but that the 10 approved projects in the Arts District, which includes 3,603 planned units valued at $1.5 billion, can help rejuvenate the area.

City officials offered no solutions for residents' complaints about rent increases because of booming development nor for their fears that planned condo buildings will tower over the neighborhood. But the officials discussed easing building codes to make it easier for artists to create living and work spaces and new licensing that will allow bars to be closer together and help draw more visitors to the area during the week.

Tarkanian said the meeting was a routine gathering in her district. Others speculated that it was a response to resident complaints over condo projects and tensions highlighted in the media.

Jacie Maynard, president of the Contemporary Arts Collector and proprietor of the L. Maynard Galleries in the Holsum Lofts, said she hopes to hear more from the city as the growth spurts continue, adding that it gives the public "an opportunity to hear it from the horse's mouth."

Using another equine cliche, one attendee called Wednesday's meeting a "dog-and-pony show." Several artists and business owners say they were thrilled the city representatives were there.

"It brings the focus down here and that's always good," said Wes Myles, who has owned the Arts Factory on Main Street and Charleston Boulevard since 1997.

Arts money

Three Southern Nevada arts groups have received grants from the Nevada Arts Council for capital projects in the 2007 fiscal year. Goldwell Open Air Museum in Beatty received $21,065, Las Vegas Art Museum got $17,355 and Nevada Ballet Theatre, $18,839. The organizations must raise three times that much to receive the matching grants.

In addition, Nevada Ballet Theatre, the Las Vegas Art Museum and the Las Vegas Philharmonic will receive nearly $20,000 each - no strings attached - from Partners in Excellence Grants.

Art, golf and karaoke

Karaoke king Danny G. will head to Obstacle Art on Saturday to merge the great American pastimes of miniature golf and karaoke. G., who presents karaoke at the downtown bar Dino's, will host the singalong from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the artist-created, nine-hole miniature golf course in the Commerce Street Studios, 1551 S. Commerce St. Admission is $3. Refreshments will be served. More information can be found at the Web site, www.obstacleartcourse.org.