Catalogs of Las Vegas Centennial murals are available

Friday, May 12, 2006 | 7:23 a.m.

The Las Vegas Centennial mural project, responsible for 180 Las Vegas-themed murals throughout the city, has been captured in a limited-edition, 28-page glossy catalog that will be distributed during the next few months.

Half of the 20,000 catalogs, funded by a $19,000 grant from American Family Insurance, will go to Clark County schools that participated in the project. The other 10,000 will be given out at the city's four community centers: Reed Whipple Cultural Center, West Las Vegas Arts Center, Charleston Heights Arts Center and East Las Vegas Community/Senior Center.

The murals were designed and created by professional and amateur artists and schoolchildren. The completion of the catalogs gave Richard Hooker, a city cultural affairs specialist who worked on the project, reason to exhale.

"This really proves we did it," Hooker said. "Every single mural is included - 180 murals. It's a great memento of the event."

For more information, call 229-5431.

Burn

It's not too late to head out to Roach Lake, a dry playa near Primm where Los Angeles and Las Vegas Burning Man communities are converging for the Singularity Arts Festival.

The regional Burning Man event, featuring fire art, pyrotechnic installations, body painting and music, began Thursday and continues through Sunday.

Cameron Grant, event producer, discourages people from attending just for the day, saying it turns into a spectator sport.

"It's really about community ... One of our mantras is participatory only. If you make them stay for the whole event, it fosters community."

Admission is $95 at the gate. Participants are expected to bring everything they need.

Directions can be found at www.thesingularityevent.com.

Performing Arts Center

The Las Vegas Performing Arts Center Foundation has narrowed its search for an architect to three finalists, but won't identify them.

The foundation has an agreement with Las Vegas not to disclose finalists until one is selected. Myron Martin, foundation president, will only say that the finalists are all " firms that have worked on these kinds of big major performing arts centers throughout the world." An announcement of the selection is expected by the end of June.

International Museums Day

In celebration of International Museums Day, the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society at 700 Twin Lakes Drive in Lorenzi Park will offer free admission Thursday .

In addition to its permanent exhibits on the Las Vegas area, the museum features two other exhibits:

For more information, call 397-2193.