ArtFest is free entertainment, venue for artists to display work

By Jeremy Twitchell

Friday, April 10, 2009 | 6:13 p.m.

When Henderson launched ArtFest 12 years ago, the annual event was seen as a way to bolster the Water Street District’s art community and give residents a weekend of free entertainment.

Now, with the economy having forced two of Water Street’s five art galleries to close their doors within the last year and limited the money families have for entertainment spending, organizers are saying ArtFest is more needed than ever.

“From the city’s standpoint, there’s two parts to this event,” said Bud Pico, manager of Cultural Arts and Tourism for Henderson. “One is providing great, free entertainment — more than just the art displays — at a time when many families are struggling. The second part is to help the artists survive this economic time by giving them a place to display and sell their work.”

ArtFest will be May 9-10 in downtown Henderson. It will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day in the Henderson Convention Center and Events Plaza, 200 S. Water St.

Pico said the city is expecting about 200 artists — up from the 148 who participated last year — and in addition to their displays, the festival will have free musical entertainment.

New to ArtFest this year is “Piazza Colori,” a sidewalk chalk art competition that will double as a fundraiser for the Green Valley Rotary Club.

Henderson has donated the Events Plaza — located between City Hall and the Convention Center — for the event. The Rotary Club is seeking corporate donors to buy squares in one of six sizes on the plaza in exchange for a plaque bearing the company’s name next to the art that adorns it.

Squares range from $50 to $400 and are available through the Green Valley Rotary Club until May 1. Club Secretary Ted Gruner said about 30 companies have signed up so far, and that the 10-foot-by-10-foot square that goes for $400 has been the most popular.

Companies are allowed to provide their own artists, and the club has recruited artists from Green Valley High School, Silverado High School, the Art Institute of Las Vegas and UNLV to fill in the gaps.

Gruner said the club has also recruited professional artists Donovan Fitzgerald and Ozzy Villate to add their contributions.

Fitzgerald does “just unbelievable work. It’s the old Italian, Madonna-type stuff, and it’s just amazing,” Gruner said.

Villate has been recruited by Henderson to paint a mural on the side of the Rainbow Club downtown.

In addition to the corporate donations, festival-goers will be able to support the Rotary Club by purchasing $1 tickets to cast votes for their favorite chalk artist. The artist with the most votes will win the People’s Choice Award.

The club has also recruited celebrity judges Jon Ralston, Henderson Mayor James B. Gibson and Univision news anchor Luis Felipe Godinez.

Gruner said the funds raised by Piazza Colori will go to support the Green Valley Rotary Club’s charitable undertakings locally and internationally. Locally, the club supports Green Valley High School, Silverado High School, CT Sewell Elementary School and dozens of local non-profit groups and charities.

Internationally, the funds will help Rotary International’s $1.4 billion campaign to eradicate polio.

“We wanted to do something that was easy, that people could be involved in,” Gruner said. “… It’s giving back to the community in a very easy way. You don’t have to spend fortunes and fortunes to help.”