Mural work from Reno artists J. Charboneau, Bryce Chisholm and Anthony Ortega at the Fernley Murals, Music and Margaritas Festival in 2022. The three artists will be among many local artists participating in the Carson City Murals and Music Festival that starts Sept. 28.
Carson City residents may notice some new colors around town at the end of the month as the Carson City Murals & Music Festival kicks off Sept. 28.
Ending Sept. 30, the three-day festival mixes nightly concerts with a vast public art campaign, bringing regional and international artists to the capital city to create more than 20 murals in three days.
“As Carson City continues to grow, public art can be incorporated to make the capital stand out as a cultural destination,” said Eric Brooks, gallery curator at Brewery Arts Center. “Over the past five years, mural festivals in Reno, Elko and Fernley have highlighted the need for more public art in cities of all sizes. By devising and carrying out creative neighborhood-building programs with murals, significant positive change will occur.”
The event is a collaboration between the Brewery Arts Center, Visit Carson City and Carson City. Brooks said community groups, local businesses and individuals pitched in as well. Some of the locations for the murals include Xquisite (310 N. Stewart St.), Northern Nevada Coin (601 N. Carson St.), Capital City Flats (801 N. Carson St.), Cracker Box (402 E. William St.), Rylexa Properties (1850 N. Carson St.), Nevada State Bank (4267 S. Carson St.) and the Carson City Chamber of Commerce (1900 S. Carson St.).
“This inaugural three-day festival will bring beautiful art to public places,” Brooks said. “But more importantly, it will create collective identity and serve as a catalyst for continued revitalization, crossing economic and social boundaries. We will collaborate with local business owners and private residents to locate walls that once muraled, will strengthen neighborhoods.”
Brooks said though temporary, the pieces that are installed will have “no end date of coming down or being repainted.”
Visit Carson City allocated $10,000 to sponsor the event.
“The Murals and Music Festival is an incredible opportunity to expose cultural travelers from across the U.S. to new, beautiful, vibrant works of art in Nevada’s capital city,” said David Peterson, executive director of Visit Carson City. “In addition, we see this as a great way to also bring our community together through art and music. When the Brewery Arts Center approached us about being a potential sponsor, it was clear that this festival would leave a lasting impact on Carson City for years to come.”
Additionally, the event ties into the city’s 2022-26 Arts and Culture Strategic Plan that calls for new festivals and events “to leverage increased cultural tourism, economic impact and audience development,” Peterson said.
“This kind of event is exactly what the 1 percent arts and culture funding (room tax) should be used for, and we’re happy to support them how we can,” said Peterson. “This sponsorship is a long-term investment into arts and culture here in Carson City and as a recurring annual event, the benefits to the community are tenfold. We can’t wait to see this festival come to life.”
Carson City is a co-sponsor of the event with approximately $7,500 designated from redevelopment funds. The Carson City Cultural Commission was also scheduled to review the use of two public walls for mural projects — one at the library and one at the community center — at their meeting 6 p.m. Sept. 11 in the community center.
“The event will transform the city into a captivating outdoor gallery with something for everyone,” said Anna Freeman, Carson City’s new arts and culture supervisor. “Residents and visitors alike can look forward to a kaleidoscope of breathtaking murals, spanning a wide range of styles and themes. This event is one of many initiatives supporting the city’s mission ‘to preserve and enhance the quality of life and heritage of Carson City for present and future generations of residents, workers and visitors.’”
Freeman further pointed to a statement from Americans for the Arts, a national nonprofit.
“Public art humanizes the built environment and invigorates public spaces,” according to the arts advocacy group.
For information about the event in Carson, visit https://visitcarsoncity.com/events/mural-music-festival-in-carson-city/.
Event highlights Sept. 28-30
• 21 artists (3 international, 4 out-of-state) live-painting throughout Carson City
• At the BAC Exhibition Hall: Murals Invictus: Group Exhibition featuring the Carson City Mural Festival Artists
• At the BAC Exhibition Hall: University of Nevada Libraries Virtual Reality Interactive Experience
• Family Day Sept. 30: interactive art experiences for all ages in multiple locations
• Nightly music at the Bank Saloon Sept. 28-30.
• Closing concert with Ian Moore at the BAC Performance Hall Sept. 30 (ticketed)
• Official afterparty with Greg Gilmore & The Fever Dreams at the Bank Saloon Sept. 30