Beth Macmillan, Artown's executive director, says that Artown now encompasses over 600 events. 'We anticipate about 300,000 people throughout the region' in 2026, Artown's thirty-first year. 'We really want to be inclusive of every art form, whether it's culinary arts or musical theater or fashion or garden art. We really want to embrace anything that is artistic. And I think that really demonstrates that everybody is an artist.'
'Artown started in 1996,' Macmillan continued. 'Downtown was not doing well … And the Arts and Culture Commission at that time decided to use the little bit of money they left had over in their budget. They decided to try and use arts and culture as a tool to revive downtown. So in 1996, they put on this event from July 8th to the 28th called Uptown Downtown Artown. 30,000 people showed up in downtown Reno. So they knew they had something.'
Artown's website, artown.org, has information on all the events. But many Artown enthusiasts also make frequent use of the Little Book that Artown publishes every year. 'I would really recommend everyone use the Little Book in conjunction with the website,' Macmillan suggests. 'It really is a great partnership.'
Artown gets underway on July 1 with the group Smash Mouth, and closes on July 31 with Playing for Change. The Smash Mouth concert, according to Macmillan, is 'a free performance at Rancho San Rafael in our sort of our temporary stage.' As for Playing for Change, 'this group of musicians is a sort of a gathering of musicians from all over the world playing songs of peace and love. And there's funk and there's rock and roll and there's soul and R&B, you know, reggae. It's just such a great coming together of the different types of music.'
Among the other headline performers are Michael Feinstein on July 7, the Kronos Quartet on July 9, Wynton Marsalis on July 10, and the Blind Boys of Alabama on July 21.
Macmillan stresses that Artown is 'for the whole family. Most of the events that we present are admission free.'
For more, artown.org.
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Support for 'Arts on the Airwaves' comes from The Nevada Arts Council… a state agency that provides public funding and support to artists and organizations, that benefit Nevadans in cities and rural communities statewide. More at NVArtsCouncil.org.
