|
Noted as the Premier Art Organization of Nevada, the Boulder City Art Guild promotes and sustains the growth and development of fine art in the community. Through offering art classes, workshops, art shows, exhibits, and a gallery for local artists, the Guild plays a major role in cultivating the arts within Boulder City. The Guild’s mission is to promote fine art in Southern Nevada as well as support continuing art education for members and non-members through access to quality art instructors. Located upstairs in the Historic Boulder Dam Hotel at 1305 Arizona Street, the Guild is open to all.
Established in 1979, the Guild’s humble beginnings were in a small building donated by local realtor, Dick Blair. Moved from north Nevada Way, this modest 800 square foot building housed the Gallery in its early years. It is actually still standing today, sitting at 1495 Nevada Way; look closely under the canopy of Boulder Boats, the original structure is there! Due to the need for more space, in 1993 the Guild moved to its current home in the Historic Boulder Dam Hotel.
The Boulder City Art Guild maintains an art gallery, providing a space for members to show and sell their work, while also offering a central point for artists to congregate and connect. The Gallery contains a gift shop, art gallery, and Guild/Gallery office space. It is operated as a separate cooperative and run as a for-profit entity. A Guild member-artist is always on duty to assist visitors. Original artwork as well as prints and reproductions, sculpture and gift items are always available for purchase.
The Art Gallery encourages Nevada artists to show and sell their art by providing an attractive environment in which artists can exhibit work. Each month, a Visitor’s Choice Award is given for the most popular piece and there is always work on the main wall by a special Featured Artist. The Art Gallery fosters a creative space where people can browse and purchase art.
Membership to the Guild is open to all that are over the age of eighteen. There are no qualifications to join, simply fill out the application and pay modest dues. Members include beginning artists, as well as seasoned artists, supporters and collectors of art, and people that live out of state. The Guild also accepts corporate memberships for those desiring to sponsor activities and aid in the development of the visual arts. As a member and/or donor of the Guild all dues and donations are 100% tax deductable.
Among the many contributions the Boulder City Art Guild makes are the important gifts towards art related interests. The Guild was a major donor in the formation of Boulder City’s Park and Recreation Art Center located in the Boulder City Adams Boulevard Community Park (ABC Park) by donating $5,000 towards its programming. Ongoing support is provided by offering scholarships for low income citizens seeking classes at the Center. Thousands were given towards a local ceramic mural project, which can be seen in Sundial Park on the corner of Birch Street and Nevada Way.
The most important gift towards art related interests is in the raising of funds for the Guild’s art scholarships. Annually, $1,000 scholarships are awarded to Southern Nevada high school students who are going on to work towards an art degree. The Guild has awarded over $65,000 in scholarship funding over the years.
One of the major fundraisers for the Guild’s art scholarship fund is the Winter Art Festival held each November. Limited to 40 quality local artists, it is held indoors and offers a holiday theme.
But the main fundraiser for the Guild is its Annual Fine Arts Festival. This year will be the 28th Festival! To be held on April 20-21, 2013, it will run Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm with over 140 artists from all over the Southwest coming to display and sell their artwork in Bicentennial Park, located on Colorado Street (adjacent to City Hall). This year’s featured artists will be last year’s winners, photographer Stephen Campbell and watercolorist Ed Klein. Awards are given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners, plus honorable mention award, and special Boulder City Art Guild and Cliff Segerblom Awards. Categories include two and three dimensional art, photography, and Southwest theme. An important raffle will take place with all the funds benefiting the art scholarships. Be sure to attend to not only enjoy the art but to play a part in supporting the arts and future artists in the community. Admission is always free. For more information visit: www.bcfineartsfestival.com.
The Boulder City Art Guild is open seven days a week, from 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday and noon to 5pm on Sunday. To learn more, please visit our website at www.bouldercityartguild.org or contact us at bcartquild@gmail.com or (702) 293-2138.
|
