Reno Arts & Culture

The Reno Arts and Culture Commission, founded in 1991, serves as the official adviser to the City of Reno on matters related to the cultural life of the community.  

The City of Reno is a leader in arts and culture.  

Our community has a rich variety of special events, historic buildings, performing arts, and galleries. A strong public art program helps sustain and encourage economic development. Cultural diversity and history are embraced and interwoven within the fabric of our city. 

The Reno Arts & Culture Commission supports arts and artists through grants and commissions public art for display around Reno. The RACC makes recommendations, advocates, and advises the City Council. 

Economic Impact: The Arts Mean Business in Reno! 

Infographic numbers are from the Americans for the Arts AEP6 2022 Study. The City of Reno's customized final report from Americans for the Arts is available for reference, providing details and findings of the local impact of arts and culture in Reno. Download the infographic.

Reno’s Arts & Culture Highlights

• Each year the City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission grants funds to various local art organizations, totaling around $200,000 annually. In 2022, these grant funds supported paying 793 artists and served 72,683 audience members. 
• The City displays close to 200 pieces of outdoor public art and 75 pieces in the Metro Collection at City Hall and McKinley Arts & Culture Center.
• In 2022, City of Reno Galleries hosted 20 exhibits across our three gallery spaces, located in City Hall and McKinley Arts and Culture Center. Of these primarily group exhibitions, we featured 284 artists.
• The City of Reno's Art Signals program creates original artwork on signal boxes around town. There are nearly 100 signal box murals with more than half completed by local artists. Each year, new boxes are added and older ones repainted. 

Funding for Arts & Culture Projects

Arts and culture are pillars of Reno’s economic development, and reflect how the City of Reno is seen on a national and international scale. 

The Reno City Council’s strategic priorities include creating vibrant neighborhoods and public places by prioritizing public arts and culture. As such, the City of Reno sets aside money from the Room Tax Fund for the Arts & Culture Commission and public art budgets. Room Tax allocations, which come from visitors staying in hotels, are restricted to uses that specifically provide a tourism amenity, or promote tourism in the Reno area. 

The City of Reno also has a 2% for Art Ordinance, which ensures that public art has a place in all City of Reno buildings and parks. 

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