Press Story Ideas: Arts & Culture
From mural-blanketed neighborhoods to galleries and traditional artisan craftery, or post-Burning Man sculptures to odd-ball objects rising from the desert floor, there certainly is enough eye-catching, camera-hogging art to grace Nevada’s urban districts, small towns, and even natural spaces with an exciting layer of flavor. Residents and visitors are inspired by Nevada’s grand, 360-degree vistas and wide-open spaces and continually draw on that inspiration to create art and celebrate vibrant cultures.
Art looks good on every state… but in Nevada, it just fits.
Nevada Basque Heritage
Emigrating to Nevada first for the gold in the 19th century, and then again later to put their sheepherding skills to use in northern Nevada, Nevada’s Basque culture is intertwined with other influences that shape the region. Basque men would work as sheepherders in the high desert mountain terrain, while the women held hospitality roles at the many Basque boarding houses. When the men returned for supplies or during the off-season, they headed for the familiarity of these Basque-run establishments. There are still authentic Basque boarding houses all across northern Nevada, and stopping at any one of them guarantees a satisfying meat-filled meal served family style, with a Picon Punch to wash it all down.
The Stewart Father’s Day Pow-Wow is held every year to celebrate Nevada’s American Indian culture. Activities include competition dancing, art & crafts, food vendors, and educational opportunities.
The Congressionally-recognized National Basque Festival is held every July in Elko, Nevada. Experience traditional dancing, music, handmade crafts, and Basque rural sports competitions—like woodchopping, weightlifting , and even tug-of-war.
Stewart Indian School
One of the only still-standing American Indian schools in the United States is located in Nevada’s capital city of Carson City. Learn the history of schoolchildren who were removed from their families and forced to assimilate to American culture. The Stewart Indian School provides visitors with a walking tour, narrated by former students and staff. While on campus, visit the newly opened Stewart Indian School Cultural Center & Museum and take in exhibits that portray what life was like for students.
Buckaroo Heritage
How many places can you encounter a ranch matriarch, American Indian poet laureate, pre-teen yodeling champ, and broc-riding free-verse slam poet, all in a single show? At the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, you’ll find all of that and more. The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering started 36 years ago as a place where Western ranchers and cowboys could gather to share poems about their lives working cattle. The group has now grown to Western poets, musicians, artisans and storytellers, sharing their stories of hard work, heartbreak, and hilarity.
Held every January, thousands from around the world flock to Elko, Nevada for six days of culture rooted in tradition but focused on today’s rural West.
