Published October 18, 2024

Approaching Artown’s 30^th Anniversary

by Beth Macmillan

The July 2025 Artown Festival will be our 30^th anniversary, and as we celebrate this milestone event, I want to express my gratitude to the entire community for how far we have journeyed, the lessons we've learned, and for our region’s exciting future.

Three decades ago, Artown began as a remarkable idea sparked by the City 2000 (City of Reno Arts and Culture Commission). Some of the visionaries at that time included Karen Craig, Tim Jones, Howard Rosenberg, and Mark Curtis. We are thankful for their forward-thinking approach to revitalizing our city; the seeds they planted, flourish today.  I wonder if these trailblazers ever anticipated the immense growth of Artown and the way our community has embraced the July festival, and the Artown Encore events held throughout the year.

Each year, our programming evolves, more local artists participate, our reach expands, our audience grows, and the number of tourists visiting Washoe County increases. I'm immensely proud of the trajectory this innovative arts festival has taken and its continuous success. We have welcomed everyone to come together in July and celebrate the arts in all its forms and the response has been amazing. 

Collaboration is at the core of Artown's success. Over the past 29 years, the organization has thrived by being flexible and adaptable. We continuously assess the overall arts landscape and adjust our festival programming based on local/global environments. Through strategic planning, valuable partnerships, the participation of local artists, generous supporters, a dedicated team, and committed volunteers, we have been able to thrive.

Artown has brought some of the world's finest artists to Reno, sparing our community the need to travel to larger cities to enjoy spectacular performances. As we enter our 30^th year, we are honored to present the Martha Graham Dance Company on January 28 as part of Artown’s 2025 Encore Series. Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, The Martha Graham Dance Company is the oldest dance company in the United States and is renowned worldwide. Martha Graham is recognized as a primal artistic force of the 20th century, alongside Picasso, James Joyce, Stravinsky, and Frank Lloyd Wright. Graham created 181 ballets and a dance technique that has been compared to ballet in its scope and magnitude. Her approach to dance and theater revolutionized the art form and her innovative physical vocabulary has irrevocably influenced dance worldwide.

The GRAHAM100 program in Reno includes the following iconic works:
CAVE (2022). Choreography by Hofesh Shechter
DARK MEADOWSUITE (1946). Choreography and Costumes by Martha Graham
RODEO. Choreography by Agnes de Mille, Music by Aaron Copland

Dancers from the Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of Nevada, Reno in partnership with Artown will open the Martha Graham Dance Company program with a special restaging of Graham's experimental work Panorama (1935). Unique collaborations, such as this, are exactly the type of partnerships Artown has made possible for local artists. 

We were fortunate to have been able to present Martha Graham Dance Company in 2022 to a sold-out crowd. Attendees, many who had never attended a contemporary dance performance, were thrilled, saying it was one of the best performances they had ever experienced. The entire Martha Graham Dance Company Residency has been made possible by a very generous grant from the E.L. Wiegand Foundation. Follow this link for tickets.

Artown has additional Encore Series presentations as part of our 30^th anniversary which include Step Afrika! on March 2 at the Eldorado Showroom, Cecile McLorin Salvant on May 6 at the Harlan O. and Barbara R. Hall Recital Hall at the University of Nevada, Reno, as well as other additions as they are confirmed.  Please check our website for details.  

In July 2024, Artown had an estimated attendance of over 250,000, and 600 multi-disciplinary events with more than 100 regional artists participating. We are grateful for all the support we have received and look forward to an exciting 30^th anniversary. 

Beth Macmillan is the Executive Director of Artown, one of the largest arts and culture festivals in the western United States, offering over 500 events with a wide range of artistic disciplines, including music, dance, theater, visual arts, literature, and more.

Artown 2024 Tips and Tricks!  by Beth Macmillan — June 28, 2024

Artown 2023  by Beth Macmillan — June 30, 2023