CALL FOR ARTWORK: Expressions of Clark County: America’s 250th Anniversary Showcase Exhibition 

We are excited to announce our newest open call for art, Expressions of Clark County: America’s 250th Anniversary Showcase. 

*NOTE: Please carefully read Terms and Conditions section below for content limitations, video media display, and Gallery Preparation Guide link. 

Submission Guidelines: 

Eligibility: Open to artists ages 8 and up; applications for artists under age 18 must include signature and contact information of parent or guardian. 

Mediums: All mediums are accepted, including but not limited to painting, sculpture, textiles, and mixed media; no replica prints shall be accepted. 

Deadline: All submissions must be received by May 10, 2026. 

For questions, please email: ccpublicart@clarkcountynv.gov 

Exhibition Details: Calling All Artists & Performers of Clark County: 

Be Part of History—American 250 Art Exhibit & Performance Showcase! 

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States, we invite creators of all ages to help shape an unforgettable community celebration. Whether you are a visual artist, musician, dancer, actor, poet, or performer in any discipline, this is your opportunity to reflect on our nation’s past and imagine the future you hope to see. 

What does America mean to you? How do you connect to its history, its challenges, its triumphs—and how do you envision our next 250 years? We welcome submissions from all creative mediums: painting, sculpture, photography, theater, music, dance, spoken word, and more. 

Performance submissions (theater, music, dance, poetry, etc.) will need to be filmed or recorded for inclusion in the exhibit. Share your performance as a video or audio recording so your artistry can be experienced by all attendees! 

Your work will be part of a vibrant, intergenerational conversation that becomes a living tapestry of Clark County’s creativity and visions. This is a celebration of us - our voices and visions, young and old, experienced and emerging, all coming together to honor where we have been and where we are going. Other sources of inspiration include family portraits and family traditions that capture who we are as individuals and as a collective whole — our homes, our food, and the daily lives we live. 

Join us in making history. Share your unique perspective, honor our shared journey, our communities, and help inspire a brighter tomorrow. 

Submit your art or performance and be part of the American 250 Art Exhibit & Performance Showcase - a fantastic opportunity to create, connect, and imagine the future! 

Exhibition Dates: The exhibition will run from June 8 – July 16, 2026. 

Venue: Rotunda Gallery at Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Pkwy, Las Vegas, Nevada 89155  

Reception: A reception will be held on July 16, 2026, where artists will have the opportunity to meet and discuss their work. 

Awards and Recognition: 

Best in Show: $300 Desert Art Supplies gift certificate 

Honorable Mentions: $150 (x2) Desert Art Supplies gift certificate 

Performances: Up to three groups will be asked to perform for a stipend of $200 per group. If multiple individuals are in a group, the individual who submitted the application will receive the check.  

Performance is defined as theater, music, dance, poetry or performance art. Performances will be looped on a tv monitor. Please ensure videos have a title and credits at the end. 

Gift certificates are only valid in person at any Desert Art Supplies location. Awards will be distributed at the exhibition reception to artists in attendance. 

*Terms and Conditions 

1. Open to any artist aged 8 and older; applications for artists under age 18 must include signature and contact information of parent or guardian. 

2. Must be original artwork medium; digital art, photography and printmaking are acceptable; no replica prints shall be accepted. 

3. Images included in applications must be of actual artwork, not conceptual images. 

4. Artist MUST be available for pick-up and drop off date to sign in and sign out their work. Artwork must be hand delivered or shipped to the address on this form. If shipping the work, the costs of round-trip shipping are at the artist’s expense and must be pre-paid and on time. 

5. The artist agrees to leave their work up through the end of the exhibit date. No artist may drop off or remove their artwork without consent of the Clark County Public Arts. 

6. Artwork that contains offensive language, smoking, drugs, alcohol, overtly political, religious and/or sexual content, or imagery, including nudity, shall not be considered. 

7. All 2D flat work (on paper or similar) must be framed with a hanging point on the back. Canvas and larger 2D work must have D-rings, a wire, or existing hanging point secured to the back, and be ready to hang. 

8. See our Gallery Artwork Preparation Guide for more details. 

9. 2D artwork dimensions may not exceed 48” wide or 48” high; weight cannot exceed 40lbs. 

10. Perishable artwork shall not be considered. 

11. All parts of the artwork must be secured and stable. For example, sculptures must be securely glued or welded together. 

12. 3D artwork dimensions may not exceed 20” L x 20” W x 35” H; weight cannot exceed 50lbs. 

13. A pedestal will be provided for selected three-dimensional works. 

14. Clark County Public Arts reserves the right to disqualify and remove any artwork that poses a threat to fall, break, or cause harm to the public, the facility, or the artwork itself. 

15. Please note that Clark County does not secure insurance on exhibited artwork. Artist will exhibit at their own risk. We encourage you to purchase your own insurance during the exhibit to recover any loss from broken or stolen artwork. 

16. Artist agrees to hold harmless the County, its officers, employees, and agents from all liability for any injury or damage that may occur to artwork as a result of the negligent acts or omissions of its members, employees, officers and/or agents and to sign a waiver that will be provided if accepted into the exhibit. 

17. Artist acknowledges that the gallery is a public space. Art that is exhibited in the gallery may be photographed by visitors, members of the press, and County staff for promotional and educational purposes. This includes social media postings before, during and after the exhibit. 

18. Artist is responsible to deliver art to and from the exhibit space. 

19. Artist acknowledges that if art is not picked up at the agreed upon date set forth in this agreement, County will have the art removed immediately from the exhibit space at artist’s expense. Any art that is left longer than 10 days will be considered abandoned property and will be subject to $100.00/day storage fee. 

20. Sale of goods is facilitated solely by the Artist; no County staff will take payment. If a purchaser is interested, County staff will put them in touch with the artist with artist’s consent. All proceeds of any sale go to the Artist. 

21. Artist agrees to drop-off to the Gallery between the hours of 12:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. on June 5, 2026, and to pick-up the artwork AFTER THE RECEPTION CONCLUDES AT 8:00PM ON July 16, 2026. Artist must bring ID. 

For questions, please email: ccpublicart@clarkcountynv.gov 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 25, 2026, 11:59 PM PST Scope of Project:      The Clark County Poet Laureate (CCPL) is selected every two years by a panel and is funded by the Clark County Arts Plan which was created by the Clark County Board of Commissioners. The program is seeking the poet laureate for the 2026-2028 term.   This project is open only to artists over the age of 18, who are not part-time or full-time Clark County employees or currently under contract for any Clark County Arts Plan project larger than $50,000. The contracted CCPL will be required to provide their Social Security number or Federal Tax ID Number as well as may be asked to have a current State and County business license.    The selected CCPL will be responsible for fulfilling a comprehensive schedule of literary engagements, including public appearances and public programming, as well as providing a commissioned poem that relates to the CCPL’s body of work while being in the position. This is due at the end of their two-year term.    BACKGROUND About the Program   The CCPL program was established in 2015, and past poets include:   

• 2015 – 2017 Bruce Isaacson 
• 2017 – 2019 Vogue M. Robinson 
• 2019 – 2021 Heather Lang-Cassera 
• 2022 – 2024 Angela M. Brommel 
• 2024 – 2026 Ashley “Ms. AyeVee” Vargas 

  From 2024-2025, more than 3,000 attendees from the community participated in free writing workshops, poetry readings, panels, and other special events with the CCPL.   

 GOALS 

• The Poet Laureate program celebrates Clark County’s vibrant literary community and aims to strengthen the future of literary arts in our city by engaging a broad range of communities. The two-year CCPL post will serve as a cultural ambassador for the poetic artform, written and/or spoken, and conduct engaging public events for constituents County-wide. 
• As both a local resident and a distinguished poet, the CCPL will represent and celebrate the rich literary history and the diversity of Southern Nevada. As a spokesperson for the area’s literary community, the CCPL will help reinforce the role of literature and the arts in civic life and will actively participate in ceremonial, educational and cultural activities in the community during the term of service. 

LOCATION   The CCPL program runs year-round, engaging participants of all ages, from diverse backgrounds, and hosting events at facilities throughout the County.  

 ABOUT THE PROGRAM The vision for this program is to instill a love and appreciation for literary arts. The program’s broad mission encompasses writers from all stages of their careers, and all stages of the writing process.    Through workshops, readings, panels, festivals and public appearances, the Clark County Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador for poetry and creative writing.   The Poet Laureate is also tasked with bringing the literary art form to new audiences within our community through Speaking Requests, in coordination with Public Arts staff. 

 THINGS TO AVOID:   The poetry that is read and shared at CCPL events must be appropriate for children and families. Any poems that promote homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism, or anything that can be seen as hate speech, are not permitted. 

 PROJECT BUDGET: Phase 1: Public Arts staff will screen applicants for eligibility. All eligible applicants will be scored and ranked by an independent panel of diverse community members. Up to five (5) semi-finalists may be identified and invited to a formal interview that will take place in person between Wednesday, July 1st and Friday July 31st. Public Arts staff will coordinate with finalists to schedule the interview.     Phase 2: Based on panel review, the applicant with the best performance in the final interview will be invited to fill in the position and contracted to serve a two-year term. The Clark County Poet Laureate will receive an annual honorarium of $8,000 for each year of the two-year service term.   Payments will be issued in accordance with program milestones. 

• First Milestone: Upon completion of the 2026–2027-year calendar of events, to be scheduled within thirty days of contract execution with the Public Art Project Manager, at which time Artist will be paid $2,000. 
• Second Milestone: Upon submission of a monthly report with Poet Laureate programs or appearances, the Artist will be paid $500 monthly. The 2027–2028-year calendar of events is due September 1, 2027, 30 days prior to the final year in the service term. 
• Third Milestone: Upon completion of their original poem donated to the County, the Artist will be paid $2,000.  

Payment is Net 30 days after receiving goods and services.  APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS & Evaluation Criteria: The evaluation will be scored by the stakeholders assigned to this project.  Read all Call information & submit documents in the following order in one PDF file: 

1. Cover Letter 

• Completed Cover Sheet.  

2. Experience 

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume, up to two (2) pages. List major publications and education experience, if applicable. Formatted as one PDF File.    

3. Previous Works 

• Artist must submit at least five (5) and no more than ten (10) pages of poetic works. Each page must have the title of the poem and page number. Composites of various poems in a single page will not be considered.  
• Format all pages as one PDF File.  

4. Project Proposal 

• Propose a project to be completed during the 2026-2028 service term. Proposal is up to one page, describing the project you envision leading (workshops, readings, panels, etc.) and how it benefits poetry, creative writing, the literary arts and the community. Formatted as one PDF File.   

 SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS: Name File Type Number of Files Requirement 

1. Cover Letter 

File Type: PDF (.pdf) One Page File Required 

2. Experience (CV or Resume) 

File Type: PDF (.pdf) One File, Up to Two Pages Required 

3. Previous Work Examples 

File Type: PDF (.pdf) One File, 5-10 Pages with titles and page numbers on each page Required 

4. Project Proposal 

File Type: PDF (.pdf) One Page File Required 

Only applications that have all requirements will be accepted. Embedded files and links will not be accepted unless permission is granted by staff. Reach out to staff before the deadline for help if you are having problems. 

A FAQ/webinar on Webex for applicants will be held on Thursday, April 16th at 10:00AM PST to answer questions about the process: https://tinyurl.com/2vxnvbk6 

Application must be completed and submitted by May 25th, 2026 11:59 PM PST  

Interested applicants can review the terms of the position here.   

Only applications that have all requirements will be evaluated. Letters of recommendation are not required at this time but can be included at the applicant’s discretion. Unnecessary documentation will not be considered and removed from the application. 

If you have additional application questions, please contact: Poetry@ClarkCountyNV.gov.  

Are you a talented musician looking for performance opportunities? We invite you to join our vibrant community of artists at the Clark County Gallery! We are seeking musicians of all genres to be part of our exciting events and dedication programs.

About Our Gallery Program:

Our gallery serves as a dynamic space for artistic expression and community engagement. We host a variety of events that celebrate creativity and bring people together. Musicians are an essential part of this experience, enhancing the atmosphere and providing unforgettable performances.

Guidelines

• Applicant(s) must be at least 18 years of age.
• Applicant(s) must have previous experience performing publicly.
• Offensive language or any overt references to smoking, drugs, alcohol, political, religious and/or sexual content, or imagery, including nudity, shall not be permitted.
• Applicant(s) must perform for a 2 hour duration with a 15 minute break in between.
• Performer(s) required to do their own setup and provide their own equipment. County will only provide venue and power for performance.
• Performer(s) can only play acoustic sets or those of a similar sound level. No acoustic drum sets will be allowed unless applicant(s) inquire about the use of drum brushes, but Clark County Public Arts reserves the right to deny such use. A drum rug will be required in case this option is permitted.
• Clark County Public Arts reserves the right to disqualify and remove any performers that pose a threat or cause harm to the public, the facility, or staff.
• Applicant(s) acknowledge that the gallery is a public space. Performers in the gallery may be photographed by visitors, members of the press, and County staff for promotional and educational purposes. This includes social media postings before, during and after the event.
• By submitting an application, you acknowledge that inclusion in the Musicians List does not guarantee performance opportunities. It serves  as a resource for event organizers to select musicians based on their specific requirements and availability.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sunday, May 10, 2026 @ 11:59 PM PST

We are pleased to announce a call for art for our newest exhibition, Juneteenth: Freedom Moves, a group juried art exhibition at the Pearson Community Center Gallery. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and honors the resilience, creativity, and cultural contributions of Black communities across generations. The day marks a historic moment of emancipation while also recognizing that freedom unfolds through time and continues through memory, cultural expression, and collective action. Today, Juneteenth is observed through gatherings, music, dance, storytelling, and art, each carrying forward a legacy of movement toward self-determination and possibility.

Freedom Moves invites artists to explore the many meanings of movement. Movement may appear through the body in dance, gesture, rhythm, and performance, or through communities organizing, migrating, gathering, and transforming the spaces they inhabit. Movement can also take shape through emotional and imaginative shifts, moments that move us, change us, and push us toward new ways of living together. The exhibition welcomes work that reflects the many ways freedom moves through bodies, histories, cultures, and futures. The exhibition will be juried by Brent Holmes.

*NOTE: Please carefully read the Requirements section below for content limitations, video media display, and the Gallery Preparation Guide link.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

• Eligibility: Open to artists ages 8 and up residing in Clark County, NV; applications for artists under age 18 must include signature and contact information of parent or guardian. 
• Mediums: Must be original artwork medium; digital art, photography, and printmaking are acceptable; no replica prints shall be accepted.
• Deadline: All submissions must be received by May 10, 2026, by 11:59 PM PST.

EXHIBITION DETAILS:

• Exhibition Dates: June 1, 2026 – July 23, 2026.
• Venue: Pearson Community Center, 1625 W Carey Ave, North Las Vegas, NV 89032
• Artwork Drop-off Date: Thursday, June 4, 2026
• Artwork Pick-up Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
• Reception: Friday evening, June 12, 2026

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:

• Best in Show: $300 in Desert Art Supplies gift certificate
• Honorable Mentions: $150 (x2) in Desert Art Supplies gift certificate
• Gift certificates are only valid in person at any Desert Art Supplies location. Awards will be distributed at the exhibition reception to artists in attendance.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

1. Open to any artist aged 8 and older; applications for artists under age 18 must include signature and contact information of parent or guardian.
2. Must be original artwork medium; digital art, photography, and printmaking are acceptable; no replica prints shall be accepted.
3. Images included in applications must be of actual artwork, not conceptual images.
4. Artist MUST be available for pick-up and drop-off dates to sign in and sign out their work. Artwork must be hand-delivered or shipped to the address on this form. If shipping the work, the costs of round-trip shipping are at the artist’s expense and must be prepaid and on time.
5. The artist agrees to leave their work up through the end of the exhibit date. No artist may drop off or remove their artwork without the consent of the Clark County Public Arts.
6. Artwork that contains offensive language, smoking, drugs, alcohol, overtly political, religious, and/or sexual content, or imagery, including nudity, shall not be considered.
7. All 2D flatwork (on paper or similar) must be framed with a hanging point on the back. Canvas and larger 2D work must have D-rings, a wire, or an existing hanging point secured to the back, and be ready to hang.
8. See our Gallery Artwork Preparation Guide for more details.
9. 2D artwork dimensions may not exceed 48” wide or 48” high; weight cannot exceed 40 lbs.
10. Perishable artwork shall not be considered.
11. All parts of the artwork must be secured and stable. For example, sculptures must be securely glued or welded together.
12. 3D artwork dimensions may not exceed 20” L x 20” W x 35” H; weight cannot exceed 50lbs.
13. A pedestal will be provided for selected three-dimensional works.
14. Clark County Public Arts reserves the right to disqualify and remove any artwork that poses a threat to fall, break, or cause harm to the public, the facility, or the artwork itself.
15. Please note that Clark County does not secure insurance on exhibited artwork. The artist will exhibit at their own risk. We encourage you to purchase your own insurance during the exhibit to recover any loss from broken or stolen artwork.
16. Artist agrees to hold harmless the County, its officers, employees, and agents from all liability for any injury or damage that may occur to artwork as a result of the negligent acts or omissions of its members, employees, officers, and/or agents and to sign a waiver that will be provided if accepted into the exhibit.
17. Artist acknowledges that the gallery is a public space. Art that is exhibited in the gallery may be photographed by visitors, members of the press, and County staff for promotional and educational purposes. This includes social media postings before, during, and after the exhibit.
18. Artist is responsible for delivering art to and from the exhibit space.
19. Artist acknowledges that if the art is not picked up at the agreed-upon date set forth in this agreement, County will have the art removed immediately from the exhibit space at the artist’s expense. Any art that is left longer than 10 days will be considered abandoned property and will be subject to $100.00/day storage fee.
20. Sale of goods is facilitated solely by the Artist; no County staff will take payment. If a purchaser is interested, County staff will put them in touch with the artist with the artist’s consent. All proceeds of any sale go to the Artist.
21. Artist agrees to drop-off and pick-up artwork at the scheduled times once announced. Artist must bring ID.

For questions, please email: CCPublicArt@ClarkCountyNV.Gov

Thank you for your interest in inviting Clark County Poet Laureate Ashley “Ms. AyeVee” Vargas to your upcoming event! 

To get started, please share the details of your event with us. We will review your request and get back to you soon to confirm her availability or discuss any necessary adjustments regarding the time, date, and other event details.

As a reminder, typical engagements for the poet laureate include appearances at libraries, museums, literary festivals, book clubs, bookstores, educational institutions, writing conferences, veterans' events, and media interviews.

The Clark County Public Arts Office oversees the poet laureate program, collecting invitation requests and providing Ms. AyeVee with an annual stipend that covers part of her materials and travel expenses. While the role of poet laureate is prestigious, it is not a full-time position, and Ms. AyeVee does not have an office at Clark County.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

For further questions regarding The Clark County Poet Laureate and other programming, please e-mail: poetry@ClarkCountyNV.gov