CARSON CITY ARTS & CULTURE COORDINATOR ANNOUNCES THE KICK-OFF OF THE NEA BIG READ AWARD IN CARSON CITY

~Mark Salinas, Carson City Arts & Culture Coordinator~

Carson City Culture & Tourism Authority and the Municipality of
Carson City will launch its NEA Big Read program in celebration of Charles Portis’ True Grit
novel with a weekend kick-off event starting on Thursday May 3rd at 5:30PM at Western Nevada
College’s Bristlecone Art Gallery. The NEA Big Read in Carson City is presented in partnership
with the Carson City Library and the Nevada State Museum.
The kick-off event, hosted by the WNC Foundation, will feature an art exhibition comprised of
canceled playing cards from local casinos, Little Libraries designed and created by E Clampus
Vitus (Snowshoe Thompson Chapter 1827), rural photography by acclaimed Nevadan artist
Deon Reynolds, the 20-foot-long Ruby the Rattlesnake Float from the 2017 Nevada Day Parade.
In addition, the event will include live electric guitar by Mylo McCormick, and a savory
reception offering hot grits and cold refreshments provided by Shoe Tree Brewing Company.
“Carson City is heavily distinguished as being the only National Endowment of the Arts Big
Read Grant recipient in the state of Nevada this year! The last time an organization in the state
won this award was 8 years ago. This is a true indicator that arts and culture are alive and on
the rise in our capital.”- Mark Salinas, Arts & Culture Coordinator
Carson City is one of 75 communities nationwide participating in the NEA Big Read from
September 2017 through June 2018. From May 3 to June 5, 2018 our community will celebrate
the themes of Charles Portis’ True Grit with a full 30-day calendar of events including book
giveaways, free movie screenings, reader discussion groups, western themed workshops, special
museum tours, and even a keynote presentation by US Marshal Christopher Hoye (Las Vegas,
NV).
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA
Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the
joy of sharing a good book.
For more information on this event, please contact Mark Salinas. You also can view a full
calendar of events for the NEA Big Read in Carson City at

http://visitcarsoncity.com/nea-big-read/

#CarsonCityBigRead #NEABigRead