Las Vegas Arts District businesses host an Art Crawl for local artists while First Friday remains on hold

What happened

Businesses in the Las Vegas Arts District are staging an Art Crawl on Friday, Nov. 6, the night that would normally host November's First Friday, KTNV reported. The monthly First Friday event is on hold through at least the end of the year after a deadly shooting at the October event.

Organizers told KTNV the Art Crawl is meant to support artists who rely on First Friday to show and sell their work. More than 20 businesses are opening their doors to those artists for the night.

Why artists organized the Art Crawl

Sara Godbout, an artist who sits on the Arts District Action Coalition and the 18b Arts District Board, told KTNV she has taken part in every First Friday for more than five years. She described the pause as a culture shock and said it is definitely going to impact her month.

Godbout said the local creative community is close-knit and felt it had to respond. "We all knew that we couldn't just sit around and do nothing, so we made the active choice to do something," she told KTNV.

How artists are being supported

According to Godbout, participating artists are paired with Arts District businesses and receive a $100 stipend to paint live. Depending on the business, artists may also be able to sell their work during the event.

Godbout acknowledged the effort has limits. She told KTNV it will not help everybody, but said helping some artists is what matters most. "It's all about unity. It's about this community," she said.

Safety plans for the night

Tony Chavez, a co-organizer of the Art Crawl and co-founder of the Arts District Action Coalition, told KTNV that safety is a top priority. He said organizers are already in contact with Metro police about the event.

Neighborhood watch patrol

Chavez said the Action Coalition will run its own neighborhood watch patrol for the entire event to keep things moving smoothly and watch for anything out of the ordinary. "We want people to know that the Arts District is a fun, awesome place to come down and we're welcoming of everybody," Chavez told KTNV.

How to attend

The public is invited to walk from business to business, meet the artists and support local creatives, KTNV reported. Visitors can start at any point along the route, and a raffle with prizes will be held along the way.

The route

According to KTNV, the Art Crawl begins near the Arts Factory on Charleston Boulevard. It heads south along Main Street to Barter Mall, then loops back north along Commerce Street.

The source did not list start or end times. For more local events, see our community coverage and other neighborhood news from around the valley.

What to watch next

• First Friday is on hold through at least the end of the year, and KTNV did not report a date for it to resume.
• The Nov. 6 Art Crawl, including the Action Coalition's neighborhood watch patrol and coordination with Metro police.
• A raffle with prizes along the Art Crawl route, which runs from near the Arts Factory to Barter Mall and back along Commerce Street.