You see signs in the Las Vegas Arts District with “18b” everywhere. Ever wonder what that stands for?
The 18b gets its name from the original 18 blocks that made up the creative neighborhood just south of Downtown Las Vegas. In the late 1990’s, local artists, gallery owners, and small businesses began transforming empty warehouses and old storefronts along Main Street into art studios and gallery spaces.
In 2002, First Friday, a monthly arts festival, brought the neighborhood together and helped start the revitalization of the Arts District that we see today. In 2019, The New York Times reported that “what began as a grassroots effort by artists has grown into a vibrant cultural hub with galleries, vintage shops, murals, performance spaces, and locally owned restaurants.”
Consider that your fun fact for the day. Vegas is more than just the Strip.
