NEON MUSEUM AWARDED GRANTS FOR ARTS EDUCATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEON MUSEUM AWARDED GRANTS FOR ARTS EDUCATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The National Endowment for the Arts, NV Energy Foundation, and City of Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission Recognize and Award the Neon Museum with Grants

LAS VEGAS (March 2019) – The Neon Museum is honored to be awarded funding grants through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and two Nevada community-based organizations: NV Energy Foundation and City of Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission.

The NEA awarded the Neon Museum a Challenge America grant in the amount of $10,000 to support its National Artist in Residence (NAIR) program. Now in its fourth year, the museum’s NAIR program calls for artists working in the fields of visual or performing arts. As part of the residency, the selected artist resides in Las Vegas for two months and participates in multiple community engagement activities. Meant to garner additional interest in the Neon Museum and City of Las Vegas, the community engagement activities include an artist talk, exhibition of work and community workshops.

NV Energy Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to the Neon Museum to support the program, “My Las Vegas.” The bilingual school outreach incorporates art through math concepts and exciting storytelling for Title 1 elementary schools.

In support of its Oral History Project, the City of Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission awarded the Neon Museum with the Centennial Legacy grant in an amount of $5,000. The project is designed to record the past activities of sign industry professionals with highlights on key accomplishments, anecdotes and thoughts on the future of Las Vegas signs. The oral histories will provide documentation for researchers, exhibits and expand the archives for both the City of Las Vegas and the Neon Museum.

ABOUT NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
The NEA works with more than 20 other federal agencies, state and local governments, state and regional arts agencies, and private nonprofit organizations on projects that provide opportunities for Americans to experience quality arts programming throughout the country. Among these initiatives is the NEA’s work in creative placemaking, the NEA Military Healing Arts Partnership, and Poetry Out Loud.

ABOUT NV ENERGY FOUNDATION
The NV Energy Foundation is committed to connecting with the community through philanthropic efforts, including civic leadership, financial contributions and volunteerism. Doing so makes Nevada communities better places to live and work, which in turn makes them better places to do business. We measure our success through the eyes of our employees, stakeholders, customers, business partners and neighbors.

ABOUT LAS VEGAS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
The city of Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission oversees preservation activities in the city for buildings, structures and places of historical and architectural significance. The commission reviews historic designation applications to National Register of Historic Places and city of Las Vegas Historic Property Register.

ABOUT THE NEON MUSEUM
Founded in 1996, the Neon Museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment. It has been named “Best Museum” by Las Vegas Weekly, one of “Sin City’s Best Retro Sites” by MSN, “No. 1 Las Vegas Museum Sure to Entertain and Educate” by USAToday’s 10best.com, “One of the Top 10 Coolest Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do” by Forbes.com, one of the “Top 10 Historic Spots in Las Vegas” by Vegas.com; one of “15 Most Fascinating Museums in the U.S.” by VacationIdea.com; and earns a consistent 4.5 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor. On its 2.27-acre campus, the Neon Museum houses an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard (“boneyard” is traditionally the name for an area where items no longer in use are stored); the North Gallery, home to the nighttime augmented-reality, audiovisual spectacle, “Brilliant!”; the Boulevard Gallery outdoor exhibit and event space; and its visitors’ center, housed inside the former La Concha Motel lobby. The museum collection also includes nine restored signs installed as public art throughout downtown Las Vegas. Public education, outreach, research, archival preservation and a grant-funded neon sign survey represent a selection of the museum’s ongoing projects. Both the Neon Boneyard and the La Concha Visitors’ Center are located at 770 Las Vegas Blvd. North in Las Vegas. Click here for tour schedules and pricing information. Follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Christina Cober/ Erika Pope
The Vox Agency
christina@thevoxagency.com, erika@thevoxagency.com
(541) 778-2738, (702) 249-2977

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