Las Vegas has no shortage of spaces, workshops, and events for makers and creatives in the Valley. Whether you live in the northern reaches of town, you’re a suburbanite neighboring The Strip, or you're considering a move to a new area, these neighborhoods have everything you need to connect with Las Vegas’ thriving arts and culture scene. Here are the best Las Vegas neighborhoods for makers and creatives.

Downtown

Beauty Bar photo courtesy of Jeff Hitchcock

As soon as you arrive in Downtown, you can feel the unique vibe of the neighborhood. From the historical buildings painted with murals to the cafes, bars, and other local businesses in the area, it’s no wonder the annual festival Life Is Beautiful celebrates music, art, and culinary masterpieces on these urban blocks. From 11th Street Records, where you can find all the best new and vintage records, to live music venues like Beauty Bar, where acts like Imagine Dragons played some of their early-career shows, Downtown is a great place for musicians and artists to connect with each other.

It’s also among the best neighborhoods for writers. Every October, the neighborhood hosts The Las Vegas Book Festival, which is the premiere literary event of the year bringing together university programs, authors, libraries, and other literary institutions for a day of reading and connecting. Also, the Writer’s Block has the best literary events in town, from graduate student readings to Q&As with famous authors. Although they’re moving to a new location off Fremont Street, The Writer’s Block and its storefront will be the anchor for The Lucy, a creative residency space that will welcome prominent and respected writers to town. Downtown is also home to some cool bookstores like Janco Books, which also hosts readings and literary events. There are also existing writing residencies that take place in Downtown in partnership with Plympton, and regular pop-up poetry readings in the neighborhood. 

And for those simply looking for a place to work, coworking spaces, like Work in Progress which houses a 3D printer, are a great place to meet professionals in different fields and maybe meet some creatives as well.

Arts District

The Arts District photo courtesy of Tracy Hunter

The Arts District is an 18-block stretch just west of Downtown. Although the two neighborhoods are in close proximity and even share similar attributes, the vibe of the Arts District is quite different. This neighborhood is known for its large number of art galleries, like The Arts Factory and Art Square, where groups like Art Square Theatre and Brett Wesley Gallery show off their work. Nevada Humanities, which provides opportunities for Nevadans to genuinely connect with arts and culture in all forms, is also housed here. 

Another best-kept secret of the Arts District is Graffiti Art Gallery Alley, where artists regularly change the installations to showcase new, yet temporary, art. The anchor event of the neighborhood is First Friday, a monthly event that allows both patrons and artists to network and connect over new art. Also in the neighborhood is the Smith Center of the Performing Arts, an innovative, art deco-inspired center that hosts everything from broadway shows to the Nevada Ballet Theatre to the Las Vegas Philharmonic. It’s a great place to both experience art and become part of it through volunteering opportunities and school programs.

Paradise

Lied Library photo courtesy of Mortadelo2005

Because Paradise is home to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the area is thought of in collegiate terms. Although Paradise encompasses both a residential area and some parts of The Strip, the anchor is very much the university. The Marjorie Barrick Museum is free to the public and a great place to view both student art and work from more established artists. The university also hosts the Barrick Lecture Series, which invites prominent intellectuals to Las Vegas to discuss their work.

Lied Library, the largest library on campus, is also at work on an innovative renovation that includes three audio production studios, a video production studio, and a makerspace. Artemis W. Ham Concert Hall also hosts theater and music events. All of UNLV’s regular lectures series are a great place to meet prominent makers and creatives in Las Vegas.