Reno Public Market, Reno’s former Shoppers Square, partners with founders of Firehouse Art Collective and Makers Paradise in Oakland and Berkeley to introduce the Reno Public Market Art Collective. The collective aims to expand the visual arts in Reno and provide local artists with the resources they need to be successful.
Tom Franco and Larry Silva are directors at Firehouse Art Collective and Makers Paradise in Oakland and Berkeley, as well as a host of other creative outlets across Northern California. The pair will bring with them expertise in creating and developing programs that will launch at the art collective in Reno Public Market in late summer 2021.
“This new art collective will engage the Reno arts community at Reno Public Market, pushing creators to the forefront,” Franco said. “It will be a cultural center for artists in Reno, and we hope to engage all the senses at Reno Public Market when it comes to art, food, retail, and events.”
Nettie Oliverio, the Arts & Culture Director for Reno Public Market, will work closely with Franco and Silva to launch the art collective. Oliverio has deep roots in the Reno arts community, serving on the Public Art Committee for the City of Reno for six years and the Reno Arts & Culture Commission for over a decade, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Reno Little Theater and Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts. Oliverio recently received EDAWN’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to growing the arts in Reno.
“Our community is incredibly arts-rich and our dynamic creative spaces at Reno Public Market will bring working artists together with shoppers and diners for delightful unexpected new experiences and discoveries,” Oliverio said.
The art collective will include open studio space, event and office space, galleries, classrooms and workshops, and private studio space on the upper level for production. This art collective will give the community the opportunity to engage with local artists and immerse themselves in the Reno art scene. Franco and Silva are also bringing in artists from the Firehouse Art Collective and will be adding local artists to their broad marketing outreach, including Prairie Prince, Drummer of the band The Tubes and Colin Hurley, The Painter of Cats. Prairie Prince’s artwork and murals have been exhibited all over the world and Colin Hurley has been involved in many of the Firehouse Art Collective murals and projects.
“We are very excited about Makers Paradise coming to Reno to launch the art collective at Reno Public Market,” said Rick Casazza of Reno Public Market. “The goal of this new venture is to help these businesses at Reno Public Market become successful through art, and to share arts and culture with the community as a whole.”
Reno Public Market intends to partner with others in the arts community that have a pulse on the art scene. The art collective will be an ongoing project to build an artistic cultural center in Reno.
Visit renopublicmarket.com to learn more.
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About Reno Public Market
The corner of Plumb Lane and South Virginia Streets is being reimagined for the public’s daily needs shopping––including retail spaces along with food and beverage options. Reno Public Market will incorporate gathering areas that are inclusive and invite residents and visitors alike to share and explore local businesses. This $47 million project will bring modern-architecture and new aesthetics to the historic location. Visit renopublicmarket.com to learn more.
