Las Vegas is upping its cultural ante with the unveiling of Family Album, a contemporary art exhibition set to open its doors at the newly minted Las Vegas Civic Center Art Gallery on September 4, 2025. This show marks the first public program spearheaded by the forthcoming Las Vegas Museum of Art (LVMA) in partnership with the city of Las Vegas, and it's a stone's throw from the city's spirited 18B Arts District, eyeing to add a reflective intellectual sheen to the usual glitzy Vegas veneer.
The exhibition, first birthed at the Charles White Elementary School Gallery as part of LACMA's community engagement initiative, is an introspective dive into the texture of American life through the lens of family photographs. A statement obtained by the City of Las Vegas tells us that Mayor Shelley Berkley is thrilled, saying, "Las Vegas is a place where anything you can imagine can happen and we are looking forward to having new spaces like the Civic Center Art Gallery and the future Las Vegas Museum of Art to showcase our community’s cultures and art."
The City of Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Museum of Art (LVMA), and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) have partnered to present an intergenerational collection of artists in the Family Album exhibition. Featured artists include Laura Aguilar and Lyle Ashton Harris, whose works explore themes such as belonging, segregation, and home. Many of the pieces draw from personal archives or reinterpret family photographs.
Heather Harmon, LVMA's executive director, expressed her eagerness towards the collaboration with LACMA, "We are eager to grow this partnership with LACMA through Family Album, our first public exhibition," a sentiment that bears weight considering the museum's larger goal to serve the city's two million year-round residents by honoring a diverse cultural heritage. More details about the exhibition can be found at the City of Las Vegas website, including public programs and family workshops that complement the exhibition.
Family Album will run through January 9, 2026, offering visitors ample opportunity to engage with the works. Admission is free, so mark your calendars for a dose of culture delivered straight from LA to LV, adding yet another layer to the rich tapestry that is Las Vegas’ burgeoning art scene.
