The Arts Factory

About

The Arts Factory is proud to be the geographic and creative center of the 18b Las Vegas Arts District. The Arts Factory is a 50-year-old commercial warehouse building with traditional bowstring truss architecture. It sits near the junction of Charleston Boulevard and Main Street in an old section of downtown Las Vegas. The conversion of the Arts Factory into a thriving commercial art center started in 1997.

Our artists represent a broad range of contemporary and traditional styles, media, and interests. In addition to its commercial activities, the Arts Factory provides an artistic lifeline and facility for many educational functions and community group meetings, including a weekly Life Drawing class, monthly board meetings of the 18b Las Vegas Arts District Neighborhood Association, the Las Vegas Sculpture Park, UNLV, and local high school student art exhibitions, fund raiser events for notable local and national charities, and the Smithsonian Institute lecture series. The Arts Factory has also provided a unique cultural venue for over 300 musical concerts, poetry readings, and live theatrical performances.

 The History

The transformation of a mixed use complex into a center for commercial arts was the brain child of Wes Myles Isbutt, owner of Studio West Photography and a former tenant of the original complex. Wes saw the potential of restoring the centrally located downtown structure into an art center similar to metropolitan lofts and artist complexes he had visited in Europe, San Francisco and NYC. Wes purchased the building in 1996, and began the renovation and redesign work that is ongoing.

The Arts Factory is now home to 23 commercial art-related tenants representing photography, fine art, architecture, graphic design, a yoga school, jewelers, architects, and the most recent offering, Bar+Bistro.

 Mission

The Arts Factory was created to build a community of fine and practical artists. It exists to inspire these artists to greatness. With the addition of the Bar+Bistro, the Arts Factory has supplied a central social environment in which to gather and exchange ideas and creative concepts, inspired by great food, classic cocktails and art.