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Arts Commission reallocates $100,000, approves Rancho Gateway increase and a slate of FY26 public-art projects
Summary
At its Aug. 28 meeting the Las Vegas Arts Commission voted to return $100,000 from a canceled Wellness Way Gateway project to the Percent for the Arts fund, approved additional funding for the Rancho Gateway sculpture “The Healer,” struck an item for Hualapai Canyon, and approved a set of FY26 projects and budgets.
The Las Vegas Arts Commission on Aug. 28 approved several funding actions and a package of new FY26 public-art projects after staff presentations and brief discussion.
The commission voted to return $100,000 that had been assigned to the Wellness Way Gateway medical-district public-art project back into the city’s Percent for the Arts fund. Holly Lay, Cultural Affairs staff, said the Wellness Way/MLK intersection project is not proceeding and the funds would revert to the restricted Percent for the Arts account.
Commissioners also approved increased funding for the Rancho Gateway public-art project — a sculpture titled The Healer by Luis Verala Rico — citing tariff and location changes, landscaping work and a revised artist quote. Holly Lay told the commission staff would likely award a contract in the coming weeks to move the project forward.
An agenda item to relocate funding for a Hualapai Canyon Trailhead environmental-art project (Ward 2) was stricken from the agenda at the meeting; the commission voted to remove that item and did not take further action on that project during this session.
The commission’s staff report also included a financial overview of the Percent for the Arts fund. Commissioner Clavin reported a fiscal-year 2026 allocation deposit of $395,306.39. Clavin said the fund’s beginning balance was $3,735,665.90 (corrected from a transcript mis-speech), expenses in the prior fiscal year totaled $992,683.87, and projects already on the books total $2,430,907.49, leaving an available balance of $707,380.93 for FY26 projects.
Using that funding base, staff proposed a slate of new FY26 projects for commission approval, including mural and sculpture projects across city wards and allocations for acquisition, conservation/maintenance and a public-art map. The commission approved the new-project list and associated budgets discussed at the meeting. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about funding sources for a parking-garage mural in the Arts District (staff said Economic and Urban Development built the garage but cannot use its funds for artwork; Percent for the Arts funds are tied to public infrastructure and are the appropriate source), timelines for artwork purchases, and how a public-art map might coordinate with county and other municipal materials.
Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes, regular meeting of May 15, 2025: Motion moved by Commissioner Chi, seconded by Commissioner DeSantis; outcome: approved. - Relocation of $100,000 from Wellness Way Gateway back to Percent for the Arts fund (Ward 1): Motion moved by Commissioner Roberts, seconded by Commissioner Chi; outcome: approved. - Increase funding for Rancho Gateway Public Art, The Healer by Luis Verala Rico (Ward 1): Motion moved by Commissioner Roberts, seconded by Commissioner Douglas; outcome: approved. - Strike agenda item: Relocation of funding for Hualapai Canyon Trailhead environmental art project (Ward 2): Motion moved by Commissioner Cleven, seconded by Commissioner DeSantis; outcome: item stricken (approved to remove). - Approval of new FY26 public-art projects and budgets (multiple projects including STUPAC Community Center mural, Arts District parking-garage mural, Cimarron Rose Community Center mural, Doolittle Pool mural, Pop Squires Park mural, artwork acquisition, public-art map, conservation/maintenance allocation, contingency): Motion moved by Commissioner Clemons, seconded by Commissioner Douglas; outcome: approved.
Commissioners and staff agreed the Percent for the Arts fund is a restricted city account and that reallocated or returned funds remain available for future public-art assignments. Staff said contracts for several approved projects will move to procurement and contracting in the weeks ahead.
No ordinance, statute or other legal authority was cited during the funding motions; actions were internal allocations and contract-direction approvals handled under the city’s Percent for the Arts program.
