Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Neon Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Nevada Neon Project presenter urges Carson City to preserve and revive neon as cultural asset
Summary
Will Durham of the Nevada Neon Project presented to the Carson City Arts and Culture Commission on efforts to preserve historic neon signs, described the state-symbol effort that passed the Legislature, answered energy and safety questions, and offered to help the city explore pilot projects and energy impacts.
Will Durham, founder of the Nevada Neon Project and a Carson City teacher, told the Arts and Culture Commission that preserving and interpreting neon signs is both a cultural-heritage and creative opportunity for the state and for Carson City.
Durham described rescuing and documenting signs since the mid-1990s, showing them in museum exhibitions and working with communities across Nevada. He said students worked with a sponsor in the Legislature to make neon an official state symbol; "it passed unanimously. And so that became one of our state symbols," Durham said. He urged the commission to consider cataloging, exhibiting, restoring, or commissioning neon as part of local arts and tourism projects.
The presentation outlined specific options the Nevada Neon Project has pursued: cataloging surviving signs and archival photos; short-term and permanent exhibits; reproductions and new commissions; and incentive or requirement-based approaches used in other Nevada downtowns to encourage neon on building facades. Durham suggested a welcome or plaza sign as one example and noted both historical displays (museum-style indoor exhibits) and outdoor installations as feasible paths.
Commission members raised practical concerns about dark-sky policies, energy use and safety. Commissioner Michael Smith asked about energy consumption, fragility and hazardous materials; Durham responded that neon is often mistaken for an inefficient medium and said, "it is considered a green source of illumination" and that many modern signs use lower-power technologies and can plug into a household outlet, while cautioning that some tubes contain mercury. Durham also noted neon's durability compared with many modern alternatives and said restoration and maintenance approaches vary by design and placement.
Vice Chair Sam Flakus urged sensitivity to the city's dark-sky priorities and suggested indoor exhibits or limited outdoor placements (for example in a future plaza). Durham said he has worked with local arts organizations on exhibitions and reproductions and that the Nevada Neon Project wants to both preserve historic signs and bring new neon into communities.
Commission Chair Bethany Drysdale thanked Durham and said the commission should not "miss an opportunity to at least have a conversation about where neon stands in our culture and our art." Commissioners asked Durham to return with more technical details; Durham offered to provide estimated energy usage and other technical answers to questions the commission raised.
The commission agreed to place neon on a future agenda for further discussion and potential next steps, including possible outreach or a follow-up presentation with usage and maintenance figures.
