Chalk It Down! First Annual Arts District Chalk Festival

Come join the community for Chalk It Down!, a day of art, food and fun! This first annual Arts District chalk festival is free, family-friendly and open to all.

The 18b streets of Colorado and Imperial will be shut down, allowing pedestrians to enjoy colorful pavement creations by local artists competing for a $1000 prize purse. Artists will be presenting their designs on the sidewalks in front of sponsoring businesses on Main Street, Commerce, and surrounding streets.

What: Chalk It Down! First Annual Arts District Chalk Festival

When: Sunday, April 21, 2024 11am-4pm

Who: Produced by 18b The Las Vegas Arts District and Market in the Alley

Sponsors: Meow Wolf, Artistic Iron Works, BLICK, First Friday Foundation, SHARE Downtown, and more

Featured Activations by: Horsetrailer Hideout, Recycled Propaganda, Fresa’s Skateshop, Dig It! Coffee, Future Makers, Children’s Discovery Museum, and more

THE ACTIVITIES:

Teaming up with Chalk It Down!, Market in the Alley will be hosting an expanded monthly market with 50+ local artisans, vintage curators, food purveyors, and small businesses.

A Kids’ Zone near Dig It Coffee Co (located on Casino Center and Colorado) will feature partners including Fresa’s Skate Shop, Future Makers, Analog Dope Store, Skin City, and the Discovery Children’s Museum, who will host a myriad of activities and programming specifically for kids, including glitter gel, skate lessons, and chalk art spaces. Local children’s book illustrator Joseph Watson will host a storytime and interactive drawing activities.

There will also be special ticketed adult workshops like silversmithing, sponsored by Market in the Alley.

Horsetrailer Hideout is creating a beer garden with a stage for local musicians to perform on Imperial Ave.

THE ART:

Artists will have seven hours (7am to 2pm) to create their art on the designated 5’ x 5’ sidewalk spots stationed in front of participating businesses. The theme for the artwork is “Happy Day.” A panel of judges will choose three winners, with first place winning $500, second place winning $300, and third place winning $200. Sidewalk artist applications are accepted now through April 10, 2024. Each selected, pre-registered artist will receive a stipend for participating, plus art supplies, an artist swag bag, and access to the Artists Lounge.

FEATURED ARTIST:

Black57 will be creating a large-scale chalk showpiece on Imperial between Main and Commerce streets. Black is a self-taught local Las Vegas artist best known for his graffiti murals, but he has also been working with chalk since 2006. He was originally taught graffiti art by his cousin, and was influenced by his father’s collection of neoclassical paintings and pinup art. He has collaborated with school children on mural projects in the past and considers inspiring kids’ creativity to be the highest form of engagement his art can achieve. He is thrilled to be the featured artist at the first annual Chalk It Down! festival. You can find his art @black57tcb.

THE JUDGES:

Choosing the winning artists will be celebrity judge Robin Slonina from the TV show Skin Wars; local artist and illustrator Joseph Watson; owners of Art Wavy Studio, Janel Raihl and David Soto; and local art star Jerry Misko.