The City of Las Vegas has a new director of its Office of Cultural Affairs following the retirement, last year, of Nancy Deaner.
“I would say so far I’ve been really excited by what I’ve found," new director Ally Haynes-Hamblen told KNPR's State of Nevada, "The community is very welcoming.”
Haynes-Hamblen was director of the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts in Arizona, which houses several stages featuring music, theater, film, and other events. And, Haynes-Hamblen oversaw the Scottsdale Arts Festival.
It is her background in festivals that Haynes-Hamblen would like to bring to Southern Nevada. She believes festivals provide an easy way for people who don't consider themselves "inclined to the arts" to sample everything from theater to dance to visual arts.
“There is so much potential for the city of Las Vegas themselves to present more events as well as partnering with community organizations or regional organizations to stage events,” she said.
And Haynes-Hamblen doesn't want to limit herself just to the downtown core, but wants to reach out through the whole community.
“I’m looking forward to activating the whole valley,” she said.
And like a lot of people, Haynes-Hamblen didn't realize until she became immersed in the valley's cultural scene how much was going on outside of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.
She believes all that talent and creativity needs a centralized booster to let everyone in the world know what Las Vegas artists are doing.
“I see that there is a lot going on," Haynes-Hamblen said, "There is a lot being created here. There’s a ton of creativity and a ton of talent. And what it really needs at this point is that centralizing, galvanizing force that can really bring everything together.”
Ally Haynes-Hamblen, director, Office of Cultural Affairs for the City of Las Vegas
