A New Cultural Landmark

Couper Russ Studios Curates the Civic Soul of Downtown Las Vegas

By Laura Henkel

Las Vegas may be globally known for its neon shimmer and grand spectacles, but another story is unfolding at its heart — one rooted in civic pride, cultural investment and artistic reinvention. That story finds a powerful home in the newly opened Las Vegas Civic Center, a transformative development just south of City Hall, where art and public life converge in harmony.

The Civic Center spans an entire city block between Main Street and Bonneville Avenue. The campus includes two new buildings, housing office space, nonprofit organizations, restaurants and concessions, all centered around the Carolyn G. Goodman Plaza, a green oasis built for community connection. From farmers markets to concerts, the plaza will host dozens of public events throughout the year. Just steps from the 18b Arts District, Fremont Street Experience and the Regional Justice Center, the development serves as connective tissue linking creativity, commerce and civic engagement.

At the heart of this space is the city’s most ambitious public art investment to date. Curated by Couper Russ Studios, the new Civic Center collection brings together an extraordinary lineup of Las Vegas-connected artists: Chris Bauder, Tim Bavington, Erik Beehn, Sam Ganados, Trevor Ganske, Shawn Hummel, eri king, Alina Lindquist, Alexys Quezada, Krystal Ramirez, David Ryan, Sean Slattery and Brent Sommerhauser. They join artists Gig Depio, Fawn Douglas, Cliff Garten and Valentin Yordanov, who were selected by the city.

“As curators, we were given some specific parameters to guide the selection for the city’s collection,” Couper Russ Studios said in a statement. “The works were desired to be vibrant, captivating, engaging and uplifting. The artists we selected are some of Las Vegas’s most established names, along with others who are fast gaining wider recognition.”

The works span Levels 1 and 2 of the Civic Center buildings, inhabiting transitional spaces where civic life flows. “The artworks inhabit spaces where people meet, work and pass through, allowing the art to quietly interrupt routine and encourage moments of reflection,” Couper Russ Studios said. “We hope that viewers are prompted to stop, look and ask either ‘What is that?’ or ‘What is it doing?’”

Rather than adhere to a single visual style or movement, the selected artists are united by an intuitive relationship to place. Their work reflects a shared sensibility, an embrace of contradiction, reinvention and the aesthetic potential of their surroundings. Each piece was chosen for its capacity to evoke what art theorist Roland Barthes called punctum — a piercing presence that transcends surface appeal and demands attention.

“These artists are connected not by a singular style or movement,” Couper Russ explained, “but by a shared sensibility of the city, an embrace of contradiction, reinvention and fearless engagement with the aesthetic possibilities of place.”

Importantly, these works are now part of the City of Las Vegas’s permanent art collection. In a city often dismissed as a stage set of spectacle and simulation, this moment affirms something deeper: that Las Vegas is also a place of profound creative labor and vision. Couper Russ Studios describes the collection as a cultural corrective to amnesia, a response to the longstanding invisibility of local artists working within and around the city, and a celebration of their enduring presence.

Known for their holistic approach to art engagement, Couper Russ Studios — founded in 2011 by Matthew Couper and Jo Russ — has long championed thoughtful curatorial practices that bridge public and private contexts. “We aim to offer a holistic approach to engaging with art across both public and private contexts,” they shared, “fostering thoughtful, dynamic encounters between art and its audiences, where art acts as a catalyst for dialogue, transformation and community.”

In addition to their role as consultants and cultural producers, the studio runs a gallery space in Charleston Heights featuring curated exhibitions that connect international artists with Las Vegas-based practitioners.

Whether attending a public meeting, exploring a new nonprofit headquarters or simply enjoying the open air of the Carolyn G. Goodman Plaza, visitors to the Civic Center will find that art is not a backdrop but a vital presence, woven into the rhythm of civic life.

The Civic Center officially opened to the public Aug. 4 and is open for viewing Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. During these hours, guests are encouraged to stop in and experience the works curated by Couper Russ Studios in person.

To further connect the public with the art and artists, the City of Las Vegas will host a special event, Meet the Artists of New Artwork at the Las Vegas Civic Center, on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Public Meeting Room on the second floor at 525 S. Main St. The free event, hosted by Vogue Robinson, will feature brief talks and open conversation with participating artists Tim Bavington, Chris Bauder, Erik Beehn, Gig Depio, Fawn Douglas, Sam Ganados, Trevor Ganske, Shawn Hummel, Alina Lindquist, Krystal Ramirez, Alexys Quezada, Sean Slattery, Brent Sommerhauser and Valentin Yordanov. Attendees will gain insight into the creative processes, concepts and public presence of the works on display.

Here, the city invites the public not only to participate, but to see differently — to consider that Las Vegas is not just a spectacle, but a site of reflection, invention and creative legacy.