The VIVA Awards
A Decade of Honoring Las Vegas Visual and Performing Arts
By Kendall Hardin // Photography by Cashman Photo
Stepping into the Notoriety showroom on the eve of Sept. 19, the atmosphere was already electrified with live music, sparkling cocktails and spirited camaraderie. Guests were warmly welcomed to the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Vegas Icon Visionary Awards (VIVA), honoring the visual and performing arts in Las Vegas – the “Entertainment Capital of the World.”
Following a delectable dinner buffet provided by Crash N’Burn in Ken Henderson’s Robin Leach room at Notoriety, Forgotten Song Foundation Executive Director Ann Parenti introduced board members, event sponsors and long-time friends and patrons of the foundation, as well as contributing writers, designers and advertisers of Chic Compass magazine, the stunning lifestyle publication she founded in 2017. The room wildly cheered and applauded this year’s youth scholarship winners, organizational recipients and honorees—all under the direction of high-spirited, sunny emcee Stacey Gualandi.
The 2024 VIVA Awards honored stars and artists Barbara and Larry Domsky, co-founders of Domsky Glass; Robert and Shirley Kramer, volunteer directors for the Jazz Outreach Initiative and co-founders of Friends of UNLV Jazz; Dave Loeb, pianist extraordinaire, accompanist to the stars and director of the Division of Jazz and Commercial Music at UNLV; Sarah O’Connell, artistic director of The Asylum Theatre and founder of the innovative cultural website EatMoreArtVegas.com; artist Niki J. Sands, whose whimsical painting creations are cherished collector items; popular television and radio personality Nathan Tannenbaum; and Nathan Tanouye, master trombonist, composer, arranger and professor of the Division of Jazz and Commercial Music at UNLV.
The evening continued with a jazz quartet featuring Michael Candito on drums, Jeff Davis on bass, Dave Loeb on piano and Nathan Tanouye on trombone. The closing entertainment featured a vocal performance from Ann Parenti, accompanied by the jazz quartet.
This sparkling, memorable evening marked the 10th and final VIVA Awards as The Forgotten Song Foundation sunsets its work. In 2024 alone, the foundation awarded over $38,000 in scholarships and grants. Bravo, Ann, for all your vision and passion, which have transformed the lives of many individual artists and cultural organizations in Southern Nevada. You and the foundation left everyone on a high note at this year’s VIVA Awards! There will be one last event this year that will be in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club created by Roxy & Skai Jones of Youth for Youth. Save the date Dec. 14! To learn more, visit www.youthforyouth.vegas
