The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum launches the second season of RDA Performs with “Movement,” a four-concert series blending music with cinema, culture, storytelling, theatre and dance. Alongside the 2026-27 concert season, the museum is expanding Rita Deanin Abbey’s legacy through documentary and feature films, forthcoming books and a national PBS appearance.
The night on April 8 couldn’t have been more ideal, with perfect weather by the lake as the intimate setting for a collaborative soiree of art, music, fine libations and delectable food. “Notes and Brushstrokes” debuted as a festive evening to support the third season of the Desert Roots Rising Stars Music Festival and Summer Academy occurring June 6–13 in partnership with the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Sunlight pours through Rita Deanin Abbey’s monumental "Wall of Creation," scattering blues, golds and desert tones across the gallery walls. As the first notes of music rise into the room, the glass-like surface seems almost to breathe, with color shifting gently with rhythm and light responding to sound. There are moments in art when the boundaries between disciplines quietly dissolve.
A full house is always a promising sign, but what unfolded during "Broadway Reimagined: A Chamber Music Tribute" at the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum was something rarer. The room was so completely captivated that time itself seemed to suspend. From the first notes to the final cadence, the audience was wholly with the performers, so engaged and emotionally tethered that one sensed a collective reluctance for the afternoon to end.
Inside the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum on Oct. 11, the atmosphere was a harmony of light, form and sound, showcasing the work of one of Nevada's most notable multidisciplinary artists. Within this stillness, RDA Performs, the museum's first concert series, presented "Piano Portraits: A Piano Duet Dialogue," featuring pianists Dr. Alexandria Le and Philip Fortenberry.
“If men are to remain civilized, or to become so, the art of associating together must grow and improve in the same ratio in which the equality of conditions is increased.” — Alexis de Tocqueville. No words were better written by the French historian and political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville, who came to America nearly 200 years ago to study prisons.
The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum became the stage for its new groundbreaking event, RDA Performs, a fusion of music and visual art that captivated all in attendance on Dec. 12. The event featured the extraordinary concert pianist Dr. Alexandria Le, whose artistry transformed the gallery into a masterpiece.
Las Vegas's vibrant arts and culture scene sparkled with sophistication as Chic Compass magazine celebrated the release of its newest edition at the stunning Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum. Aptly titled "An Autumn Sojourn," the event brought together a lively crowd of creatives, tastemakers and cultural enthusiasts for an unforgettable evening featuring Jason Gould, the magazine's cover star.
On a spectacular evening in Las Vegas, the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum came alive with the vibrant energy of art enthusiasts and cultural patrons, all gathered to celebrate the profound impact of Rita Deanin Abbey's artistic legacy.
News flash for Las Vegas culture vultures! A stunning new museum formally opens its doors this fall to showcase the life work of a prolific, remarkable local artist extraordinaire. Can you name the artist? And the location of this treasure? Although most locals would not recognize Rita Deanin Abbey as an artist, many would recognize several of her landmark pieces in the community.
