Legos, Loreloop, and A New Exhibition in February!

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Nevada Humanities will present two events at LegendCon in Las Vegas on Saturday, February 8, 2025. LegendCon is a free event produced and hosted by the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and is packed with fun for gamers of all kinds. Nevada Humanities and narrative designer Ashley Warren are celebrating imaginative storytelling through collaborative gaming at a workshop and play session during the event.

Game On! An Introduction to TTRPGs

Saturday, February 8, 2025
11:00 am–12:30 pm
East Las Vegas Library
2851 East Bonanza Road, Las Vegas

Come to this interactive workshop and learn about all things tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), collaborative storytelling and worldbuilding, and even how to create original characters for your next tabletop adventure session. People of all ages and gaming backgrounds are encouraged to join the fun.

Experience the World of Loreloop: An Original TTRPG Set in Nevada

Saturday, February 8, 2025
1:30–3:00 pm
East Las Vegas Library
2851 East Bonanza Road, Las Vegas

Immerse yourself in Loreloop: The World We Live In, The World We Create, an original Nevada-inspired TTRPG created by Nevada Humanities and designed by Ashley Warren. During this hands-on play session, we’ll view the Silver State in a whole new way as we embark on a thrilling mission to solve a mystery in an abandoned atomic testing community. Loreloop is recommended for ages 13 and up.

Humanities at Play: Playful Learning and Constructing LEGO® Models with John Balash

Tuesday, February 11, 2025
12:00–2:00 pm
Online at the Nevada Humanities Twitch Channel

Rekindle your LEGO® building days during this Humanities at Play livestream as Nevada Humanities’ Kathleen Kuo builds a custom set designed by John Balash, Director of Educational Engagement at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center. Discover the importance of playful learning and how LEGO® fosters confidence, communication, belonging, and more during this collaborative session — audience members are invited to build along online.
Photograph courtesy of John Balash.

The Power of Stories: Remembering Japanese American Incarceration

Thursday, February 13, 2025
6:00–8:00 pm
Nevada Museum of Art
160 West Liberty Street, Reno

In recognition of the 83rd anniversary of Japanese American incarceration during World War II, join Nevada Humanities and the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) for an evening of conversation about remembrance and the power of stories in the Japanese American community. The evening begins with a presentation of audio excerpts from “The Magpie of Heart Mountain” — a 2021 episode from the podcast This Is Love featuring the story of Shigeru Yabu. Yabu was nine when he was incarcerated at Heart Mountain, where he befriended a wild baby magpie whom he named Maggie. The program concludes with a discussion with JACL members Alan de Qeriroz, Nancy Mattson, and Rhoda Thalman, moderated by Meredith Oda, associate professor of history at University of Nevada, Reno.
Photograph courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.

Humanities at Play: Prisoner in My Homeland

Thursday, February 20, 2025
6:00–8:00 pm
Online at the Nevada Humanities Twitch Channel

As part of our continued conversation and programming honoring the Day of Remembrance and the 83rd anniversary of Japanese American incarceration, Nevada Humanities Program Manager Kathleen Kuo will stream the educational game Prisoner in My Homeland while discussing the game’s historical context and narrative with the audience. Developed by Mission US, the game follows the story of teenager Henry Tanaka and his family’s forced relocation to a prison camp in Manzanar, California. Players navigate the challenges endured by over 120,000 Japanese Americans as they coped with their unjust incarceration during World War II. Audience members are encouraged to share their stories and discuss their thoughts during this live streamed event.

Wild Western Wordsmiths: A Workshop for Emerging Writers

Sunday, February 23, 2025
12:00–4:00 pm
The Holland Project
140 Vesta Street, Reno

Join us for a free creative writing workshop and write-in for aspiring writers ages 18–26 at The Holland Project with hosts Griffin Peralta, Reena Spansail, and City of Reno Poet Laureate Jesse James Ziegler. Get to know members of Reno's literary community, build new connections with fellow writers and poets, and contribute your work to a digital zine. Lunch will be provided. This is a free event. Space is limited and advanced registration is required.

Desert Oasis: Passage of Time and Places

On display February 6, 2025 – March 25, 2025
Nevada Humanities Program Gallery
1017 S. 1st Street, Unit 190, Las Vegas

Step into Desert Oasis: Passage of Time and Places, an exhibition that merges the dynamic energy of urban life with the timeless beauty of the desert. Artist Valentin Yordanov documents his perception of the changing world — where cities like Las Vegas and natural wonders converge into one organic whole. His passion for travel, architecture, and design informs every aspect of his art. Yordanov’s work explores themes of urbanization, globalization, and environmental transformation. His paintings act as visual travelogues — vivid impressions of the locations he visits or envisions.

Reception and Exhibition Discussion

Thursday, March 6, 2025
5:00–8:00 pm; Artist Talk at 6:00 pm
Nevada Humanities Program Gallery
1017 S. 1st Street, Unit 190, Las Vegas

Join us on Thursday, March 6, 2025, for a reception and discussion with artist Valentin Yordanov. The reception takes place 5:00–8:00 pm, with the artist talk starting at 6:00 pm.

Artwork courtesy of Valentin Yordanov, Neon Dreams, acrylic on canvas.

Nevada, P.S. I Love You Postcard Project: Love Notes from Across the Silver State

On display through March 7, 2025

Reception and Hands-On Postcard Project
Tuesday, February 11, 5:00–7:00 pm
City of Reno, City Hall
Metro Gallery First Floor
1 E. 1st Street, Reno

Nevada Humanities and the Reno City Hall's Metro Gallery present Nevada, P.S. I Love You Postcard Project: Love Notes from Across the Silver State. The exhibition is on display at the Reno City Hall’s Metro Gallery. View an array of postcards made by people of all ages from across the state sharing their art and what they love about Nevada. Please visit Reno City Hall’s Metro Gallery website for directions and additional information.

Nevada, P.S. I Love You Postcard Project is an ongoing program of Nevada Humanities created to connect Nevadans, in urban and rural communities across the state, sharing the things that postcard creators love about Nevada.
Photograph courtesy of Bobbie Ann Howell.

The Hidden Faces of Work: Behind Las Vegas’ Non-Stop Economy

On display through February 22, 2025
Winchester Dondero Cultural Center
Winchester Wall Gallery
3130 S. McLeod Drive, Las Vegas

Nevada Humanities presents The Hidden Faces of Work: Behind Las Vegas’ Non-Stop Economy, an exhibition featuring the photography, reflections, media, and creative work of students at the UNLV Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies. This exhibition is curated by Julian Kilker, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Emerging Technologies, at the UNLV Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies. The exhibition is also available online on the Nevada Humanities website.
Photograph courtesy of Marium Lachica.

From uncovering untold stories through art to finding creative sparks by talking to ghosts at a cemetery, the latest posts on the Double Down Blog feature a conversation with Erica Vital-Lazare and Iyana Esters on the creative process behind Esters’ recent exhibit at the Nevada Humanities Program Gallery, as well as a reflection by Kahlo Smith on finding inspiration in unexpected places. Visit nevadahumanities.org/doubledownblog to read the latest posts.
Photographs courtesy of Connie Ann Santos, © Connie Ann Santos (left) and Kahlo Smith (right).

Nevada Humanities-Supported Programs Across the State

Wayne Scarpaci: Ships of Nevada | Through February 20, 2025 | Capital City Arts Initiative, Community Center’s Crowell Board Room, Carson City
Photo Finished 2025 | Through March 20, 2025 | Capital City Arts Initiative, Community Development Building (the Brick), Carson City
Anne Hoff: Desert Whispers | Through April 9, 2025 | Capital City Arts Initiative, Western Nevada College’s Bristlecone Gallery, Carson City

Please check directly with our partner and grantee organizations for updated event information.

Artwork: Wayne Scarpaci, USS Carson City, acrylic on canvas.

Missed a recent program or event?
Watch past events on our YouTube channel.

Nevada Humanities Grant Opportunities

FY2025 Mini-Grants
Application Deadline: Rolling; application must be submitted at least 10 weeks before the project's first public event. Application portal closes on July 30, 2025.

FY2025 Planning Grants
Application Deadline: Rolling; application must be submitted at least 10 weeks before the first planning meeting. Application portal closes on July 30, 2025

Connect with Nevada Humanities at nevadahumanities.org and through social media.

Nevada Humanities is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the great State of Nevada, by Nevadans for Nevadans, providing essential cultural and educational services across the state.