Art Culture in Elko
Of all the countless ways to explore Elko, uncovering the city’s arts culture is one of the most rewarding. And here, it’s best discovered on foot. See what you’ve been missing.
Art is everywhere you turn in Elko, including colorful murals.
Out of the Ordinary. Always Extraordinary.
If you don’t yet associate Elko, NV with a vibrant arts culture, get ready for your mind to be changed. With the establishment of the Arts and Culture Advisory Board in 2008, the age of the arts in Elko officially kicked off. In the years since, a thriving arts scene has blossomed across town — literally.
Elko visitors can walk through various parts of town and witness more than two dozen lovingly painted murals, while our Centennial Boots project tips its Stetson to the area’s Old West days.
Artwalk
More than 40 muralists from around the world came together in 2019 to create 51 murals that can be found all over Elko. Touching on themes both new and old, these murals depict everything from rural life during the pioneer days to Elko’s Basque and Native American cultures to the downright abstract and funky.
Basque Culture
Often drawn by the lure of gold and the freedom of the New World, Basque peoples emigrated from France and Spain to Nevada and the West in the early- to mid-1800s. Many worked as sheepherders, making Elko their home. Today, Basque traditions live on as ancestors gather each year for a festival of music, food and entertainment.
Centennial Boots
When Elko turned 100 in 2017, the Elko Arts and Culture Advisory Board commissioned artists to create these eye-catching six-foot tall painted boots as a nod to the town’s history as a Western outpost in the 1800s. Scattered throughout town, the colorful boots stand as a testament to days gone by — and are perfect for photographing.
