Oct. 17, 2025
Creating a Career in the Arts
Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art auditorium
Thursday, October 30, 2025
7 p.m.–8:15 p.m.
Free
Join us for an in-depth panel discussion about careers in the arts with local arts workers Jennifer Kleven, Daniel Samaniego, and Jesse Smigel. Collectively, these panelists represent multiple paths that an artist can take as they forge a professional career. They have served as artists, gallerists, museum workers, commercial fabricators, equity advocates, government arts representatives, and more. The panel will be moderated by Krystal Ramirez, an artist and UNLV arts instructor.
The panel will take place in the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art auditorium from 7 p.m.–8:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, 2025. It is organized in partnership with the UNLV Department of Art. Attendance is free and everyone is welcome.
About the Panelists
Jennifer Kleven
Jennifer Kleven is an artist and curator. As Deputy Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Las Vegas, she elevates public art, festivals, performances, and special events with a deep commitment to creative placemaking and community engagement. Previously, she spent 13 years at the Neon Museum, where she served as Director of Advancement. She is a Creative West Leaders of Color alumna, past president of the Nevada Museums Association, and current president of the Southern Nevada Arts Coalition. She also serves on the Las Vegas Arts Commission, advocating for inclusive and innovative public art.
Jesse Smigel
Jesse Smigel is the owner of Eccentric Sculpture and Props, a design, fabrication, transport, and install company specializing in large sculptural and scenic elements. As a sculptor, he is known for public artworks that include Snowball, the popular giant cat head in the Las Vegas Arts District. Previously he was the co-owner of downtown gallery Blackbird Studios, and a master carpenter and scenic artisan for the Judy Bayley Theater at UNLV, designing and creating props and sets for theater productions.
Daniel Samaniego
Daniel Samaniego is an artist and cultural worker based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Combining fantastic, grotesque, and pop imagery, his labor-intensive graphite drawings and theatrically scaled drawing installations explore the interplay between queer identity, desire, and monstrosity. Recent exhibitions include Lavender Scare, curated by Dan Halm at the Spring/Break NY Art Show, and Lined and Torn: Paper Works from The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art Collection in Las Vegas. Samaniego holds an MFA in Painting from San Francisco Art Institute, and has been an artist in residence at Vermont Studio Center and Soaring Gardens Artists Retreat. He is currently employed by the upcoming Las Vegas Museum of Art.
All of the museum’s galleries are accessible to wheelchair users and other visitors who cannot use stairs. Services such as sign language interpretation can be arranged. Please contact the museum to discuss your needs: barrick.museum@unlv.edu, 702-895-3381.
About the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art
The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art believes everyone deserves access to art that challenges our understanding of the present and inspires us to create a future that holds space for us all. Located on the campus of one of the most racially diverse universities in the U.S., we strive to create a nourishing environment for those who continue to be neglected by contemporary art museums. As the only art museum in the city of Las Vegas, we commit ourselves to leveling barriers that limit access to the arts. Our collection of artworks offers an opportunity for everyone to develop a deeper knowledge of contemporary art in Southern Nevada. The Barrick Museum is part of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Find Us
The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art is located in the heart of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus. The museum is easily accessed from the west side of campus at the intersection of Harmon Avenue and University Center Drive. Drive east on East Harmon Ave until the road enters the campus and terminates in a parking lot. The Museum will be on your right, next to a desert landscape garden. Directions here.
Parking
Visitors may park in metered, staff, and student spots free of charge after 7 pm on weekdays, 1 pm on Fridays, and all day Saturday.
Daily, weekly, or monthly permits can be purchased from Parking and Transportation Services.
Metered parking spaces for visitors can be found in the parking lot outside the Barrick’s entrance, along East Harmon Ave, and in the lot behind the Lied Library. Other metered green zones are available in the Cottage Grove Avenue Parking Garage and parking areas throughout campus. Download the “PayByPhone Parking” app from Google Play or the iTunes app store.
Contact
/barrickmuseum
barrick.museum@unlv.edu
702-895-3381
