The International Festival of Russian Art and Culture will take place in Las Vegas Nov. 19 -- 21, bringing to town a number of internationally known artists and scholars.

An art exhibit, a movie screening, a poetry reading, musical performances, and discussion panels will be among the events taking place as part of the festival.

Events on Nov. 19 and 20 will take place at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. On Nov. 21, the festival will move to the UNLV campus. All events are free and open to the public.

Among the featured activities are discussions on the place of art in society, the role of artists in social change, and the fate of Russian artists who left their native land and settled in the United States. Performances will showcase Russian rock and jazz musicians.

The festival is sponsored by UNLV's Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History, UNLV's College of Liberal Arts, the Nevada Arts Council, the Nevada Humanities Committee, and the Trust for Mutual Understanding.

For additional information, call UNLV sociology professor Dmitri Shalin, who is serving as project director for the festival, at 895-0259.