Our Story

The Reno Tahoe International Art Show was created as the platform to position Reno as a nationally recognized arts and cultural center.

Geographically stunning, Reno is nestled in a sweeping valley beneath the majestic Sierra Nevada skyline. Close by and above the city is the beautifully pristine Lake Tahoe with over 100 miles of shoreline and soaring mountain vistas. 

The region exudes a spirit of inspired creativity, independence and vitality and has long been home to a significant arts community. Over the past three years, the region has been discovered by many talented artists and more than 100,000 affluent new residents from everywhere.

Over the past 2 years alone over $6 billion in luxury real estate has been acquired and thousands of luxury redesigns and new residences are underway. In addition, many entrepreneurs, and major corporations alike in high tech and advanced manufacturing businesses have arrived and are flourishing. Reno Tahoe has been discovered and is coming into its own.

The RTIA Show was created by a father-daughter team who arrived in Reno in 2020 and completely embraced the beauty, exuberance and welcoming spirit of the people and the place. Respectively from the worlds of major international exhibitions and executive marketing in luxury hospitality space design, Kevin O’Keefe and daughter Briana Dolan could see that Reno Tahoe was ideally positioned to grow up to be the new arts and cultural center of the west.

Anchoring the Reno Creative Movement, the RTIA Show was conceived from the beginning to reflect the creative character and independence of the region. Unlike any other fine art show, RTIA celebrated its artistic roots and vibrant art community. The inaugural event launched in September 2022 was built around “The Heart of Reno” featuring exclusively regional artists and studios. These were joined by galleries and sculptors from around the nation, major Burning Man artworks and a First Nations and Indigenous Peoples feature. 

The 50,000’ exhibition was enlivened by ongoing live performances by regional musicians, and a daily short film screening of award winning and Oscar nominated films presented by Reno- based Cordillera International Film Festival. The Reno Tahoe Artist Awards Gala recognized the talent of regional artists while local breweries and distillers welcomed buyers with warm hospitality.

Met with positive reviews by attending buyers and enthusiasts from the region, the west coast and around the nation, exhibitors were thrilled to be selling art at a first-time fine art show in a totally new and untried market.

The stage set, the second edition of the RTIA Show doubled in size to encompass 100,000’. The event added Art City pavilion features, where art rich cities like Carmel-by-the-Sea, Laguna Beach, Sedona, Park City and San Francisco positioned galleries, studios, sculptors, and independent artists together in major pavilions. Many new galleries joined including internationally renowned names such as Winn Slavin Gallery of Beverly Hills, CA and Gefen Gallery of San Francisco.

The 2023 edition included a 500’ Sculpture Walk,  National Sculpture Society artworks complemented by collectible and rare cars, a major presentation of Burning Man sculptures shown both outside and within the hall in a darkened space, ongoing live music, ample regional hospitality service, RTIA Talks, short film programming presented by Cordillera Film Festival, an expanded RTA Awards Gala, and a larger First Nations & Indigenous Peoples pavilion.

Attendance to the September 2023 Fair increased by nearly 40% as art buyers and collectors from all over the west, the nation, and five countries arrived to check out the unique new fine art show. The second edition was marked by rave buyer and attendee reviews and art sales doubling over the inaugural event.

Well on its way to recognition on the national stage, the third edition of the RTIA Show will have a footprint of nearly 140,000’ of exhibition space. The 2024 exhibition increases the scale and number of Art Cities, national and international galleries, Sculpture Walk, Post Playa Art Feature, and First Nation & Indigenous Peoples pavilion space. In addition, the Fair will present unique design vignettes blending rare cars, sculpture, bespoke furniture and 2-D art (all for sale), two museum exhibits, one of these international, a major co located music festival, stepped up Cordillera Film Festival programming, a larger RTA Awards program and more significant RTIA Talks.

We are very excited to bring you the next Reno Tahoe International Art Show. Bigger, more elegant, more dramatic, more vibrant, more fun. Hope to see you there!