Downtown & Central Las Vegas, Clark County
Arts District, Las Vegas
The 18b district of galleries, breweries and studios
The Las Vegas Arts District, commonly called 18b, is a walkable warehouse district just south of downtown, bounded roughly by Charleston Boulevard, Commerce Street, Main Street and Colorado Avenue. It is the valley's creative center, with galleries, studios, breweries, coffee roasters, vintage shops, tattoo studios and a growing number of restaurants and bars occupying its low-slung brick buildings.
History & Local Character
The district takes its nickname from an 18-block area designated by the city in the 1990s to encourage arts-related uses in what had been a light industrial and warehouse neighborhood. The First Friday monthly arts festival, which began in 2002, brought large crowds to the district and helped attract the bars, breweries and coffee shops that define it today. Renovation of older buildings has continued steadily, alongside new apartment construction.
Neighborhoods & Communities
The Arts District is a commercial and creative district rather than a residential neighborhood, though it sits between downtown and the older residential streets around Huntridge and the Gateway district.
Housing & Real Estate
New mid-rise apartments and converted loft buildings have been added around the district's edges, making it one of the few places in the valley where someone can live within walking distance of galleries, breweries and coffee shops. Historic single-family homes are available nearby to the north and east.
Restaurants & Shopping
The Arts District has become one of the best places in the valley to eat and drink, with coffee roasters, breweries, cocktail bars, taco and ramen shops, pizza places and a handful of chef-driven restaurants, most of them independently owned and housed in renovated industrial buildings.
Schools & Education
The district is commercial and has no schools within it. Surrounding central Las Vegas neighborhoods are served by Clark County School District campuses, and the district sits a short drive from the College of Southern Nevada's downtown-area facilities.
Parks & Recreation
Open space in the district is mostly plaza and street space used for events and the monthly First Friday festival. Larger parks, including Lorenzi Park and the Springs Preserve, are a short drive away.
Transportation & Accessibility
The Arts District sits between Main Street and I-15, with good freeway access via Charleston Boulevard and easy connections to downtown. RTC Transit serves Main Street and Charleston Boulevard, and rideshare is the most common way visitors arrive on event nights.
Local Businesses
Businesses here are overwhelmingly independent: galleries and studios, breweries and taprooms, coffee roasters, barbershops and salons, vintage and record shops, creative agencies and tattoo studios, alongside a growing restaurant and bar scene.
No businesses are listed in Arts District yet. Add your business to be the first.
Nearby Attractions
- First Friday arts festival
- Downtown Container Park
- Fremont East
- Neon Museum
Advantages & Considerations
Advantages
- The valley's most concentrated independent arts and food scene
- Walkable, low-rise character with intact historic buildings
- Close to downtown, I-15 and the resort corridor
Considerations
- Limited parking during festivals and event nights
- Blocks still mix light industrial uses with retail and housing
- Few grocery or everyday retail options within the district
Arts District FAQs
Why is the Arts District called 18b?
The district was designated in the 1990s over roughly 18 blocks, and the shorthand 18b stuck as its nickname.
What happens at First Friday?
First Friday is a monthly arts and food festival centered on the Arts District, with gallery openings, food vendors, live music and street performers. It runs on the first Friday evening of each month.