Feisty Arts Factory founder Wes Myles sounds off about politicians, downtown arts scene

Have a conversation with him about the arts and it gathers speed like a boulder barreling downhill.

Art aficionados have no greater advocate/activist in Las Vegas than Los Angeles-born Arts Factory owner Wes Myles. Arriving here in 1988, he’s nurtured the downtown scene, providing artists with space to work — and fighting its battles with politicians over licensing, permits and codes — for years.

"I scare the bureaucrats," says Myles, 49, who lives and works at his own business, Studio West Photography, at the creative hub at 107 E. Charleston Blvd.

"They look at me in fear," he says. " ‘He’s the avant-garde!’ I walk in and before I say anything, (someone) points a finger and says, ‘You’re the one. You’re the guy.’ " This from a man who once suffered from "a massive speech impediment. Couldn’t talk at all. I stuttered. Two consecutive words were not going to come out of this mouth."

No longer a problem. Here, "The Guy" sounds off on arts-related issues:

Question: People dubbed you "father of the arts district." Are you comfortable with that?

Answer: People can give me whatever title they want. I’m the first one here to point out what has happened for hundreds of years in every city across the world. Arts districts develop in downtown warehouse areas for consistent reasons. People like myself who are artistic find old buildings we want to work in and live in the same place. We don’t mind the inconveniences. We like urban environments and we push in those directions.

Q: Is it fair to say you’re not a fan of local politicians?

A: Politicians tell me (the arts district) is by Cashman Field and I’m laughing at them. I was the first one to say, "You’re wrong." … I started meetings with public officials by saying, "I want you to name five pieces of public art." They couldn’t. There’s no concentration of public art. We work for years to get advantages or uniqueness to our district. You come down to the arts district, and we’re going to get you a liquor license, we’re going to waive these fees. It took us 10 years to get these incentives passed.

Q: Why is there such resistance?

A: The bureaucracy is designed to say no. If a bureaucrat decides they want to change the rules, their job is at risk. They can be ridiculed and fired. Saying no, you get to work another day. Most of them are making six figures, or high five figures. It’s self-preservation.

Q: Haven’t you had some successes?

A: The second we do, politicians go, "Well, I’m the councilman for (a district) and we need to get this for our guys, too." You don’t build density, you don’t build critical mass that way. Other cities give it to the arts district, they say, "We want this to be the arts district." Not give it to you and you and you. There is way too much cronyism.

Q: Why have you had trouble obtaining codes and permits for arts events?

A: They’ll say: "Wes, you want to have fire-spinners downtown? Well, we don’t have fire performers. Our codes don’t allow that." Well, codes can be changed. The code was written by somebody in a different era that has nothing to do with today. A lot of them are antiquated.

Q: How does the Strip impact the arts scene?

A: The 800-pound gorilla. The Strip and the casinos have a need for new entertainment, so whatever they think is new and fashionable and can make a buck on, they’re all about and they have endless budgets. So it becomes chic to have an urban environment. MGM says, "Wow, urban is really hip, so we’re going to build CityCenter and spend billions on it." The scale gets blown away.

We think it’s really cool to have aerosol art on the buildings. The casinos go, "We want that at our parking structure in CityCenter." Then casinos find the cream of the crop here and they are consumed by the 800-pound gorilla, myself included.

People like Tim Bavington and Casey Weldon and Robert Beckmann who have achieved a higher standard and demand for income for their art. They’re praised and paid by the casinos, they’re leaping into the bigger world.

Q: What do you think of First Friday, now that new owners are involved? (First Friday Las Vegas LLC took over from Whirlygig Inc.)

A: The new owners are fantastic. There was an atmosphere of confrontation and cronyism and deception in the First Friday. … You couldn’t have discussions and say, "This is what I want to be a part of." It was, "Never." Now you have professional people who know they don’t know, like, "You’ve been here a long time, what do you think?" All of a sudden, the doors have opened. These are honest people who are interested in making it better, in having a progressive and intellectual dialogue, not the closed-door, what’s-in-it-for-me scenario. It’s a huge home run.

Q: How will the Smith Center affect the downtown scene?

A: A major plus. With our Bar + Bistro, we’re doing a program with the Smith Center to do a family show. Come down, have dinner, we’ll have a bus service. We’re working with other downtown places where people can buy a package.

But do I think the Smith Center should be doing more for the visual arts? Absolutely. They’ve unfortunately gotten lost in their own point of view and haven’t looked at a more global arts sense. Their exhibition space is minimal, whereas other large centers pay more attention to the visual arts. It’s part of how Las Vegas is, very tunnel-visioned here. But I’m asking for 10 and I’m getting five. It’s a lot better than getting zero.

Q: Despite all the battles, are you proud of what you’ve accomplished?

A: People tell me how important my life has been to the city, how the Arts Factory is an institution. I don’t see any of it. All I see is the same stupid fights I fought 15 years ago with new players. In some cases I’ve taken two steps back.

Q: You don’t see a chance for real change?

A: No. The pressures against the change are greater than the need or desire for the change.

Q: You sound like you’re fed up and ready to give up. Are you?

A: (Expletive), yeah. I’m at that point now. I’m entertaining offers from other cities.

Contact reporter Steve Bornfeld at sbornfeld@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0256.