Reno Appoints Joanna Drakos as City Artist for 2026
The vibrant art scene in Reno is set to flourish with the appointment of Joanna Drakos as the Reno City Artist for 2026. This role, appointed by the Reno Arts & Culture Advisory Board, sees Drakos serving throughout the year, showcasing her unique artistic perspective.
Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve extended her congratulations, stating, “Art plays an important role in our community, and I look forward to seeing Joanna’s creativity shine throughout the year as she shares her amazing talent with all of us.”
Drakos’s year as city artist will feature a solo exhibition at the Metro Gallery in Reno City Hall from June 29 to August 21, 2026. This exhibition will highlight her renowned nonrepresentational abstract art, which emphasizes elements such as color, line, shape, and texture to convey emotions and ideas without depicting recognizable subjects.
In addition to her solo show, Drakos will organize a group exhibition at the Metro Gallery, running from August 31 to October 23, 2026. This exhibit will present a diverse array of abstract artworks by various artists chosen by Drakos, each exploring different styles and interpretations of nonrepresentational abstract art.
Expressing her enthusiasm, Drakos remarked, “Being selected as the 2026 Reno City Artist is the highlight of my artistic career, and I’m deeply grateful to live in a city that values and celebrates the arts. I look forward to building on Reno’s artistic legacy by bringing engaging abstract art exhibitions to the Metro Gallery and demonstrating how powerful art can be in expressing what words and representational imagery cannot.”
Drakos, an abstract artist based in Reno, Nevada, has been professionally practicing art full-time since 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in fine art from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and has a background in nonprofit arts organizations and magazine publishing. Her accolades include three-time recognition through Nevada Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts Individual Artist Grants, and she is a founding member of the Downtown Modernists collective.
Her artistic reach extends throughout the Reno and Lake Tahoe region, with numerous solo and group exhibitions, including participation in the Reno Tahoe International Art Show since 2022. Drakos is represented online at Artsy.net and locally in Carson City. Her works can be explored further on her website and Instagram @joannadrakos.art.
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