Sara in the City: RAW comes to Vegas

By Sara Gabriella

Photos by Nestor Ruesga

RAW erupted on the Las Vegas scene this year to infuse the local Arts and Entertainment community with a dynamic boost. RAW natural born artists is an arts showcase and resource that prides itself on being “an independent arts organization, for artists, by artists.” (http://www.rawartists.org/what-is-raw).

RAW is currently bringing artists together and throwing grass roots, indie events in 21 cities around the country. When RAW establishes itself in a new city, the organizers hunt for the local underground talent and provide them exposure and recognition.  RAW provides each artist with marketing tools, industry contacts, access to an artist network and an opportunity to showcase their work at a RAW event. RAW’s website is an online resource artists use to “connect with other RAW artists, post videos, music and promote upcoming projects, upcoming events and track their success.” The site’s home page has a running ticker on the side that lists artwork sold at recent shows and the publications that are currently featuring their artists.

RAW’s mission is to “provide independent artists of all creative genres, with the tools, resources and exposure needed to inspire and cultivate creativity,” and it does just that. By creating an online community of artists that spans all 21 cities in which RAW operates, a featured artist is instantly connected with all artists past, present and future in the organization. Any RAW artist can perform or showcase in any other city without selling tickets to that show. The first time any artist participates in a RAW show they are required to sell tickets at ten dollars a pop, and RAW uses this as an educational opportunity to teach artists how to market themselves “through seminars, workshops and insight to further the knowledge of their industry.” The artist is also featured on all online promotions (RAW promotes exclusively online since they are a “green” organization). Every artist receives photos of their work or performance, a professional headshot, and a taped interview they can use to promote and market their talents. Many artists receive additional media exposure. RAW Vegas has appeared in local publications including City Life Magazine, The Examiner, EVO Magazine, the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Weekly.

Since invading Vegas in June, RAW produced four monthly showcases, and concluded their debut season this month with the RAWards semi-finals. The community who came out to support the semi-finalists voted for their favorites and sent 9 artists to compete in the RAW national awards in Hollywood, CA.

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How does an indie organization go from an unknown entity to throwing packed shows every month? RAW Vegas Production Assistant, Mel Desrameaux, describes the process as grass roots, of course. Nationally, RAW sold nearly 45,000 tickets to 155 shows featuring over 3,000 artists in 21 cities this past season. They are able to do so much without a budget because they have a solid system in place for establishing themselves in the local scene. They sink deep into the underground and sprout roots to integrate into the network of independent artists and entertainers. They scout local talent, from artists eager to have an audience for their work, to more established indie artists living their dreams the best they can in an industry where mass distribution and recognition is accessible to only an elite minority.

In Vegas, Mel hunted local talent at First Friday, in the 18B Arts District, and local bars and restaurants hosting open mic nights. Social media was another avenue to undiscovered talent. By creating a Facebook account and adding artists and fans of the Arts, Mel built a community that spread the word about RAW events to artists across the Valley. RAW artists used their own social media networks to promote the shows, and the message was amplified. Fans and friends of artists became followers of RAW on social media—and a connected community grew organically.

Having participated in the opening RAW show, and attending a few of the following showcases (all RAW artists are invited to attend all future shows free of charge), I can tell you a RAW event is a unique, funky, and fun experience—for both participants and attendees. The venue transforms into a gallery, with photography, sculptures, jewelry, and paintings adorning the walls and tables. You can expect to view short films playing on a projector, groove to live bands, be spellbound by spoken word or bust a gut at a comedy routine, watch a burlesque or belly dancing troupe prance and swirl onstage, and experience a live run-way show where models strut off the catwalk and into the audience to interact with attendees and highlight, up close, the extravagant hair, make-up and costumes created by the artists.

RAW is a visual, vibrant delight that is both funky and elegant. But what makes RAW unique is that, it functions as an event to showcase talent, and also serves as an on-going creative collaboration and professional network. RAW melds local talent into a professional network. Raw artists from this season have gone on to work together on commissioned work, charity fashion shows and a film festival. More creative collaborations are in the works. RAW is unique and uplifting because it’s an organization “for artist, by artists.” It’s inspiring to witness the imaginative and ingenious creations possible when artists jump behind the wheel to steer the course of their own destinies.

Find out more about RAW: http://www.rawartists.org/

Sara in the City features Arts, Entertainment and Social Good in Las Vegas.

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