Capital City Arts Initiative

Tour the Lilley with Curator Vivian Zavataro
Nevada Neighbors Talk

Curator Vivian Zavataro gives viewers a close-up look into the “Following the Box” exhibition and the John and Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art behind-the-scenes collections. The Capital City Art Initiative’s online series of Nevada Neighbors public talks includes interviews with artists or curators.

In this video, Ms. Zavataro describes the museum’s mission, programs, and shares some treasures from its collections. Viewers are invited to watch the presentation online at https://youtu.be/nGaUInZYKgc

Zavataro is former Director and Curator of The Lilley Museum of Art, at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is a museologist who specializes in contemporary art, history, and art mediation. She has traveled-widely working for museums, galleries, and contemporary art institutions in order to broaden her knowledge and the workings of the art world. Her goal is to facilitate interaction between art and the public. Diversity, creativity, and a world-wide perspective are essential aspects of her practice.

The John and Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art, housed on the University of Nevada, Reno’s campus, provides a range of programming, world-class exhibitions, community events and learning opportunities for students and the community at-large. The Lilley Museum of Art supports the educational mission of the University and enhances the cultural life of the Nevada community by providing inclusive programming, diverse and stimulating exhibitions, and research and teaching opportunities in its transcultural collection.

Since this video was recorded, the charismatic Ms. Zavataro has become Director of the Ulrich Museum of Art at the Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.

CCAI is an artist-centered nonprofit organization committed to community engagement in contemporary visual arts through exhibitions, illustrated talks, arts education programs, artist residencies, and online activities.

The Initiative is funded by the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust, Nevada Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities, John and Grace Nauman Foundation, Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, Carson City Cultural Commission, U.S. Bank Foundation, Kaplan Family Charitable Fund, Southwest Gas Corporation Foundation, Steele & Associates LLC, and CCAI sponsors and members.

top image, right: Vivian Zavataro sharing a item from the Lilley’s collections, 2022
second image, left: Vivian Zavataro, at the Lilley Museum, 2022
bottom image: Tour the Lilley, Nevada Neighbors flier