CARSON CITY, Nev. — Robert Leonard Reid has hit the trail in Nevada and then some, and he has tales to prove it. A rare opportunity to hear Reid read from his short story collection “Rhapsodies and Bagatelles” will take place at 6 p.m. March 20 at Comma Coffee, 312 S. Carson St. in Carson City. Reid, a Nevada Arts Council fellow, is the author of five books, four works for the theater and some 100 magazine articles and essays.
“Arctic Circle,” his latest book, is a meditation on the North, inspired by his journeys to northern Alaska and Yukon on the trail of the Porcupine caribou herd. His work has appeared in Harper’s, Sierra, the San Francisco Chronicle and other publications. Reid has written three comedy revues, all of which were produced at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City. The latest, “None of the Above!,” lampoons the 2012 presidential election.
Reid received two artist fellowships in literary arts from the Nevada Arts Council and two literary artist grants from the Sierra Art Foundation. In 2009, he was honored with a Silver Pen Award from the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame. A native of Pennsylvania, Reid attended Harvard College, where he earned a degree in mathematics.
The Nevada Arts Council’s Fellowship Program recognizes outstanding individual artists living in Nevada who demonstrate excellence in their work. Fellowship grants of $5,000 are awarded each year, two each in literary, visual and performing arts. In addition to using the grant award to produce art during the fellowship year, each fellow provides a free public event relevant to his or her discipline, through readings, exhibitions, performances and master classes.
The Nevada Arts Council, a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, is the agency charged with ensuring that state and national funds support cultural activity and encourage participation in the arts throughout Nevada. In addition to providing hundreds of grants to arts- and community-based organizations, schools, artists and local municipalities throughout the state, the Nevada Arts Council coordinates a variety of statewide programs and activities such as the annual Poetry Out Loud recitation competition for high school-aged students, traveling exhibits, artist residencies, workshops and cultural assessments. For more information, please visit the department’s website at nac.nevadaculture.org.
