TRVNSCENDENCE (pronounced transcendence), Reno’s newest recurring community pop-up event promoting art and expression, took over ‘The Virgil’ on Sept. 13. With pinned bugs, glass sculptures and EDM beats, attendees celebrated Reno’s diverse art scene and raised money for Healing Hertz, a suicide prevention initiative for Hopes Clinic.
Doors opened at 7 p.m., but local artists had already spent hours transforming the wedding venue into a vibrant art space.
Alchemical shell necklaces glowed by the DJ stand, pinned butterflies filled an entire room and ‘Misery Glass’ eyeballs gazed at risque acrylic paintings along the far wall.
Lucero Martinez and Brandon “Lobo” Dabu, dancers at the event, took over the flow stages as DJ IRON E kicked off the event with a mix of EDM and techno.
Guests who had been able to attend TRVNSCENDENCE earlier this year commented how much it had grown in such a short time. Going from an event with two stalls and only a few performers throughout the night, to an event with rotating artists and DJs every hour, was seen as a massive success by attendees.
“More people need a sense of adventure…a willingness to explore their community,” said Stephen Di, a retired New Yorker who’d been drawn in by the music and authenticity of the artists.
Di’s desire to explore the community was shared by many in attendance, and is exactly what Liana Viveros, founder and organizer of TRVNSCENDECE, hopes can lead to the event expanding even further.
“The message [of TRVNSCENDENCE] is to see ‘more,’” Viveros said. “Love and community is what’s needed to grow.”
Almost all of TRVNSCENDENCE’s attendees came via word of mouth, Instagram advertisement from artists or were drawn in by the sights and sounds from the street. The community is growing, and that’s an exciting prospect for the people of Reno.
Mark Henry, a longtime resident of Reno, showed up to support his daughter and to support the scene and people who had helped her find what she loves. He expressed a desire for events like TRVNSCENDENCE to become a more regular occurrence for Reno.
Future plans for TRVNSCENDENCE are planned for early 2025. Viveros has talked about having goals of moving beyond the limited space of The Virgil into a more unique setting, and even into other cities one day.
Nick Stewart/Nevada Sagebrush
As the night wore on, more guests found their way into The Virgil. By the end of the night, it was clear this TRVNSCENDENCE had succeeded in growing the community more than the events before it. The elevation of art and open expression brought people together even as the night dragged on, with every artist, performer and DJ expressing joy and excitement at being able to share their craft with such an enthusiastic crowd.
TRVNSCENDENCE is proof that Reno’s art scene is thriving, while still having a lot of space to continue growing. With the first year of TRVNSCENDENCE completed as a smashing hit, 2025 already looks to be an exciting time for the arts in Reno.
Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. Sterling Moore is a student at the University of Nevada studying journalism. He can be reached at emilyhess@sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @emilyghess3.
