If you have been meaning to see Camelot at UNLV, today is the day, and there is no second day. The special exhibition at the Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery closes today, Thursday, November 5, and the gallery's Thursday hours end at 5 p.m. After that, a show built by 26 artists to honor 37 years of service comes down for good.
The quick facts are simple, and they are what make this one worth a trip across town on a weekday:
- What: Camelot, a special exhibition celebrating Jerry Schefcik
- Where: Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery, Room 145, Alta Ham Fine Arts Building, UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy.
- When: Final day today, Thursday, November 5, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Cost: Free, and open to the public
A Tribute Built on Nearly 1,000 Camels
Most tribute exhibitions start with a portrait or a plaque. This one started with a collection. Schefcik, the gallery's former director, is known for a personal collection of camel figurines numbering close to a thousand, and the gallery turned that beloved quirk into the theme for its feature exhibition of the 2026-27 season.
The call for art, issued August 21, put no restrictions on medium or size. Artists were invited to respond to the theme in whatever manner they chose, through humor, memory, symbolism, representation, imagination, or personal interpretation. That open brief is the fresh insight in the room: because nobody had to paint a camel the same way, the show reads less like a theme park and more like 26 different answers to one affectionate question about a man and the community he built over 37 years.
Schefcik himself is one of the participating artists, alongside Suzanne Acosta, Erik Beehn, Diane Bush, Alina Lindquist, Andrés Rave, Emily Sarten, Shahab Zargari, and 18 others. The Art Walk reception on October 23 featured speakers Sean Clark and Schefcik, followed by a 10-minute silent dance performance.
26 Works, and One of Them Stays Forever
The 26 works respond through representation, memory, symbolism, humor, and personal connection, so give yourself time to read the room slowly rather than scanning for the most literal camel. Look first for the pieces using the camel as a symbol, then for the ones using it as a joke, and then for the ones using it as a memory. That order turns a small gallery visit into a real conversation about how a workplace becomes a community.
Here is the detail most visitors miss: one work from this show is not going home. A $1,000 purchase prize goes to a single work, and that work joins the gallery's permanent collection. So today's final viewing is also a last look at the full field before one piece becomes part of UNLV's lasting record of Schefcik's era. If you go, pick your own winner before you leave, and see whether the gallery's choice matches yours.
How to Catch It Before 5 p.m. Today
Getting there is easy, but the clock is the whole story today, so plan it in three steps:
- Go this morning or early afternoon. Thursday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Do not save it for after work, because 5 p.m. is the close, not a suggestion.
- Head for the Alta Ham Fine Arts Building. The gallery is in Room 145 at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy. Admission is free, and the gallery lists Daniel Ogletree as the contact at 702-895-3893 if you need directions on the day.
- Bring someone who knew the old UNLV arts scene. This is a community tribute as much as an exhibition, and the stories attached to Schefcik's 37 years are half the value in the room.
Las Vegas says goodbye to shows all the time, but it rarely says it this personally. A free gallery, 26 artists, nearly 1,000 camels behind the idea, and one afternoon left: that is a goodbye worth showing up for.
