Nivia Bejarano is an artist, curator, entrepreneur, and founder of Arts After Dark, one of Las Vegas’ largest independently operated community art centers. Born in the Bronx, New York, Nivia overcame a childhood in the foster care system, homelessness as a teenager, and the challenges of growing up with a mother battling addiction. Rather than allowing those experiences to define her, she transformed them into a mission centered on creativity, community, and opportunity. Before founding Arts After Dark, she exhibited at Art Basel Miami for six consecutive years, showed with organizations including Conception Arts and Superfine Art Fair, and built a career creating exhibitions and supporting artists across the country.
Today, Nivia leads a 6,600-square-foot creative community that has showcased more than 1,000 artists in just over a year while providing exhibitions, free studio opportunities, youth programs, wellness initiatives, and educational workshops. Known for her belief that community is stronger than competition, she has built a space where artists are empowered to create, teach, and grow without unnecessary barriers. Her mission is simple: to build the kind of place she wished had existed when she was growing up—a place where creativity becomes a pathway to healing, purpose, and belonging.