The Nebraska Arts Council this month awarded 13 creative districts in the state over $1 million in grant funding.
The purpose of the funding is to support projects that will bring tourism, create job opportunities, attract youths and “revitalize Nebraska communities.”
The 13 creative districts selected were: Auburn Creative District, Falls City Creative District, Grand Island Creative District, Heartbeat Creative District in Hastings, The Bricks Creative District in Kearney, UNI Place Creative District in Lincoln, Nebraska City Creative District, Dundee Creative District in Omaha, Benson Creative District in Omaha, Valley County Creative District, Oshkosh Creative District, Ralston Hinge Creative District, Seward Creative District.
Each creative district across the state could request up to $100,000 for their projects this year. The program has $1 million to disperse each year to programs that qualify. The grant amount has lowered since previous years to be able to service more communities. Grants used to be awarded in amounts up to $250,000, but now creative districts can receive only up to $100,000, in order to share more grant funding across more districts. Some additional money is provided from sales of $5 ‘Support the Arts’ license plates.
In 2020, State Sen. Megan Hunt introduced LB943 to allow the Nebraska Arts Council authority to establish creative districts. The program got additional funding from legislation passed by former state Sens. John Stinner and Mike Flood.
“The idea behind the program is really to bring together creative people, creative businesses, and show the arts as an economic driver in communities,” said Rachel Morgan, director of the Nebraska Creative District Program.
Some of the grant money will be used for purposes like creating public art, hosting an art festival, building an amphitheater or hiring creative district coordinators.
In Falls City, leaders are planning to use the grant to partially fund the construction of the Stone Street amphitheater and park. The town has been trying to obtain funding for the construction of the amphitheater for the last three years.
Amber Holle, executive director of Falls City Chamber & Main Street, said the grant will allow the district to start on construction. The creative district is still waiting to hear back from state and federal officials on whether other grants will provide additional funding for the estimated $400,000 project. This is the initial phase of construction, which does not include sidewalk improvements, public restrooms, concessions, or storage, according to Holle.
The Stone Street amphitheater and park is expected to hold around 300 to 500 people and will be used for events such as concerts, farmers markets, plays, and yoga classes.
Construction is set to begin in July, and the creative district hopes to have part of the amphitheater completed before the holiday season so it can be used for Falls City’s Christmas parade.
The Benson Creative District in Omaha plans to use funding to create a public communications lab that will provide design education and be available for community use.
Ralston’s creative district will be using its grant funding to host its inaugural ‘Heartland Plein Air Arts Festival.’ It’s an outdoor painting festival that will bring in artists from all over the country. Morgan said this will allow people to experience Ralston and create an economic impact in the area.
Steve Barth, artistic director of Crane River Theater in Kearney, plans to use the funding for three projects: an art alleyway, expanding artistic programming and hiring an assistant district coordinator.
The art alleyway, which was inspired by communities in Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas, will bring art and programming from local artists to an unconventional place. The first big project with the creative district will be a mural near the Museum of Nebraska Art building that extends into the art alleyway. Steve Wolf will be the artist designing the mural an organization called Impact Art will paint the mural.
“We have an amazing downtown, and we have a great arts community, and so we're just utilizing those two vehicles together to even enhance [Kearney] further,” said Barth.
Recipients have two years to use the funds. They are eligible to apply again the next year, but priority goes to applicants who haven’t received funding yet.