Nebraskans for the Arts (NFTA) is a nonprofit advocacy organization committed to advancing programs and policies that further Nebraska’s arts education and $2.9 billion arts and culture sectors. Based in Omaha, NE, Nebraskans for the Arts has a track-record of successfully advocating for pro-arts legislation and creating engaging programs that serve to celebrate the arts and drive grassroots advocacy efforts. The organization is a longstanding partner of Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and Americans for the Arts. Nebraskans for the Arts seeks an experienced, forward-thi ..read more

The Nebraska Arts Council (NAC) is seeking a Deputy Director to help lead a vibrant, proactive and resourceful statewide agency that has extensive grant programs, a portfolio of pioneering initiatives and a national reputation for outstanding service to the field of arts administration. About the Nebraska Arts Council: The Nebraska Arts Council is an independent agency of the State of Nebraska located in the heart of downtown Omaha. Its mission is to promote, cultivate and sustain the arts for the people of Nebraska. In doing so, the NAC provides grants and services to artists, organization ..read more

On March 7th, 2023 the Nebraska Arts Council chose Mike Markey to lead the agency as the new Executive Director. He will immediately take over the position that has been vacant since January, after the retirement of former executive director, Suzanne Wise. Markey, the seventh executive director of the Arts Council, began working with the Arts Council in 2009 as the arts industry manager. Markey also served as grants manger in 2013, deputy director in 2015, and has been serving as interim director since January. Prior to working with the Arts Council, Markey served as the managing director of t ..read more

The board and staff of the Nebraska Cultural Endowment joins the entire arts and humanities community in Nebraska in mourning the loss of Pam Snow.  Pam was the Executive Director of the Cultural Endowment from 2006-2014 and her impact on our organization and the cultural vitality of Nebraska is immeasurable. Please join us in sending our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends. Her memorial Service is Saturday, September 24th at 10:00 a.m.  at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 6001 A Street. Condolences online at Roperandsons.com. Her obituary is as follows: Pamela Hil ..read more

My mother taught me that arts education is not about training someone to be a professional artist or a musician, it’s about helping young people succeed by developing their creativity.” Suzanne Wise, Nebraska Arts Council Director 2000-2022   The Suzanne Wise Arts Education Fund was created to honor the long-time director of the Nebraska Arts Council, whose interest in arts education stemmed from her mother, a middle school art teacher in the Lincoln Public Schools. Thanks to Suzanne’s vision and dedication, the Nebraska Arts Council is an active partner in lifelong learning for all Nebr ..read more

Nebraska’s State Poet, Matt Mason, has been named as a 2022 Poet Laureate Fellow by The Academy of American Poets.  Mason is one of 22 Poet Laureate Fellows named in this years announcement. Mason, in collaboration with Humanities Nebraska, will create the Nebraska Poetry Pen Pal Program. The program will bring poetry and poets into rural communities across Nebraska. County schools, reservations, libraries and correctional facilities, among others, will be served by the project whose intention is to showcase poetry in a way that it stirs interest and excitement about the art form. On his ..read more

For as long as Nicole Benegas, Executive Director of Bluebird Cultural Initiative, can remember, her father, Steve Tamayo, has been involved in cultural work. As a member of the Sicangu Lakota tribe, Tamayo established a school at Standing Rock, protested the pipelines, and was appointed Native cultural expert with the Smithsonian Museum. Tamayo is the only Native Cultural Educator that focuses on the teachings of the 16 Great Plains Tribes of Nebraska, South and North Dakota and the 36 Midwest Region of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan.  In 2016 Tamayo started the Bluebird Cultur ..read more

Margaret Hornady David’s love for the arts began early on in kindergarten when her teacher played “Peter and the Wolf” and led the class through the story. To this day Margaret clearly remembers it. In high school at Grand Island Senior High, she describes herself as being a theater nerd. In college, her love grew after she enrolled in several art history classes. From 1962 to 1968 Margaret became heavily involved in the Grand Island Little Theater. She would sew costumes, paint sets, act and even run the box office out of her kitchen with little children hanging onto her skirt. Margaret moved ..read more

Dance for Parkinson’s Brings Joy and Healing Nine years ago, in a revelatory moment, Ruth Davidson Hahn, saw a local highway billboard that caught her attention. It read, “Nebraska has the highest rate of Parkinson’s disease per capita in the world.” Ruth knew from her many years of the dance life – professional training starting at age nine in New York City followed by a long career as a dancer - that her art could help those who could no longer move easily. A year later, Hahn, who has shared the stage with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Yo Yo Ma, introduced Dance for Parkinson’s to Lincoln – a prog ..read more

  The Board of Directors for Nebraska Cultural Endowment is excited to welcome Maggie Smith as NCE’s new Executive Director. Maggie most recently served as Director of Operations at KANEKO, where she co-lead fundraising and development strategy, while overseeing marketing, communications, programming and operations. Prior to joining KANEKO in 2019, Smith taught college writing courses while working in innovative product and program management at Yahoo! In addition to her tech industry experience, Smith also co-founded a nonprofit in Dublin, Ireland, focused on creativity and writing. She ..read more