New Name – Same Mission
Join Nebraskans for the Arts for Arts and Culture Day in Lincoln, Nebraska, on February 4, 2026, with networking opportunities the evening of February 3.
Come together with artists, educators, creative district leaders, and advocates from across the state to celebrate the power of arts and culture in Nebraska. This inspiring day will feature opportunities to learn, share, and speak up for the importance of creativity in our communities.
🌟 Plus, we’ll officially kickoff Nebraska’s participation in the America 250 Celebrations, honoring 250 years of our nation’s artistic and cultural legacy!
Let’s raise our voices for the arts, celebrate our state’s creative spirit, and shape the next 250 years of cultural expression.
REGISTER HERE
(Register before January 20, 2026 to be able to get webinar link)
HOTEL:
Coming in early? We have a block of rooms on reserve at a reduced rate at the Hampton Inn (11th and O – Golds Building) $109 plus tax + Parking $12
Reservations are on a first come, first serve basis.
Hotel Block for Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026 – Reserve through Hampton Inn .
Reserve before Friday, January 9, 2026
SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, Feb. 3rd – Evening Arts Celebration
This is a time to network, informally meet elected officials, and have a great time.
Special Tour of Assemblage Gallery – 4:00 p.m.
Special Arts Funding Session:
The Hidden River of Money: Funding Creative Projects Creatively
This is an opportunity for all working artists and nonprofit leaders to have conversations about best practices with raising money and managing the finance side of funding the arts. With uncertainty with federal funding support, creative and new ways of thinking about funding will help build a new capacity of arts funding.
Reception at Saro Cider – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 4th – Arts and Culture Day at the State Capitol
Legislative Breakfast – 8:00 a.m. in State Capitol (Co-sponsored with Nebraska Cultural Endowment)
Opportunities to meet Senators, visit Art Galleries in Senate Offices. (Sponsored by LUX Center for the Arts and Nebraska Art Teachers Association)
America 250 Celebration Kick-off – 9:30 a.m.
This is a special kick-off event of the Semiquincentennial celebrations going on in Nebraska. The Nebraska Arts Council will highlight the I-80 Sculpture Garden Rededication along with a special message from Governor Jim Pillen.
General Session Featuring Jewel Rodgers, and the Auburn Creative District “The Good of the Hive” – 10:30 a.m.
The general session will highlight Jewel Rodgers, our State Poet and legislative updates by members of the NFTA Legislative Committee and NCE Lobbyist.
The featured speakers will be Leslie Clark and Matt Willey to share their experience of connecting artists in a Creative District to build community and connection.
Music at the Capitol Concert – Noon (Sponsored by Nebraska Music Education Association)
Lunch sponsored by Nebraskans for the Arts in Scottish Rite Building
Afternoon Roundtables – 1:30 p.m.
Arts Education Standards for Everyone
The Nebraska Arts Education Standards are being revised with opportunities for public input. Having a basic understanding of the standards can impact practicing artists and arts organizations as they develop community projects and grant writing. During this roundtable, we will discuss how the standards are helpful for everyone, even outside of a school setting.
The Art & Creatives All Around Us
Creativity thrives everywhere, far beyond the walls of museums and galleries. This roundtable invites participants to broaden their understanding of what counts as art and who we recognize as artists, inviting deeper engagement with both the creative voices in our communities and the creativity within ourselves.
Life-long Learning in Art
In this roundtable discussion we will discuss pathways for engaging people of all ages. We’ll explore ways that arts learning fosters creativity in young people as well as older adults, making our communities more vibrant now and in future generations.
Arts + Wellness
In this roundtable discussion we will explore the profound impact of arts in wellness. Those participating will be invited to engage in this merging of arts and wellness experientially, then discuss ways to further implement the arts as a healing tool for individuals and communities alike.
Navigating AI in the Arts
AI can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. This roundtable will focus on practical tasks like writing personalized donor letters, creating strong social media content, summarizing complex reports, and building more effective grant proposals. We will also discuss how AI may impact the artistic process.. These are real solutions for real challenges your nonprofit faces every day.
Active Advocacy and what it means for you!
Advocacy should be an ongoing endeavor and actively involving everyone. This roundtable discussion will involve sharing ideas of effective relationship building with elected officials and potential future policy development.
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BONUS WEBINAR:
Wednesday, January 21 at 4:00 p.m.
Pre-Arts and Culture Day Webinar
This one hour webinar will prepare Arts and Culture Day attendees with details about A&C Day, advocacy tips, how to set up Senator meetings, and legislative asks for this spring. A Zoom Link will be sent to people who register in the middle of January.
Co-sponsor of this event
