2021

A Legacy of Leadership

Nebraska

A Legacy of Leadership    Being a philanthropist is easy, accessible, and fulfilling when we think about what assets we can leave for our community after we’re gone. The directors of the Nebraska Arts Council, Humanities Nebraska and Nebraska Cultural Endowment (NCE) are examples of how leaving a legacy doesn’t have to be a highly involved or sacrificial process.     Suzanne Wise, Nebraska Arts Council, Bequest  Looking back on her […]

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Legislative Update

Nebraska Arts, Civic Engagement, Community Vitality, Economic Development, Government, Humanities, Statewide

Legislative Alert: Under new legislation included in the Nebraska State Budget, the State has doubled its annual commitment to the NCE’s public matching fund, the Cultural Preservation Endowment Fund (CPEF). This arrangement allows the NCE to facilitate an increase in the CPEF’s value by $10 million by raising $10 million in matching funds through private […]

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Creative Solutions to Sustain Connection

Nebraska Arts, Civic Engagement, Culture, Education, Fine Arts, Performing Arts

Lincoln Community Playhouse has been known for their transformative programming prior to and throughout the pandemic with The Penguin Project and the Parking Lot Plays.  Prior to Covid, The Penguin Project offered participants with special needs, ages 10- to 22-years old, the opportunity to learn roles and put on plays. Participants were partnered with peer mentors and worked together on lines, staging and all aspects of learning the production.   “People […]

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Inclusion & Accessibility – Changing Lives Through Art

Nebraska Access, Arts, Community Vitality, Education, Visual Arts

Inclusivity and Accessibility have taken on a renewed importance in recent months. At the heart of the Carnegie Arts Center is the drive to make art meaningful – regardless of a family’s income, access to transportation, or any physical, mental, or developmental disabilities.   Modeling this value, the Carnegie cultivated its educational outreach by partnering with groups that serve seniors, children, and families to offer accessible art classes.  “Our educational outreach absolutely would not be possible without generous grant support,” said Kyren Conley, Executive Director. With […]

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Still Learning From Lewis and Clark Today

Nebraska

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center sits on a scenic wooded bluff overlooking the Missouri River near Nebraska City. “I have been involved with the Center since it was just a vision and dream,” said Doug Friedli, Executive Director of the Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Visitor Center. “Education is our primary mission, for students of all ages and […]

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A Legacy for Family & Community

Nebraska Access, Arts, Community Vitality, Culture, Donor Story, Humanities

Jacquelyn E. “Jackie” Rosenlof was a champion for many causes during her lifetime. She also cared deeply for her children and grandchildren, and she left a legacy of values by sharing this love of community with them. Jackie’s four children and 14 grandchildren would often visit her in Kearney. They would go to the Archway, Kearney […]

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State Budget for Cultural Endowment Doubles

Nebraska Access, Arts, Culture, Economic Development, Government, Humanities, Statewide

New legislation increases annual commitment to Nebraska Cultural Endowment   We’re honored to work with passionate Nebraskans statewide to double their impact through our nationally unique public private partnership. The State has acknowledged the effectiveness of this model and has granted NCE the ability to double our impact in Nebraska over the next decade… This […]

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NAC Secures New Funding for Creative Aging

Nebraska Access, Arts, Education, Statewide

The Nebraska Arts Council recently secured new funding from a national grant program to advance creative aging programs for older adults in Nebraska. Recognizing that older adults have many contributions to make to their communities—but that they often face ageism and isolation and have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19— The Nebraska Arts Council sought funding […]

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Locally and Statewide, the Cooper Foundation Provides Support

Arts, Culture, Donor Story, Government, Humanities, Statewide

“The Cooper Foundation was involved in the Nebraska Cultural Endowment from the very beginning,” said Victoria Grasso, President of The Cooper Foundation. “In fact, my predecessor, Art Thompson, facilitated the task force meeting back in 1998 to discuss the creation of a cultural endowment for Nebraska.” Founded in 1934, The Cooper Foundation has since granted […]

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