Carestart
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About Carestart
CarestArt serves vulnerable adult populations. The arts offer a powerful avenue for adults navigating the complexities of trauma, providing a safe and expressive space for healing. Through creative outlets like painting, music, or writing, individuals can externalize their internal struggles, allowing for a sense of control and agency, fostering self-discovery and a deeper understanding of one’s own experiences. The act of creation, regardless of skill level, can be intrinsically rewarding, offering a sense of accomplishment and a welcome distraction from intrusive thoughts, thereby fostering a renewed sense of purpose and resilience.
Engaging with the arts can also cultivate connection and community, vital components in the healing journey. Shared arts experiences create opportunities for individuals to connect with others who may have experienced similar challenges. This shared vulnerability fosters empathy and understanding, reducing feelings of isolation and promoting a sense of belonging. The arts provide a non-verbal language, allowing for communication and connection beyond the limitations of words, which can be particularly beneficial for those who struggle to articulate their struggles. This sense of experience can be incredibly validating and empowering.
Carestart by the numbers
Teaching Artists
Community Partners
Instruction Hours
Interaction Hours
Projects
Participants reached
2026 Projects
Vital Services
We work with Vital Services to produce a theatre experience for adults with developmental disabilities. For a month, mentors from Theatre Arts for Kids work with men and women at Vital Services to create and perform a musical play.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: 1 (Theatre Arts for Kids)
- Adults reached: 12
- Instruction hours: 6
- Interaction hours: 140
- Location: Vital Services
- Dates: May 2026
Voices of Hope
At Voices of Hope we work on a journaling project with sexual violence survivors with teaching artist Lindsey Weber.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Women reached: 10
- Instruction hours: 5
- Interaction hours: 60
- Location: Voices of Hope
- Date: October 2024
Creative Aging
Utilizing the Nebraska Arts Council’s Creative Aging funds, we offer art classes at a Lincoln Aging Partners site.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Adults reached: 10
- Instruction hours: 12
- Interaction hours: 180
- Location: Aging Partners East Center
- Dates: summer 2026
Beyond Prison
In support of children with an incarcerated parent, we provide an annual art and music evening for incarcerated fathers and their children at the Lancaster County Penitentiary.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Other partner: Christian Heritage Beyond Prisons
- Participants reached: 50
- Instruction hours: 2.5
- Interaction hours: 100
- Location: Lancaster County Penitentiary
- Date: September 2026
Listen Lincoln
LAC is partnering with Lincoln City Libraries, Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, and the Lincoln Youth Symphony to shine a spotlight on classical music. In this debut year, we are focusing on a Lincoln Symphony concert featuring music by Kenji Bunch, Brahms and Shostakovich. Listen Lincoln will include library talks and concerts, free concert tickets, and a collaboration with the Lincoln Youth Symphony to chronicle the paths of aspiring musicians in a short documentary.
Stand by for more information.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- People reached: 400
- Activity Hours: 20
- Interaction hours: 800
- Locations: library branches and the Lied Center
- When: Spring 2026
BRYAN HOSPITAL
Supporting patients undergoing physical rehab after a surgery or injury, we will provide weekly art therapy to assist with physical and emotional recovery. Artist Tom Meyers will visit the Bryan West campus weekly to work with patients.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- People reached: 150
- Instruction hours: 100
- Interaction hours: 500
- Location: Bryan West Hospital
- When: weekly, Aptil to December 2026
houses of hope
At THouses of Hope, a live-in facility for men recovering from addiction, we offer bi-weekly art classes for residents. These sessions complement the talk therapy and other counseling services they receive on-site.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Men reached: 80
- Instruction hours: 100
- Interaction hours: 2,500
- Location: Houses of Hope
- Dates: Bi-weekly, April to December 2026
2025 Projects
Beyond Prison
In support of children with an incarcerated parent, we provided an art and music evening for incarcerated fathers and their children at the Lancaster County Penitentiary.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Other partners: Christian Heritage Beyond Prisons
- Participants reached: 50
- Instruction hours: 2.5
- Interaction hours: 100
- Location: Lancaster County Penitentiary
- Date: September 2024
Family Art Kits
Spreetail and Lincoln Literacy Director Bryan Seck delivered mattresses and books to transitioning homeless families across Lincoln. This year, with the support of Gomez Art Supply, we added art supply kits into the mix. Nearly 100 kits delivered this year.
- Other partners: 1 (Spreetail)
- Participants reached: 200
- Location: Across Lincoln
2024 Projects
Dance for Parkinsons
We supported movement therapist Ruth Davidson Hahn to offer therapeutic movement sessions for Parkinson’s Disease patients as part of her Dance for Parkinson’s program, which she founded after receiving special training.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Adults reached: 10
- Instruction hours: 10
- Interaction hours: 100
- Location: Nebraska Ballet Theatre School
- Dates: 20 sessions throughout 2024
Voices of Hope
At Voices of Hope we worked on a journaling project with sexual violence survivors with teaching artist Lindsey Weber.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Women reached: 10
- Instruction hours: 5
- Interaction hours: 60
- Location: Voices of Hope
- Date: October 2024
Vital Services
We worked with Vital Services to reach a new demographic for us: adults with developmental disabilities. For a month, mentors from Theatre Arts for Kids worked with men and women at Vital Services to create and perform a musical play.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: 1 (Theatre Arts for Kids)
- Adults reached: 12
- Instruction hours: 6
- Interaction hours: 140
- Location: Vital Services
- Dates: May 2024
The Bridge
At The Bridge, a live-in facility for men recovering from addiction, we offered weekly water-color classes for residents. These sessions complement the talk therapy and other counseling services they receive on-site.
- Teaching Artists:
- Men reached: 80
- Instruction hours: 100
- Interaction hours: 7,800
- Location: The Bridge Behavioral Health
- Dates: Weekly throughout 2024
Creative Aging
Utilizing Nebraska Arts Council’s Creative Aging funds, we offered mosaic classes at a Lincoln Aging Partners site.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Adults reached: 10
- Instruction hours: 12
- Interaction hours: 180
- Location: Aging Partners East Center
- Dates: summer 2024
Beyond Prison
In support of children with an incarcerated parent, we provided an art and music evening for incarcerated fathers and their children at the Lancaster County Penitentiary.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Other partners: Christian Heritage Beyond Prisons
- Participants reached: 50
- Instruction hours: 2.5
- Interaction hours: 100
- Location: Lancaster County Penitentiary
- Date: September 2024
Return of the Thunderbirds
We participated in the Return of the Thunderbirds cultural celebration at the Indian Center. In May, artist Amber New Holy worked with families on a cultural pride and identity project.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other Partners: 1 (Springcreek Prairie Audubon Society)
- People reached: 400
- Activity Hours: 4
- Interaction hours: 200
- Location: Indian Center
- Date: May 16, 2024
Parenting Across Color Lines
Supporting bi-racial adoptive families and the identity struggles they face, we joined Parenting Across Color Lines to bring interactive African and Middle Eastern musical tradition demonstrations and performances to blended families.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Other partners: 1 (Nebraska Foster and Adoptive Parent Association)
- People reached: 20
- Instruction hours: 6
- Interaction hours: 120
- Location: multiple
- Dates: April/May 2024
Family Art Kits
Spreetail and Lincoln Literacy Director Bryan Seck delivered mattresses and books to transitioning homeless families across Lincoln. This year, with the support of Gomez Art Supply, we added art supply kits into the mix. Nearly 100 kits delivered this year.
- Other partners: 1 (Spreetail)
- Participants reached: 200
- Location: Across Lincoln
2024 Projects
Dance for Parkinsons
We supported movement therapist Ruth Davidson Hahn to offer therapeutic movement sessions for Parkinson’s Disease patients as part of her Dance for Parkinson’s program, which she founded after receiving special training.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Adults reached: 10
- Instruction hours: 10
- Interaction hours: 100
- Location: Nebraska Ballet Theatre School
- Dates: 20 sessions throughout 2024
Voices of Hope
At Voices of Hope we worked on a journaling project with sexual violence survivors with teaching artist Lindsey Weber.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Women reached: 10
- Instruction hours: 5
- Interaction hours: 60
- Location: Voices of Hope
- Date: October 2024
Vital Services
We worked with Vital Services to reach a new demographic for us: adults with developmental disabilities. For a month, mentors from Theatre Arts for Kids worked with men and women at Vital Services to create and perform a musical play.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: 1 (Theatre Arts for Kids)
- Adults reached: 12
- Instruction hours: 6
- Interaction hours: 140
- Location: Vital Services
- Dates: May 2024
The Bridge
At The Bridge, a live-in facility for men recovering from addiction, we offered weekly water-color classes for residents. These sessions complement the talk therapy and other counseling services they receive on-site.
- Teaching Artists:
- Men reached: 80
- Instruction hours: 100
- Interaction hours: 7,800
- Location: The Bridge Behavioral Health
- Dates: Weekly throughout 2024
Creative Aging
Utilizing Nebraska Arts Council’s Creative Aging funds, we offered mosaic classes at a Lincoln Aging Partners site.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Adults reached: 10
- Instruction hours: 12
- Interaction hours: 180
- Location: Aging Partners East Center
- Dates: summer 2024
Beyond Prison
In support of children with an incarcerated parent, we provided an art and music evening for incarcerated fathers and their children at the Lancaster County Penitentiary.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Other partners: Christian Heritage Beyond Prisons
- Participants reached: 50
- Instruction hours: 2.5
- Interaction hours: 100
- Location: Lancaster County Penitentiary
- Date: September 2024
Return of the Thunderbirds
We participated in the Return of the Thunderbirds cultural celebration at the Indian Center. In May, artist Amber New Holy worked with families on a cultural pride and identity project.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other Partners: 1 (Springcreek Prairie Audubon Society)
- People reached: 400
- Activity Hours: 4
- Interaction hours: 200
- Location: Indian Center
- Date: May 16, 2024
Parenting Across Color Lines
Supporting bi-racial adoptive families and the identity struggles they face, we joined Parenting Across Color Lines to bring interactive African and Middle Eastern musical tradition demonstrations and performances to blended families.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Other partners: 1 (Nebraska Foster and Adoptive Parent Association)
- People reached: 20
- Instruction hours: 6
- Interaction hours: 120
- Location: multiple
- Dates: April/May 2024
Family Art Kits
Spreetail and Lincoln Literacy Director Bryan Seck delivered mattresses and books to transitioning homeless families across Lincoln. This year, with the support of Gomez Art Supply, we added art supply kits into the mix. Nearly 100 kits delivered this year.
- Other partners: 1 (Spreetail)
- Participants reached: 200
- Location: Across Lincoln