Kidstart
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About Kidstart
Research has proven the intellectual benefit of an arts education on children. Even more important is the experience that comes from an invitation to create. Our partnerships with schools and human services organizations provide opportunities that focus on social-emotional learning, and experiences that enhance personal growth & self-esteem.
KidstArt bridges the gap for students in Title I schools with limited resources and opportunities. Students who face social and academic hurdles are provided with affirmation, becoming more likely to overcome challenges. They are given the opportunity for a more equitable life experience.
KidstArt brings enriching art to children to empower a diverse group of youth to channel their creativity, build confidence and connect with others. Greater access to arts education serves as an effective tool in closing the achievement gap.
Our model is based on multi-week residencies. Teaching artists work with children in a kaleidescope of arts genres, from visual to dance to music and poetry. Whether it be afterschool programming, summer camps, or classes with incarcerated teens, KidstArt delivers opportunity and success.
Kidstart by the numbers
Teaching Artists
School Partners
Instruction Hours
Interaction Hours
Projects
Children reached
2026 Projects
After-school clubs
We coordinate and funded 36 after-school LPS Community Learning Center (CLC) arts clubs. These are extracurricular opportunities for interested students to explore the arts in a small setting with professional artists. Subjects (chosen by the school) range from art, music, and theater, to dance, photography, and digital design. Clubs typically met weekly for two months and cover all of LPS geographically, spanning all grade levels.
- Teaching artists: 18
- Other partners: 10 (YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Malone Center, Parks and Rec, CEDARS, Civic Nebraska, Family Service, Lincoln Housing Authority, Northeast Family Center, and Willard Community Center)
- Children reached: 540
- Instruction hours: 288
- Interaction hours: 5,000
- Locations: 36 elementary, middle, and high schools
- Dates: January to December 2026
Summer Camps
In collaboration with LPS we are offering six half-day summer arts camps. Students spend mornings at the camp, and attend an LPS afternoon summer learning program after lunch. These camps are often partnerships with outside organizations such as the Audubon Center and the International Quilt Museum.
- Teaching Artists: 7
- Other partners: 6
- Children reached: 105
- Instruction hours: 140
- Interaction hours: 2,100
- Locations: School and partner sites
- Dates: June and July 2026
Lincoln City Libraries Kindermusik
Free music classes for young children and their parents were offered on Saturdays last summer after family reading time at Bennett-Martin Library, with LNK Music Studio.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: Lincoln City Libraries
- Children reached: 25
- Activity hours: 6
- Interaction hours: 125
- Location: Bennett Martin Library
- Dates: July 2026
Pathfinder
We are offering art and music instruction at the Lancaster County Youth Detention Center Pathfinder School. In total, there are three months of arts programming at Pathfinder – six weeks of art and six weeks of music. Teaching artist Daniel Martinez professionally produced songs written by the participants.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Children reached: 75
- Instruction hours: 72
- Interaction hours: 1800
- Location: Lancaster County Youth Services Detention Center
- Dates: Spring, Summer and Fall 2026
Art on the Spectrum
We are once again offering monthly art classes in collaboration with the Autism Family Network. Anna Alcalde provided art activities to children on the spectrum at Urban Legends Art Studio. During the classes parents were offered a space where they could socialize and network.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Other partners: 1 (Urban Legends Art Studio)
- Children reached: 65
- Instruction hours: 48
- Interaction hours: 1,080
- Location: Urban Legends Art Studio.
- Dates: Monthly throughout 2026
Music on the Spectrum
We offer monthly music classes in collaboration with the Autism Family Network. LNK Music Studio offered music classes at The Foundry Non-Profit Hub, home of the Lincoln Arts Council.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: 2 (The Foundry)
- Children reached: 65
- Instruction hours: 48
- Interaction hours: 1,080
- Locations: The Foundry
- Dates: Monthly throughout 2026
World Cultures Camp
In partnership with Lincoln Literacy, we are offering a week-long family summer arts camp focusing on international art and musical traditions. The wonderful artists at Urban Legends Art Studios lead the children in five days of activities.
- Teaching Artists: 10
- Other partners: 1 (Lincoln Parks and Rec)
- Children reached: 50
- Instruction hours: 12
- Interaction hours: 600
- Location: Bethany Park
- Dates: July 2026
2025 Projects
Mourning Hope
We partnered with Mourning Hope at Camp Erin, their overnight bereavement camp, to use the power of the arts to foster emotional healing and resiliency for children who have lost a loved one. The participants pulled in shared experiences to build an inspiring mosaic.
- Teaching artists: 1
- Children reached: 45
- Instruction hours: 4
- Interaction hours: 180
- Location: Mourning Hope
- When: October 2025
Summer Camps
In collaboration with LPS we again offered summer summer arts camps this year. Students spent mornings at the camp, and then after lunch are participate in an LPS afternoon summer learning program. In the photo, Muisc Studio uses learning materials from the Les Paul Foundation, who helped fund the camp.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: 1
- Children reached: 15
- Instruction hours: 15
- Interaction hours: 225
- Location: McPhee Elementary
- When: Summer 2025
Pathfinder
We offered art and music instruction at the Lancaster County Youth Detention Center Pathfinder School. In total, there were three months of arts programming at Pathfinder – six weeks of art and six weeks of music. Teaching artist Nancy Konrardy uses trauma-informed art instruction to reflect and heal, and Daniel Martinez explores student’s inner voices through song writing.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Students reached: 75
- Instruction hours: 150
- Interaction hours: 1800
- Location: Lancaster County Youth Services Detention Center
- When: Spring and Summer 2025
Lincoln City Libraries Kindermusik
Free music classes for young children and their parents were offered on Saturdays last summer after family reading time at Bennett-Martin Library, with LNK Music Studio.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: Lincoln City Libraries
- Children reached: 25
- Activity hours: 6
- Interaction hours: 125
- Location: Bennett Martin Library
- Dates: July 2025
World Cultures Camp
In partnership with Lincoln Literacy, we coordinated a week-long family summer arts camp focusing on international art and musical traditions. Anna Alcalde and her team from Urban Legends Art Studio developed 10 engaging projects, many of which the kids took home with them.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Other partners: 1 (Lincoln Parks and Rec)
- Children reached: 50
- Instruction hours: 15
- Interaction hours: 750
- Location: Bethany Park
- When: July 2025
After-school clubs
We coordinated and funded 16 after-school LPS Community Learning Center (CLC) arts clubs. These are extracurricular opportunities for interested students to explore the arts in a small setting with professional artists. Subjects (chosen by the school) range from art, music, and theater, to dance, photography, and digital design. Clubs typically met weekly for two months and cover all of LPS geographically, spanning all grade levels.
- Teaching artists: 7
- Other partners: 10 (YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Malone Center, Parks and Rec, CEDARS, Civic Nebraska, Family Service, Lincoln Housing Authority, Northeast Family Center, and Willard Community Center)
- Children reached: 200
- Instruction hours: 150
- Interaction hours: 20,000
- Locations: 16 elementary, middle, and high schools
- Dates: September 2023 to May 2024
2024 Projects
After-school clubs
We coordinated and funded 36 after-school LPS Community Learning Center (CLC) arts clubs. These are extracurricular opportunities for interested students to explore the arts in a small setting with professional artists. Subjects (chosen by the school) range from art, music, and theater, to dance, photography, and digital design. Clubs typically met weekly for two months and cover all of LPS geographically, spanning all grade levels.
- Teaching artists: 15
- Other partners: 10 (YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Malone Center, Parks and Rec, CEDARS, Civic Nebraska, Family Service, Lincoln Housing Authority, Northeast Family Center, and Willard Community Center)
- Children reached: 540
- Instruction hours: 288
- Interaction hours: 4,320
- Locations: 36 elementary, middle, and high schools
- Dates: September 2023 to May 2024
Summer Camps
In collaboration with LPS we are offered six half-day summer arts camps. Students spend mornings at the camp, are served lunch, and then bussed to an LPS afternoon summer learning program. These camps feed into performance and exhibit opportunities at the Lincoln Arts Festival.
- Teaching Artists: 7
- Other partners: 6
- Children reached: 105
- Instruction hours: 140
- Interaction hours: 2,100
- Locations: Springcreek Prairie Nature Center, UNL, International Quilt Museum, and school sites
- Dates: June 1 to July 16, 2024
LPS World Music Tour
We partnered with Daniel Martinez to present a ‘World Music Tour’ that visited 20 LPS schools. Daniel spent three days workshopping with students about indigenous and world music, and then he and Jarana perform a school-wide assembly program. We present this program at 10 schools per year.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Other partners: 2 (LPS and Jarana)
- Children reached: 3,250
- Instruction hours: 40
- Interaction hours: 3,750
- Locations: 10 LPS elementary and middle schools
- Dates: September 2023 – May 2024
Lincoln Family Day
We joined the Lincoln Family Day activities put on by the Downtown Lincoln Association. Artist and musician Nichole Hansen offers instrument-making and storytelling to youngsters of all ages.
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Children reached: 100
- Activity hours: 2.5
- Interaction hours: 250
- Location: Union Plaza
- Date: June 1, 2024
Lincoln City Libraries Kindermusik
Free music classes for young children and their parents were offered on Saturdays last summer after family reading time at Bennett-Martin Library, with LNK Music Studio.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: Lincoln City Libraries
- Children reached: 25
- Activity hours: 6
- Interaction hours: 125
- Location: Bennett Martin Library
- Dates: July 2024
Pathfinder
We offered art and music instruction at the Lancaster County Youth Detention Center Pathfinder School. In total, there are three months of arts programming at Pathfinder – six weeks of art and six weeks of music. Teaching artist Daniel Martinez professionally produced songs written by the participants.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Children reached: 75
- Instruction hours: 72
- Interaction hours: 1800
- Location: Lancaster County Youth Services Detention Center
- Dates: December 2023 – July 2024
Art on the Spectrum
We continued to offer monthly art classes in collaboration with the Autism Family Network. Anna Alcalde provided art activities to children on the spectrum at Urban Legends Art Studio. During the classes parents were offered a space where they could socialize and network.
- Teaching Artists: 3
- Other partners: 1 (Urban Legends Art Studio)
- Children reached: 65
- Instruction hours: 48
- Interaction hours: 1,080
- Location: Urban Legends Art Studio.
- Dates: Twice monthly throughout 2024
Music on the Spectrum
We continued to offer monthly music classes in collaboration with the Autism Family Network. LNK Music Studio offered music classes at The Foundry Non-Profit Hub, home of the Lincoln Arts Council.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: 2 (The Foundry)
- Children reached: 65
- Instruction hours: 48
- Interaction hours: 1,080
- Locations: The Foundry
- Dates: Twice monthly throughout 2024
World Cultures Camp
In partnership with Lincoln Literacy, we are coordinated a week-long family summer arts camp focusing on international art and musical traditions. Each continent was explored over five days in projects and activities led by teaching artists from both Lincoln and out-of-town.
- Teaching Artists: 10
- Other partners: 1 (Community Action Center)
- Children reached: 50
- Instruction hours: 2.5
- Interaction hours: 125
- Location: Community Action Center and Antelope Park
- Dates: July 15 – 19, 2024
Park Middle School
As part of a 3-year partnership with TMCO Manufacturing, located in the South Salt Creek Neighborhood, we worked with artist Tom Meyers and photographer Michael Reinmiller to work with students at Park Middle School. The projects pulled on students’ memories of the school and their neighborhood.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: 1 (LPS)
- Children reached: 75
- Instruction hours: 15
- Interaction hours: 1125
- Location: Park Middle School
- Dates: April-June 2024
Midwest Museum of African Art
We continue to loan a full set of world music percussion instruments to the Midwestern African Museum of Art for them to use in their outreach activities both on site and with their partner schools.
- Teaching Artists: 2
- Other partners: 1
- Children reached: 100
- Instruction hours: 18
- Interaction hours: 1,800
- Location: MAMA and multiple LPS schools
- Dates: Ongoing
Megaportraits
Tom Meyers worked with hundreds of CLC students at all of our 21 CLC sites to create five ‘megaportraits’ that were mosaics of over a thousand squares, each drawn in color pastel by students from across the district. The portraits are the faces of LPS students, parents, and grandparents. They were displayed at LPSDO and the Lincoln Arts Festival and are now on permanent display at Roper Elementary
- Teaching Artists: 1
- Other partners: 1 (LPS)
- Children reached: 450
- Instruction hours: 10
- Interaction hours: 4500
- Locations: Multiple schools
- Dates: November 2023 – March 2024