Lincoln Arts announced the recipients of its 2024 upstArt Arts Access Grant program. Through the program, upstArt grants are awarded to arts organizations that provide programming to under-resourced populations.

Under the guidance of Emmy Award-winning artist and educator Nancy Konrardy, young men and women at the Lancaster County Youth Detention Center through Lincoln Arts’ upsArt Arts Access programming have discovered the healing that comes with art.

Under Lincoln Arts’ upstArt Arts Access program, Daniel Martinez and his band Jarana have made waves—and music—through their epic Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) World Music Tour, especially at a recent stop at Humann Elementary.

Funded by a Creative Aging grant from the Nebraska Arts Council, Lincoln Arts’ upstArt program brought a series of mixed-media mosaic classes taught by local artist Carrie Strope to a dozen older adults at Lincoln Aging Partners.

In a partnership with Lincoln Literacy, Lincoln Arts offered five days of cultural arts activities to more than 40 Ukrainians who have relocated to Lincoln. Participants were able to get a taste of home through traditional art, music, cooking, and dancing.

Every May, the Community Service Learning Centers (CLC) of Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) recognizes individuals and organizations that enhance their programs. For 2023, CLC announced Lincoln Arts as its 2023 Community Partner of the Year!

In partnership with Ruth Davidson Hahn—founder of Lincoln’s Dance for Parkinson’s—Lincoln Arts’ upstArt is bringing dance and movement opportunities to Parkinson’s patients through a series of dance classes.

Lincoln Arts’ upstArt program brings together culture and music from across the globe for students of Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) in the LPS World Music Tour, led by Jarana band member Daniel Martinez.

As our upstArt programming expands it scope this year, climbing from 18 projects to more than 40, Lincoln Arts has extended our reach to outside partners, including Autism Family Network and Urban Legends Art Studio.

In the new year, upstArt has continued to grow, expanding our focus to include partnerships with community service providers that can utilize the power of the arts to further their missions and impacts. How? Because community engagement is a key.