A source of statewide pride: Celebrating 25 years of the Nebraska Cultural Endowment

I often meet people who have never heard of the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and as the executive director, my typical response goes something like this: The endowment is something all Nebraskans should be so proud of — it’s the only public-private endowment of its kind in the United States, it’s funded by the Nebraska Legislature in addition to private donations — and no matter where in the state you live, you’ve likely enjoyed the fruits of its resources.

After I say that, there is usually a head tilt. Tell me more…

What many Nebraskans may not know is that they have likely seen a production, gone to an exhibit or taken part in an art or cultural program that, in some part, was funded by the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. The beauty of the endowment is that its earnings fund two incredible organizations: the Nebraska Arts Council and Humanities Nebraska, and between them, the reach across the state is substantial and unmissable.

Since 1998, the State of Nebraska has committed itself to matching $20 million in private donations to the endowment — effectively doubling the impact of every gift made by citizens across our state. With that commitment, the fund has grown to over $26 million, and more than $16 million has been distributed to Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Arts Council in this time.

This year is the 25th anniversary of a partnership that no other state can claim, and we’ve chosen to celebrate the occasion by inviting the extraordinary U.S. Poet Laureate, Ada Limón, to be our featured guest on May 18 at the Holland Performing Arts Center. Ms. Limón will present her poetry and join in conversation with Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason and the 2023 Nebraska Poetry Out Loud Champion Amelia Escalante, who is a student at Bellevue West. It’s really going to be something. You can learn more about the event here.

The event is a chance to celebrate the 25 years that brought us here and rally around the tremendous potential still in front of us. Because of a visionary commitment by the State of Nebraska, we have an extraordinary opportunity to unlock up to $10 million in matching funds through 2030. That means when you donate to the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, the state will match your gift. The impact for arts and humanities in every legislative district in Nebraska will be as great as we make it.

When I travel around Nebraska, what I hear most from community leaders is a wish to keep their towns alive and vibrant, to retain their young, energetic population and to create economic growth for the future. Investing in the arts and culture of a community contributes to each of these goals.

As we enter the next quarter century, one of our objectives at the endowment is to present a clearer picture of the value that investment brings to every Nebraskan and to their beloved communities. Nebraskans can find an endowment-supported arts and humanities program near them on the Nebraska Arts Council or Humanities Nebraska websites.

The private, institutional and legislative creators of the Nebraska Cultural Endowment wanted to ensure sustainable funding for arts and culture for all citizens in Nebraska, and with the growth of the fund and the commitment by the Legislature, it continues to grow and thrive. The corpus of the fund is never touched, and its earnings are distributed to Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Arts Council yearly. Their reliable stewardship ensures that this support will reach every one of our citizens.

As we look to the next 25 years, my hope is that someday soon, every Nebraskan will know about this unique and sustainable source of beauty, knowledge, curiosity, creativity and growth, and speak of it, as I do, with great pride.