In my many years of teaching, I’ve had the opportunity to work in many different buildings on the UNO campus.

I’ve seen a number of art installations in and around campus and I was always curious about them. And yet I never got around to asking about them.

So you can imagine how excited I was when I served on the committee to create a center for community engagement and I began to get answers as to how this art came to be.

As it turns out, some very forward-thinking state senators and campus leaders created regulations that required 1% of any building’s budget be set aside to acquire art for the building.

This funding requirement is also a way to support and encourage artists in our community.

To see the process in action first-hand with the engagement center was really exciting. When we got the funding, the advisory committee selected Ellie Archer to curate the selection of the art. Ellie – a talented artist herself – filled the building with wonderful works of Nebraskan artists. She also created a catalogue with background about each artist and their contribution.

With this free catalogue, people can do self-guided tours, turning any given building into a creative exploration on top of its many other functions. I love this.

I hope you will come and see it for yourself.

There are incredible tapestries, paintings, prints, sculptures, and so much more. For example, at the entrance to the UNMC off West Center Road you can see beautiful pieces from world-renowned artist Jun Kaneko. We hope that the art in and around our med center buildings offers hope and inspiration to all who work there and those who are working to heal.

This reminder of the importance of art in our culture and community is immeasurable.

*Barbara’s thoughts as written by Kate based on weekly (fascinating) conversations.

*Photo credit: University of Nebraska, Omaha