By RONDA GRAFF

McCook Arts Council

LINCOLN - The McCook Creative District is the latest community to be named a certified Nebraska Creative District and has been awarded a $10,000 Nebraska Arts Council Certification Grant. 

The Nebraska Creative District Program utilizes the arts as an economic driver to support communities in Nebraska by telling their stories and elevating the value of the arts.

The McCook Creative District officially encompasses downtown McCook between East First and West Streets, from A Street to I Streets, but McCook’s Creative District organizers know that the entire community will benefit from this designation. Future plans will include collaboration with the McCook Schools, McCook Community College, the YMCA, and local art organizations, groups and individuals.

The mission of the McCook Creative District is to cultivate a vibrant community and diverse creative economy through collaborative opportunities for artistic and cultural expression.

To achieve that mission, a top priority for McCook’s Creative District is to create a paid part-time art coordinator position, a long-term goal of the local art community.

“The late Cloyd Clark actually came up with the concept of an arts organizer 20 years ago,” according to Matt Sehnert, who helped lead the application process for McCook’s Creative District. “Yes, it has taken a while, but we are so glad to see it finally come to fruition.”

Another goal for the McCook Creative District includes creating a “48 in 48” tourism program, where visitors disembark from the Amtrak train in McCook - 48-county - and spend two days - or 48 hours - exploring the local art offerings. 

Organizers also hope to create an atmosphere of artistic expression, whether through hosting artistic events, showcasing art venues or even physically creating new areas to increase visibility of arts in McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

McCook is especially honored to receive the designation from the Nebraska Arts Council, as the late Gov. Frank Morrison of McCook established the state-wide organization while governor in the 1960s.

In 2020, the Nebraska State legislature passed a bill to create the Creative Districts

program. The program works to promote and support economic development and placemaking

opportunities in communities dedicated to growing their arts-related economic sectors.

Nebraska Creative Districts must submit a letter of interest, an Eligibility Assessment,

and a Strategic Plan as part of the approval process. Goals can include attracting artists and

creative enterprises, encouraging business and job development, establishing the district as a

tourist destination, preserving and reusing historic buildings, and promoting the district’s cultural

and historical heritage.

For more information about the Creative District program, please visit the Nebraska Arts

Council website at www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov/explore/creative-districts/ or call the office at

402-595-2122.