Cultivate a Love for the Arts in Kearney, NE

Impact Art

With only 34,000 residents, Kearney has a small-town charm that locals love. But one thing that often takes visitors by surprise is its vibrant arts scene – diverse and encompassing multiple forms of art, it’s akin to something you’d expect to find in a much larger city. Whether it’s the numerous murals that grace the walls of the city’s buildings, a series of sculptures in a park or the newly renovated Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA), there are plenty of ways to experience and connect with the arts in Kearney.

Making a Difference 

Ten years ago, art teacher Derek Rusher (now president and CEO of the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce) was asked to paint a mural depicting the Lincoln Highway on the wall of a downtown building. Rusher agreed and recruited an artist volunteering in his classroom, Josh Arias, and his sister, Katherine, to help. The trio tackled the project, learning about the ins and outs of mural painting along the way. 

“We learned a lot about processes and things like that. What I love is that it’s really part of our journey,” Rusher says. “What we are trying to accomplish is creating positive public art that makes an impact on the community. It wasn’t about money, it was about making an impact on young artists, mentoring them, and it’s a way for us to contribute to the communities that are looking to beautify and revitalize old buildings.” 

Kirstina Kouma

They named their business Impact Art, registered it as a nonprofit and continue to create today. Impact Art has created nearly two dozen murals representing scenes from Nebraska life in the Kearney region. They’ve even started beautifying local electrical boxes. Rusher’s favorite thing about creating murals is it encourages the community to be active participants. It’s not like viewing a finished piece of art in a museum, rather it engages people in a different way. 

Outdoor Art 

Yanney Heritage Park is the city’s hub for outdoor recreation. Among its many attractions is a 12-acre botanical garden that’s peppered with sculptures from international artists. 

“E.K. and Mary Yanney’s son, Mike, always wanted to establish a garden in the park, and part of his vision was to not only include flowers, but public art,” Eric Hellriegel, Kearney’s director of parks, says of Michael Yanney, a longtime Kearney business executive and philanthropist. The park, which opened in 1998, is named after his parents. 

“Mike has a long-held appreciation of artwork, and each of the art pieces has its own story. Mike wanted people to enjoy not only the natural beauty of the gardens, but for people to have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the art pieces themselves,” Hellriegel says. 

Among the artwork are sculptures from Nebraska-based artists Jun Kaneko and Matthew Placzek, and Washington state-based artist Dale Chihuly. Some feature poppies, butterflies and sandhill cranes, while others are more abstract, featuring ladders, arcs or columns. 

Hellriegel enjoys that the gardens and sculptures can be experienced any time of day with no fee, unlike many other art installations. It has become a place of respite for the community, but especially those at the neighboring hospital. 

Courtesy of the Museum of Nebraska Art

Museum Renovation 

The Museum of Nebraska Art is dedicated to collecting, preserving and exhibiting the art of Nebraska artists. The MONA, Nebraska’s only state art museum, is in the midst of a huge expansion and renovation that will be completed in early 2025. 

The addition will allow people to immerse themselves in the arts. “We’re focused on lifting up the arts community in the current realm,” says Andrew Dunehoo, MONA’s executive director. “When we reopen, the expanded spaces will feature more contemporary, working artists, but we will also have better collection storage, event space, more exhibition space, and a world-class community space.”