Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts facts for kids
| Established | 1981 |
|---|---|
| Type | Art museum Artist cooperative |
| Location |
The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts is a special art center in Omaha, Nebraska. It is located in the historic Old Market Historic District of downtown Omaha. The center helps artists from around the world. It also shows exciting art exhibitions and offers free programs for everyone to enjoy.
Contents
History of the Bemis Center
How the Bemis Center Started
The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts was founded by artists in 1981. The founding artists were Jun Kaneko, Tony Hepburn, Lorne Falke, and Ree Schonlau. They wanted to create a place where artists could live and work.
In 1984, Ree Schonlau helped get support from many groups. These included the City of Omaha and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Private groups and the Mercer family also helped. The Mercer family owned a large, empty building. This building was once the Bemis Bag Building. It was originally built for the Nave & McCord Mercantile Company.
Where the Bemis Center Has Been
The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts was first located at the Bemis Omaha Bag Company Building. This building was at 614 South 11th Street. Sadly, a big fire in 1999 caused a lot of damage to this building.
Today, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts is in a different building. It is now located in the old McCord-Brady & Co. building. You can find it at 12th Street and Leavenworth Street.
See also
- Culture in Omaha
- The Old Market
