Our Work
Public Domain. Credit: wikivoyage.org
Rooted in Lawrence. Looking across the Great Plains.
We believe Lawrence is the artistic heart of the Great Plains Region.
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Our work brings artists, makers, musicians, audiences, and community organizations together around shared experiences.
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We support the arts in all their forms and the people and places that make them possible.
Five Years of Arts in Action
Over the past five years, Great Plains Emerging Arts Project has turned a belief in the power of the arts into tangible work: paying musicians, helping artists and vendors sell their work, creating a festival at Sesquicentennial Point Park, and advancing a vision for arts and culture in Lawrence.
Paid Bands and Supported Live Music
Across five years of festival programming, we have paid many bands to perform, creating paid opportunities for musicians and bringing live music to our community. Supporting live music means investing in the people who create it.
Helped Artists and Vendors Sell Their Work
We have helped many vendors connect with festival audiences and sell their work. Our marketplace gives artists and makers a place to share original art and handmade goods, meet customers, and participate in a larger arts community.
Created a Festival at The Point
We created and produced the Great Plains Art, Food & Maker Festival at Sesquicentennial Point Park in Lawrence, bringing together musicians, artists, makers, food vendors, community organizations, and attendees. Building a festival in this new location has created a setting for art, live music, and community celebration.
Moved the Amphitheater Vision into City Planning
The Point Amphitheater project is included in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), placing the vision for a lasting arts venue within the city’s planning process. This is a milestone toward a permanent home for performances and community gatherings.
Built a Nonprofit Foundation for the Work
We established Great Plains Emerging Arts Project, Inc. and received federal 501(c)(3) recognition in June 2024. That foundation supports the ongoing work of bringing artists, musicians, vendors, volunteers, and community partners together.
Five Years of Arts in Action
Over the past five years, Great Plains Emerging Arts Project has turned a belief in the power of the arts into tangible work: paying musicians, helping artists and vendors sell their work, creating a festival at Sesquicentennial Point Park, and advancing a vision for arts and culture in Lawrence.
Paid Bands and Supported Live Music
Across five years of festival programming, we have paid many bands to perform, creating paid opportunities for musicians and bringing live music to our community. Supporting live music means investing in the people who create it.
Helped Artists and Vendors Sell Their Work
We have helped many vendors connect with festival audiences and sell their work. Our marketplace gives artists and makers a place to share original art and handmade goods, meet customers, and participate in a larger arts community.
Created a Festival at The Point
We created and produced the Great Plains Art, Food & Maker Festival at Sesquicentennial Point Park in Lawrence, bringing together musicians, artists, makers, food vendors, community organizations, and attendees. Building a festival in this new location has created a setting for art, live music, and community celebration.
Moved the Amphitheater Vision into City Planning
The Point Amphitheater project is included in the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), placing the vision for a lasting arts venue within the city’s planning process. This is a milestone toward a permanent home for performances and community gatherings.
Built a Nonprofit Foundation for the Work
We established Great Plains Emerging Arts Project, Inc. and received federal 501(c)(3) recognition in June 2024. That foundation supports the ongoing work of bringing artists, musicians, vendors, volunteers, and community partners together.
Help this work continue throughout the year.
Monthly gifts provide dependable support for planning, organizing, and carrying our mission forward. Consider $25 a month, start with $5, or choose an amount that works for you. One-time gifts are welcome, too.
Monthly gifts support the staff of the nonprofit so they can operate Great Plains Art Connect, prepare the festival, and carry out fundraising drives.