Connecting community through the arts.
Founded in 2022, we received federal 501(c)(3) recognition in June 2024.
Great Plains Emerging Arts Project, Inc. brings people together through art, culture, and shared experiences in Lawrence, Kansas.
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We celebrate original creative work, help people discover local arts, and advance the vision for a civic amphitheater at Sesquicentennial Point Park.
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Our work takes shape through three connected efforts: the Great Plains Festival, a community gathering featuring art, makers, food, and music; The Point Amphitheater initiative, a vision for a lasting place for performances and gatherings; and Great Plains Art Connect, now in development, extending those connections through media and storytelling.
A community gathering. A lasting vision.
Our story began with a desire to bring more people to The Point and build momentum around a long-standing amphitheater vision.
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The festival makes that vision tangible—a place where people can gather, experience local creativity, and imagine what comes next. We are building the relationships, leadership, and financial support to carry that work forward.
Our leadership
Tom Pfeiler
Founder & President
Tom Pfeiler is a Lawrence-based community arts organizer, event producer, and creative entrepreneur with decades of experience bringing artists, musicians, and audiences together. He helped establish an early arts venue at the historic Icehouse at 920 Delaware in East Lawrence and later operated a three-floor entertainment venue at 500 Locust the Original Post Office in North Lawrence. Across those spaces and others, he produced more than 200 art and live music events and provided rehearsal space for local bands. He also published Phoenix Magazine, Lawrence’s first full-color, glossy magazine that focused on Nightlife and Entertainment.
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Tom also works as a video producer, content creator, and graphic designer, helping businesses and organizations develop their brands and share their work through websites, video, and social media. He produces Great Plains Art Connect, the non-profits live-streaming and video focused show to promote local art and culture.
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He founded Great Plains Emerging Arts Project to celebrate the arts throughout the Great Plains and connect the community with the places and creative talent that make the region special. As president, he leads the Great Plains Art, Food & Maker Festival and the Lawrence Civic Amphitheater Project at Sesquicentennial Point Park, advancing a vision for a regional arts celebration and a lasting public venue for concerts, performances, and community gatherings.
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Tom is also a licensed social worker and community organizer 20 years of experience in healthcare.