Dear Friend,
For the past 10 years our work has been, and will continue to be, about supporting local artists and building an Omaha where they can thrive. As we look toward the next 10 years, the name Omaha Creative Institute no longer supports or reflects our values, current work, or strategic goals.
Did you know we were supposed to be an arts business program within Bellevue University? That didn't happen, obviously, but the name stuck.
Since 2008 we have transformed and adapted to the needs of the artist community, beginning with Come Create It workshops, adding Artist INC in 2014, CSArt in 2016, and an Artist Grants program in 2018. We will continue to adapt and change to whatever the artist community needs us to be.
Amplify means to magnify, intensify, increase, boost.
That's exactly what we want to do. We want to take the amazing talent and energy that exists in Greater Omaha and help it grow bigger, stronger, and reach farther. Becoming Amplify Arts enables us to live that mission fully.
WHY DID WE CHANGE OUR NAME?
For the past 10 years, Omaha Creative Institute has supported the local arts community and Greater Omaha through our mission and work. In the beginning, Omaha Creative Institute was conceived as an arts business program in partnership with Bellevue University. This didn’t happen, but the name remained. (We still get calls about enrolling in classes…)
As we looked toward the next 10 years, the name Omaha Creative Institute no longer supported or reflected our values, current work, or strategic goals. After thinking long and hard about it, we realized “Omaha” didn’t quite fit because we serve artists beyond the city limits. “Creative” is a word that’s overused, and “Institute” made us appear large, stodgy, and well...institutional (which we are not!). It just didn’t make sense anymore.
WHAT DOES AMPLIFY ARTS MEAN?
Amplify Arts is a challenge to ourselves and the community to make the arts in our city stronger, louder, and more visible. We should celebrate successes, and then ask ourselves what we can do to help others succeed. We picked a strong verb on purpose; it evokes energy and motion, which is what we want and expect from our city’s arts and culture sector. The Greater Omaha area is lagging behind other cities when it comes to pushing arts and culture to the forefront. Other cities recognize that art and culture are primary avenues for progress, and take full advantage of that fact. Amplify will work to unite the sector, and use the community’s many assets as a mechanism for progress, building Greater Omaha into an arts and culture destination (not just for artists, for everyone!)
Amplifying the work of others is at the core of our mission. Local artists are making incredible work, and we want to provide a platform to showcase that work (through grant funding, public programs, and connecting them to patrons). Artists are at the heart of any strong arts and culture sector. We work hard to provide opportunities for artists to thrive as an integral part of our growing sector.
WHOSE DECISION WAS IT TO CHANGE THE NAME?
It was a joint decision between staff and the Board of Directors. We also gathered input from a variety of friends and supporters through a short brand survey.
DO THE NEW COLORS MEAN ANYTHING?
We’re glad you asked! Yes, they do.
Yellow: This is our main logo color, which denotes optimism and communication. We chose this color to act as an invitation to the community to join our network and get to know us.
Orange: We chose this color to represent our Connect program area because it denotes adventure and creativity. Choosing to connect with artists and/or your community through art is always an adventure!
Green: We chose this color to represent our Grants program area because it denotes vitality and wealth. Artists need funding to build thriving careers. Artist Grants provide an environment where that can happen.
Blue: We chose this color to represent our Progress program area because it denotes trustworthiness and solidarity. We can’t do this work on our own. Artists, Art Lovers, Industry Leaders, Changemakers, and Decisionmakers must stand together to effect the change we want to see in Greater Omaha’s arts and culture sector.
Purple: We chose this color to represent our Education program area because it denotes wisdom and devotion. Amplify’s educational programming provides artists of all disciplines the opportunity for continuous learning beyond a traditional college or university program.
HAS ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT OMAHA CREATIVE INSTITUTE CHANGE?
Not really. We’re still located at 1419 S. 13th Street in Little Bohemia, and we still have an *ample* supply of yummy snacks to share with you. In early 2019 you’ll see announcements about 2 new programs. The inaugural class of Work In Progress will start in January, and our new Patron Group will launch soon after. Our work has always been, and will continue to be, about supporting local artists and building an Omaha where they can thrive. We hope you’ll join us.
More questions? Ask away at info@amplifyarts.org