KANEKO

KANEKO is a 501(c)(3) arts and culture non-profit organization dedicated to providing life-changing, creative experiences and multifaceted educational opportunities for the greater Omaha–Council Bluffs Metropolitan. 

Creativity begins with an idea – seeing things differently. The KANEKO mission is to initiate, explore, support and promote creativity by providing opportunities to think differently, to develop innovative ideas and projects, and to share the creative process with others.

For sixteen years KANEKO has incubated new ideas and identified emerging innovations in wide-ranging fields, facilitating local community engagement, public discourse, and an extensive array of learning opportunities. Our exhibitions, programs, partnerships and collaborations thrive in an inclusive interdisciplinary cultural ecosystem where the power of imagination and diversity of ideas potentially generate cultural change, playing a vital role in our rapidly changing world. We believe the transformative power of creativity is a crucial catalyst for the evolution of individual and civic life.

KANEKO aims to share with people of all ages and in all places the innovative ideas, exhibitions, programs and projects created in our “Open Space for the Mind.” KANEKO serves as an incubator for our community by providing learning opportunities that foster creativity and encourage collaborative interdisciplinary projects for people of all ages. KANEKO’s programming is often unconventional and exposes community members to varied perspectives, aims to inspire attendees to develop their own creative abilities, and provides opportunities to apply what has been learned. Exhibition programming includes artist’s talks and teacher workshops, youth activities, school and public tours.

KANEKO balances a mixture of local/national and recognized/under-recognized artists within the space. Furthermore, KANEKO recruits artists of varied backgrounds and perspectives to help produce culturally competent and emotionally intelligent programming and exhibitions. KANEKO exhibitions also enhance artist exposure. KANEKO invests in artists, paying them for their time creating new work for exhibitions and time involved in program development and implementation. KANEKO challenges the status quo, values innovation, and offers opportunity to find "open space" in thought and perspectives. 

KANEKO will house the work of John Clement from August 2024 to December 2024. Clement’s vision for his KANEKO exhibition is to “bring the outside, inside,” creating a living, growing ecosystem inside KANEKO as he installs his metal sculptures on site and curates hospitable environments for plants within and around his pieces. More information to come.