Arts, history take center stage

HARTINGTON – Hartington ended 2023 by having an area of the city designated as a place for promoting cultural enrichment and artistic vitality.

The Cedar County seat community was recognized in December by the Nebraska Arts Council as being an officially certified Nebraska Creative District and awarded a $10,000 certification grant.

The Hartington Creative District encompasses a twoby- six-block area of the city’s downtown, which also is designated as a nationally registered Downtown Historic District.

“The goal for the Hartington Creative District is to encourage and embrace the arts as well as improve and beautify the district itself,” said Miranda Becker, the Hartington Economic Development coordinator and Creative District administrator.

She noted another goal of the Hartington Creative District is to encourage tourism, support local businesses, promote new businesses and motivate people to consider Hartington as a place to live, visit, shop, vacation and so much more.

The Arts Council’s Creative Districts Program utilizes the arts as an economic driver to support communities by telling their stories and elevating the value of the arts.

Nebraska Creative Districts are described by the Arts Council as “designated cultural and economic areas where innovation flourishes and neighborhoods come together in the name of art.”

“It opens us up for additional funding through the Arts Council,” Becker said of the Hartington Creative District. “It also opens the city itself up for funding that is only available to communities that have the Creative District.”

This funding would help the city promote art and cultural events in downtown Hartington – “anything to beautify the downtown,” she said, giving the example of painted murals.

“It can be a lot of things,” Becker said. “There’s a wide range of things that they do support. It really comes down to what a community individually is looking to do.”

Goals for Nebraska Creative Districts can include attracting artists and creative enterprises; encouraging business and job development; establishing the district as a tourist destination; preserving historic buildings; and promoting the cultural and historical heritage.

“We just have a variety of ideas of things we’re working on,” Becker said. “We’re just getting things really organized and going right now. We’re getting a committee pulled together. It’s a work in progress at this point.”

According to the Arts Council, the Hartington Creative District’s mission is “to celebrate community and grow vibrancy as a regional hub by preserving the rich history, and encouraging creative industry. This district is a welcoming downtown area for local residents and tourists that attracts entrepreneurs and is infused with its history, arts and entertainment.”

The Arts Council’s website also lists the following description for the Hartington Creative District: “Nestled in the rolling hills of northeast Nebraska, Hartington reflects all the charm of a small town embracing an innovative future. An atmosphere of vintage modern shines through this town founded in 1883. The modern twists on vintage elements bring a strong sense of American pride and indelible faith brought by the original settlers of the area. The nationally registered Downtown Historic District delights visitors with legends and lore, entwined within the hand molded brick architecture.”

In 2020, the Legislature passed a bill to create the Creative Districts Program, which works to promote and support economic development and placemaking opportunities in communities dedicated to growing their arts-related economic sectors.

Creative Districts – of which there are 24 currently – must submit a letter of interest, an eligibility assessment and a strategic plan as part of the approval process.

“It’s a pretty lengthy and intense process to get the application approved,” Becker said. “It probably took us about nine, 10 months to apply for it. It was really a collaborative effort to get the designation between many people and organizations.”

For more on the Hartington Creative District or to provide public input, contact Becker at 402-254-6357 or devcoor@hartel.net.