The Union for Contemporary Art Inc.

The Union for Contemporary Art Inc. is a nonprofit organization located in North Omaha, Nebraska. It is dedicated to uniting artists and the community to inspire positive social change through the arts.

Mission and Activities

• Mission: The organization aims to serve as a vehicle for positive social change by making the arts accessible in North Omaha. It seeks to address historical disinvestment in the area and support marginalized communities.
• Activities: The Union operates as a multidisciplinary arts center, offering a range of programs including exhibitions, theater performances, youth mentoring, artist support, community gardening, and neighborhood arts initiatives. It provides a platform for local artists to develop their creative practice and engage with the community.

Programs and Facilities

• Facilities: The Union is housed in a renovated 23,000 sq. foot facility, which includes public Co-Op Studios, exhibition and performance spaces, and upgraded artist residency facilities.
• Programs:
  • Youth Mentoring: Expands opportunities for youth engagement, enhancing programs to serve more children.
  • Artist Residency: Offers studio facilities and resources for artists from traditionally marginalized communities to develop their work.
  • Community Arts: Supports various community-driven art projects, promoting North Omaha as an arts and culture district.

Recent Developments

In early 2025, a supermajority of the staff at The Union for Contemporary Art announced their intention to form a union, aligning with the organization's values of social justice and community engagement. However, the process met with resistance from management, leading to the separation of several long-serving staff members and a dispute over union recognition.

Awards and Recognition

The Union for Contemporary Art has been recognized for its contributions to the community and architectural renovations. It received the 2017 AIA State/Regional Award for its facility renovation project.

[1] https://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/the-union-for-contemporary-art [2] https://newsguild.org/a-supermajority-of-staff-at-the-union-for-contemporary-art-announces-the-union-union/ [3] https://www.artstrategies.org/the-union-for-contemporary-art/ [4] https://www.u-ca.org [5] https://www.instagram.com/theunionomaha/