About

About

Inspired by the legacy of Nebraska artist Emery Blagdon and his Healing Machine; Dine/Navajo painter and storyteller Shonto Begay; and the phenomenal artists of Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland, California, in 2021 we activated the 6^th Floor of the historic Keystone building to boost contemporary art and culture in McCook’s region and revitalize empty spaces in McCook’s downtown. We left the space raw and deconstructed and let art lead the way. Matthew Hansen, a founder of Flatwater Free Press, visited not long after 6^th Floor’s launch and called it “quite possibly the coolest art space in all of Nebraska.”

In the summer of 2023, national magazine Travel and Leisure celebrated McCook among America’s Best Small Towns in 2023 and highlighted the 6^th Floor: “Perhaps the most striking offering in McCook is the 6^th Floor Project, a purposeful gallery nestled on the top floor of the Keystone Business Center and offering a rare birds-eye view of town. This innovative effort seeks to elevate the art of under-appreciated creators from across the globe while reinvigorating rural Nebraska.”

One beautiful thing inspires another. On October 14, 2023, we opened a new space, ArtBank, bringing a 17,000 square foot landmark building, empty for four years, back into community use. It houses a permanent collection of contemporary art, including one of the most important bodies of work in Nebraska art history, John Thein’s breathtaking Painted Spirit series on Wounded Knee; decades of work by celebrated Kansas artist Robert Blunk; and many works by Creative Growth’s world-leading artists. More than twenty artists exhibited at ArtBank and on 6^th Floor are in major museum collections, including Judith Scott (2017 Venice Biennale), Dan Miller (2017 Venice Biennale), Emery Blagdon, Hawkins Bolden, Steve Joy, Susan Janow, Shonto Begay, William Scott, Vivian Maier, Donald Mitchell, Joseph Alef, Dwight Mackintosh, Liz Hernandez, and more.

6^th Floor Project—ArtBank now operates in two buildings. We host youth art programs, artist-led exhibits, artists-in-residence, cultural events, music performances, workshops, community gatherings, and more. All at no cost to the public. In the past year, we welcomed more than 1,750 visitors from 26 states. This past summer we offered 39 hours of youth classes across 27 sessions, reaching more than 40 young artists. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, 6^th Floor Project, EIN 92-0253630, able to accept tax-deductible donations and grants to carry these projects forward to benefit Southwest Nebraska, hopefully long into the future, past our lifetimes. We hope you’ll come visit, and we appreciate your support!

Joann Falkenburg and Chad Graff, Founders

Board of Directors:

Chad Graff, McCook, Founder, Board President
Lucas Kotschwar, McCook, Artist, Vice President/Treasurer
Missy Nelson, McCook, Businessperson, Vice President/Secretary
Trish Bergren, Clarinda, Iowa, Executive Director, Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum
Christopher Prinz, Omaha, Artist
Adam Roberts, Omaha, Artist and Producer
Donna Santman, New York City, Middle School Librarian

Advisory Council:

Joann Falkenburg, McCook, Founder
Enei Begaye, Fairbanks, Alaska, Founder, Black Mesa Water Coalition, daughter of Shonto Begay
Linda Clark, McCook, Retired Teacher
Eli Cooper, Berkeley, CA, Artist, Creative Growth Art Center
Jennifer Cooper, Berkeley, CA, Past Board President, Creative Growth Art Center
Tom di Maria, Oakland, CA, Director Emeritus, Creative Growth Art Center
Jennifer Golub, Inverness, CA, Producer
Deb Goodenberger, McCook, Artist and Art Teacher
Jeanne Jaroch, Omaha, Gallery Director, spouse of John Thein
Steve Joy, Omaha, Artist
Thomas Prinz, Omaha, Artist, Founder of Maple St. Construct
Randy Stramel, McCook, Retired Architect
Nancy Williams, Omaha, Founder, No More Empty Pots

6^th Floor Project is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in McCook Donations are tax-deductible and may be made to: 6^th Floor Project, 402 Norris Avenue, Suite 600, McCook, Nebraska 69001.