The Seward Arts Council is one of the oldest in the state, serving to cultivate the arts and local businesses in Seward.
The council partnered with the SCCDP to have part of Seward become a certified creative district in 2023, and they haven’t looked back since. They support the arts in a variety of ways by curating the Civic Center Gallery, hosting a high school art show at Red Path Gallery, organizing the Fifth Street Summer Music Series, supporting the Flatwater Film Festival and more.
Beyond these events, the council also recently created a passport for the district, with a full list of creative shops and businesses to discover. Locals and visitors alike can get these passports and collect stamps from the businesses they visit.
Through projects like the passport and the various events they organize, the Seward Arts Council’s main goal “is for economic growth for business through the arts,” President Jeanne Wiemer said.
Wiemer, who has been a part of the council for the better part of two decades, has been deeply involved in the work the council is doing. She has been curating the Civic Center Gallery for the last 12 years or so, and is the founder of Red Path Gallery and Tasting Room.
Red Path is often involved in supporting Seward arts – besides displaying artwork, the gallery also partners with Chapters Books and Gifts to host the annual Authors and Artists showcase. This event draws creators from all over the state and beyond to the courthouse lawn to display their art for sale, and happens in conjunction with Pat Coldiron’s Red White and Bloom Garden Tour.
More interested in music than visual art?
The Fifth Street Summer Music Series was created to bring more events to the Bandshell, providing free live music performances. The final event in the series will feature local country and rock band Boondox on Saturday, Aug. 2, at 5:30 p.m. Listeners can also expect to find KennaBell’s BBQ at the event.
Wiemer’s passion for the arts goes beyond organizing fun events, and she explained how impactful art can be for everyone.
“In this world of so much stress, I feel that art brings peace to people,” Wiemer said. “It brings out their creativity. So it taps into a different part of us that we, in a busy society, don’t usually take the time to tap into.”
To make sure the arts are accessible to everyone, the council offers scholarships to young artists and musicians through the Seward County Youth Music and Art Scholarship Fund. This funding helps cover the cost of art and music lessons, removing financial barriers that might get in the way of a young artist developing their skills.
During Seward County Gives 2025, the council’s main goal was to raise money for this scholarship fund. More than $1,000 was raised, and donations are still being accepted. To donate or learn more about the scholarship, visit the council’s Facebook page at facebook.com/sewardartscouncil/.
