By Allison Peck | North Platte Post/Sandhills Post
Listen to the full interview with Holly Carlini on the Kubota Podcast Page
North Platte, Neb. - The Prairie Arts Center is gearing up for a festive December, transforming its three floors and basement into a holiday wonderland and offering a variety of seasonal events and classes for families and art enthusiasts.
The center will debut its holiday decorations this weekend as part of the Carousel of Homes tour. “Our entire building, all three floors and our basement are completely decked out. All of our artists and board members work really hard to create special themes and draw and paint out all of the decorations. So that's kind of a huge thing for us,” said Executive Director Holly Carlini.
A silent auction will also kick off this Saturday, giving visitors the chance to bid on unique items created by local artists.
Another highlight is the annual Brunch With Santa on December 6, where families can enjoy photos with Santa, crafts, and a full brunch sponsored by Gateway Realty. Carlini said tickets are selling quickly: “They fill up pretty fast. We usually sell around 100 tickets and I think we're at 80 right now. So there's only a few spots left.”
Throughout the holiday season, the Prairie Arts Center will continue offering classes in stained glass, fused glass, pottery, clay, mosaic, painting, and watercolor. “All levels welcome, beginners too,” Carlini said. Registration is available at prairieartscenter.org.
Looking ahead to 2025, the center is also preparing for the Sculpture Walk Across Nebraska (SWAN), which rotates public sculptures through the city each year. Carlini said North Platte will feature nine new sculptures next year. “We rent each sculpture for $1,000. And that $1,000 goes directly to the artist,” she said, noting that the program brings artwork from across the United States to the community.
The Prairie Arts Center’s current gallery features artwork from teachers across Nebraska as well as pieces from the Kimmel-Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. Carlini encourages the public to visit: “Just come visit us…People can always pop by and see the artists in the third floor studios as well.”