The $100,000 gift from UBT will make the 2022-2023 season at the Lied Center a time of unprecedented arts access for the students of Lincoln and Lancaster County, making it possible for more than 1,500 students and families to experience a world-class performance for free.

The 2022-2023 Lied Season is truly historic, including the Lincoln premiere of the international phenomenon Hamilton, the return of American Ballet Theatre to present their beloved production of Giselle, and Ajijaak on Turtle Island: Cranes in North America, a production featuring spectacular puppetry by Heather Henson and the Jim Henson Creature Shop.

This gift from The Big Give, presented by UBT, will dramatically increase arts access for students and families in Lincoln/Lancaster County, allowing them to attend these and other world class performances. These are unforgettable, potentially life-changing opportunities for young people to gain perspective and experience events that are worlds apart from their everyday realities. Seeing Hamilton, a blockbuster musical that has changed the way America looks at history and the people who shaped it, on the Lied Center stage is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Seeing the 85+ dancers of American Ballet Theatre, deemed America's National Ballet Company by an act of Congress, live on the Lied Center stage is an overwhelmingly beautiful experience. Seeing Indigenous artists tell the story of Nebraska's rich history in partnership with the world's top puppeteers can open a world of possibilities.

Imagine what these types of experiences can do for one child — then multiply that impact by 1,500. That's what $100,000 from The Big Give will accomplish, funding both tickets and transportation to these kinds of exceptional events. We believe in the power of the arts to enrich and transform lives, and this gift will remove the barriers of cost and transportation.

The Lied Center has a long history of expanding arts access to students across Nebraska, with a particular focus on underserved communities. Since its founding, over 1,000,000 Nebraska students have participated in education or performance opportunities, and for many of them it was their first time seeing a play, hearing a symphony, or even stepping inside a theater. "Education" is the first word of the Lied Center's mission statement, and giving students the opportunity to experience the joy, wonder, and inspiration of the arts is at the core of everything we do.

With this gift, the 2022-2023 season at the Lied Center will be distinctive in its access. Building on our strong community partnerships and rich history of bringing arts experiences to students from all walks of life, more students and families than ever before will have the opportunity to see the world's greatest artists perform.