Director's Welcome
Greetings!
We are the creative heart of the campus with programs in art, theatre and creative writing. Certainly, all of our competitors offer classes in these disciplines, but UNO’s approach is unique in a 400-mile radius. We are the only university to combine these three arts in a single School that fosters creative cross-pollination. More important than being committed to high quality education and training, our School is dedicated to making the world a better place through deep reflection, rich artistic expression, and the celebration of the human spirit.
UNO is the only school in a 400 mile radius of Omaha that has three arts programs combined into one school.
Who We Are
With a faculty of close to 60 extraordinary artists, including makers, shapers, innovators, and scholars, UNO’s School of the Arts is the Midwest’s epicenter of artistic creation and research. We have designed, exhibited, performed and published in regional, national, and international venues, with frequent recognitions for our work. These professional accomplishments make for a faculty that is exceptionally well prepared to guide students.
What We Do
Our course of study is both rigorous and useful with an eye on the future. Each of the School’s three programs is rooted in long-standing traditions that are time-tested and span centuries, but at the upper most levels students are encouraged to innovate and find new directions that grow out of the past. There are also several fascinating options for international study that help develop student artists’ and scholars’ self-awareness in a global context. Faculty are passionate about helping each individual student be their best by finding their own unique voice and point of view.
Our Setting
Omaha is Nebraska’s largest city and an unusually vibrant artistic hub. We have more galleries, museums, theatres, and performance venues per capita than any other location in our region. These supplement students’ formal classroom training with rich cultural experiences, and many opportunities for networking, professional internships, and employment. As Nebraska’s metropolitan university we are committed making all these remarkable resources equally available to the diverse population that makes up our state and the surrounding areas.
Career Preparation
Classes in all our programs both nurture and provide the sorts of challenges that develop and stretch abilities. Faculty advisors and mentors work closely with students throughout their time in the School, helping to guide them on the road to competitive excellence. At the end of the course of study, students complete a capstone experience, which in combination with a deliberate a focus on today’s professional practices, prepares them for entry into the workforce and a range of different career paths. Not surprisingly, our students are accepted into some of the most prestigious graduate programs in the nation and secure rewarding employment in leadership positions with major arts organizations in Omaha and across the nation.
Join Us
We would love the opportunity to share the joy of what happens in our building. Feel free to drop me a line. I’ll set up a private or school tour, arrange theatre tickets, or help you sit in on a class. We are Nebraska’s best kept secret. Come find out why!
Jack Zerbe
Director, School of the Arts
jzerbe@unomaha.edu