Friday, August 2nd, 2019
5pm-11pm
Military Ave. & Maple St., BENSON
Join us for the 2019 New American Arts Festival on Friday, August 2nd, 2019!
This project, in its 6th year, is hosted by Lutheran Family Services and Benson First Friday, & will be a street festival in downtown Benson!

This event seeks to highlight the performance and visual arts of Omaha's refugee and immigrant communities.
Expect workshops, live music and dance performances, visual art collaborations in local galleries, and a street artist market! 

This event is completely free and will be family friendly. Gallery Spaces are throughout the neighborhood.
Stage and street galleries are on Military Ave.

Stay up to date via our event page!

Free Workshops:

5-9pm @ The Benson Community Center (6008 Maple St)

Performing Artists:

On Stage @ Maple & Military
​5-11pm
Schedule TBA
Oscar Rios
Mexican Andes Mountain Music

Umoja Choir
African Choir

Karen Youth Love Culture 
Dance group

Nepali Dancers
Dance group
D. Wuol
Sudanese Rapper

Mexican Dance Academy
Latin American Dance

DeWayne Taylor 
Emcee

​Kurdish Band
Kurdish, Turkish, and Arabic music

Fashion Show
Joslyn Fashion Arts Club Students

Featured Visual Artists & Art Displays:

New American Fashion

Joslyn Museum Fashion Students
​@ Lionsmane Vintage

Pratik Raymajhi

Nepali Artist
@ Citylight Arts Project

Zmarak Daud

Afghani Painter
On-Street Display @ Military & Maple

Jihan Ali

Iraqi Artist
On-Street Display @ Maple & Military

Ameer Kadim

Iraqi Painter
@ Hardy Coffee Co.

Anan Biswa

Nepali Artist
On-Street Display @ Military & Maple

Asaad Komi

Sudanese Artist
@ Citylight Arts Project

Kimberely Salas

Mexican Student Artist @ Yoshitomo Gallery
​

Pemba Tamang

Nepali Artist
@ Parlour 1887

Sha Htoo

Karen Visual Artist
@ Yoshitomo Gallery

Tray Soe

Karen Artist
​​On-Street Display @ Maple & Military

Jester Than

Karen Artist
On-Street Display @ Maple & Military

Featured Artisan Vendors:

Located on-street @ Maple & Military in the BFF Artist Market
​5-10pm

Nele Sudar

Bosnian wood and metal furniture

Pite Tway

Karen Food Carver

Joslyn Art Museum

Interactive Table

Inheritance Project

Interactive Improv Theatre

Siddig Babiker

Sudanese leather goods

Pratik Raymajhi

Nepali prints & textiles

Mohammad Shafiq Seddiqi

Handmade Afghan rugs

Aye Moe Khaing

Burmese Textiles

Karen Weaving

Live Artist & Demo

Farah Al Sebaie

Syrian home goods, wooden crafts, jewelry

Kamila and Nahida

Afghani Henna Artists

Afro Trends

Fashion

Paw Moo

Karen Textiles

Featured Food Vendors:

Syrian Falafels

Karen Food Tent 

Nepali Momo 

Chaima African Cuisine
​
Renear INC (gyros)

Call for day-of event volunteers!

    **Please fill out your information below!**

Still accepting artist submissions!

    ARTISTS sign up here :)

     Application deadline:  April 30th
    Notification:  Mid May 2019
    Please fill out all required fields below.
    Work Samples:   Please provide some current samples of your work.
    Max file size: 20MB
    Max file size: 20MB
    Max file size: 20MB
    Max file size: 20MB
    Max file size: 20MB
    Max file size: 20MB
    By submitting this application, and upon selection, you agree to the following:
    ● Artists will be a part of the New American Art Festival on August 3, 2018 either
    by setting up artwork in gallery spaces, selling goods in the artisan market, or
    performing.
    ● Artists will be expected to set up and take down their work, stand by their
    designs, and be willing to speak about their art to visitors of the festival.
    ● Artists will be given the opportunity to attend a professional development class
    before the event in order to prepare to showcase their artwork.
    ● Artists will have access to workshops on the night of the event.

And the 2017 New American Arts Festival...

Friday, August 4th, 2017
4pm-11pm
Military Ave. & Maple St.
Join us for the 2017 New American Arts Festival on Friday, August 4!
This project, in its 4th year, is hosted by Lutheran Family Services and Benson First Friday.

This event seeks to highlight the performance and visual arts of Omaha's refugee and immigrant communities.
There will be workshops, live music and dance performances, visual art collaborations in local galleries, and a street artist market! 

This event is completely free and will be family friendly.

5pm Displays, Vendors, and Workshops
New American Voice writers presentation @ Aromas
7pm Showing of "Seeds Of Hope" Nebraska Loves Public Schools short film @ TBD

GALLERY DISPLAYS:
Kam LL Bany (South Sudanese Photographer) @ Jake's Cigars
Nyawal Dang (South Sudanese bead hangings) @ Lion's Mane Vintage
Pratik Raymajhi (Nepali folk art) @ Edward Jones Financial Advisor: Brian C. Fitzpatrick
Anan Biswa (Nepali painter) & Cheri Hartman (Nebraska artist) @ Omaha Yoga & Bodywork Center
Koudi Arno (South Sudanese painter) @ Parlour 1887

ON STREET DISPLAYS:
Gerard Pefung (Cameroon graffiti live art) 
Noe Reh (Karenni painter) 
Zmarak Jan (Afghani painter) 
Trey Soe (Karen artist) 
Tallens Kids 
Chris Holtmeier (Nebraska photographer) 

ARTIST MARKET SPECIAL VENDORS:
Siddig Babiker (Sudanese leather maker)
Christine Ross (South Sudanese craft artist)
Pratik Raymajhi (Nepali handmade paper goods and textiles)
Bhakti and Phul (Nepali woven goods)
Farah Al Sebaie (Syrian craft art and paintings)
Malyun (Somali Scarves)

BEER GARDEN: Hosted by Jake's Cigars 
FOOD VENDOR: Renear INC.

PERFORMANCE LINEUP: 
7:00 Arabian Delight - Belly Dancing Troupe
7:30 Mexican Dance Academy
8:00 D-Wayne (beatbox)
8:30 Nepali dancers 
9:00 DB Tamang (Nepali Musician)
9:30 Oscar Rios (Music of the Andes)
10:00 Umoja Choir (Burundian Choir)

NAAF is put on WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE NEBRASKA ARTS COUNCIL AND THE NEBRASKA CULTURAL ENDOWMENT.

Artist Spotlights

Bhakti and Phul (Bhutanese vendors)

Photo Credit: Chris Holtmeier

Trey Soe (Karen refugee student artist)

Koudi Arno (South Sudanese artist)

Nyawal Dang (South Sudanese bead maker)

Zmarak Jan (Afghan student painter)

Pratik (Nepali artist and vendor)

Photo Credit: Chris Holtmeier

Siddig Babiker
​(south Sudanese refugee leather maker)

Farah Al Sebaie (Syrian artist & vendor)

Kam LL Bany (South Sudanese Photographer)

Noe Reh (Karenni Painter)

Artist Collaboration:

This year we are excited to add a new art collaboration to the festival! Our collaborative artists are Anan Biswa and Cheri Hartman. We can't wait to see the work they do together. Check out their finished pieces at the Festival August 4th!

Anan Biswa 

Cheri Hartman

FREE Workshops:

Our workshop sign ups are live!
All workshops are free and open to the public.
Only a small amount of slots available so sign up now!
Cooking Workshop
​@ Jane's Health Market
6-7pm
Aruna Thapa from Nepal will teach the art of cooking her delicious Nepali dumplings called momo. The workshop is free.
​Donations are welcome. All ingredients and tools will be provided.
Please arrive by 5:45. Class will begin at 6.
Music Workshop
​@ Reverb Lounge
6-7pm
Join Virginia Gallner as she teaches a hands on music workshop, filled with song writing and instruments.
All workshops are free. Donations Welcome.
​Please arrive at 5:45. Class begins at 6.
Movement Workshop
​@ ON STAGE (Military Ave Street Closure)
5-6pm
Dancers and Non-dancers alike are welcome to participate in a movement workshop.
The class will begin with a modern dance warmup by modern dancer, Brittany Steigner
and end with learning a Bhutanese styled dance by Bhutanese performer, Arpana Gurung.
All workshops are free. Donations welcome.
​Please arrive by 4:45. Class begins at 5. Workout attire recommended. No shoes please.

Featured Artists:

 Event/Artists Workshops
Movement Workshop
Omaha Girls Rock Music Workshop
Cooking Workshop

Galleries
Kam LL Bany
Nyawal Dang (Sudanese refugee)
Pratik Raymajhi (Nepali)
Anan Biswa (nepali) & Cheri Hartman (nebraskan)
Gerard Pefung (Cameroon)
Koudi Arno

Outdoor Galleries
Noe Reh (Kareni refugee from Burma)
Zmarak (Afghanistan)
Trey Soe (Karen refugee from Burma)
Tallens Kids
Performance Artists
Karenni Band
Dill Karki Bhutanese Dancers
Mexican Dancers
Umoja Choir
Oscar Rios 
Nebraska Loves Public Schools Film
Creative Wrtiting Group
​
Vendors
Siddig Babiker (Sudanese refugee)
Christine Ross (South Sudan)
Pratik Raymajhi
Nebraska Loves Public Schools
Bhakti and Phul (Bhutanese refugees)
Farah Al Sebaie
Malyun
THE NEBRASKA ARTS COUNCIL, A STATE AGENCY, HAS SUPPORTED THIS ARTS EVENT THROUGH ITS MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, AND THE NEBRASKA CULTURAL ENDOWMENT. VISIT www.nebraskaartscouncil.org FOR INFORMATION ON HOW THE NEBRASKA ARTS COUNCIL CAN ASSIST YOUR ORGANIZATION.
Proudly powered by Weebly