KANEKO and Big Omaha: Why the venue helps make the conference

Over the course of the last five years, the success of Big Omaha has stemmed from many sources, however the space is one of the most crucial elements. From the very beginning, we understood the need for the spirit of Big Omaha to be embodied in its surroundings …

Over the course of the last five years, the success of Big Omaha has stemmed from many sources, however the space is one of the most crucial elements.

From the very beginning, we understood the need for the spirit of Big Omaha to be embodied in its surroundings.

So in 2008, when the team first stepped inside KANEKO, a former dairy processing plant turned art gallery south of the Old Market, it took little time to decide it was the perfect environment for the event we wanted to create: one that would inspire us and the community to think differently about what’s possible.

Every city has countless conference rooms, ballrooms and oversized halls. Not every city has a gem with soaring ceilings, beautiful artwork and flexible space like KANEKO. For that reason, the decision to create an event unique to Omaha, from within the walls of a facility like KANEKO, wasn’t hard to make.

Its location also has shaped an important part of Big Omaha. With top-notch restaurants, bars and our after-party venues nearby, KANEKO has allowed Big Omaha to be a great walkable event. It’s a thing of beauty to see 700 energized attendees pour out of the venue.

KANEKO is one of our city’s amazing nonprofit cultural organizations, where the intersection of creative processes and the impact to our lives is explored and encouraged. The facility was established in 1998 by international artist Jun Kaneko and his wife, Ree.

Pieces of his world-famous collection are created and shipped globally from Kaneko, including national and international exhibits and more than 70 museum collections. Jun focuses his work primarily around civic interaction.

Pre-order your 3D-printed Big Omaha cow

This year, we’re excited to host an artist installation, Tethon 3D, whose proceeds will benefit our friends at KANEKO.

A 3D ceramics printer will create ceramic Big Omaha cows, available for purchase for $19.99. To support our friends at KANEKO, we invite you to pre-order your unique Big Omaha souvenir today. We highly encourage you to pre-order as they will be making the pre-orders live at Big Omaha and may not have time to make more in time to take home from the event.

 

Credits: Photos by Malone and Co.

This story is part of the AIM Archive

This story is part of the AIM Institute Archive on Silicon Prairie News. AIM gifted SPN to the Nebraska Journalism Trust in January 2023. Learn more about SPN’s origin »

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