Artist Eric Conner recently painted a horizontal “mural” on the intersection of 13th & William Street in Little Bohemia, brining a fresh kind of artwork to Omaha’s public streets for the first time under a new city policy. The project was a collaboration between We Make Omaha, Local Artists Local Art, Omaha by Design, the 13th Street Business Improvement District and the City of Omaha’s Planning and Public Works departments. The mural was the first project to move through the city’s Policy for the Installation of Colored Pavement (“street art”) on Public Streets, a framework developed by the Public Works Department to create a clear, consistent permitting process for street art on public right-of-way. The Little Bohemia project serves as a pilot, helping the city test and refine the policy before it is more broadly available. We Make Omaha, the city's public engagement effort, helped initiate the project after community members across the city consistently called for more art in...

The City of Council Bluffs will kick off the summer season with Summerfest on Friday, June 5, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park. This free event will feature live music, a drone show, food trucks, local vendors and other activities. Summerfest has become one of the metro area’s signature summer events, drawing thousands of attendees to the Council Bluffs riverfront each year. The evening’s highlight will take place at dark, around 9:40 p.m., when Fantasy Drone Shows will launch a 20-minute drone show featuring 400 drones lighting up the night sky. The best viewing area is near the amphitheater stairs. Summerfest activities include: A foam party and giant bubbles hosted by the Council Bluffs Public Library A live art and creativity zone hosted by Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment Recreation activities including baseball, football, soccer and yard games provided by the Parks and Recreation Department and the Charles E. Lakin YMCA A mobile exhibit from the...