Willa Cather Foundation Events

“Life is best when there is a way to express myself without words. It was so satisfying when I discovered that paint, form, and content were all I needed to share the story of a life lived as a Chicana . . . . My art reflects a life-long quest exploring symbolism, indigenous tradition, and the use of materials and methods which I then interpret into contemporary forms of expression.” My themes reflect the memories of being a farm-girl, of being a person of color living, working, and raising a family in Nebraska. . . . .

Join us for a discussion of Svoboda’s answer to Willa Cather’s novel My Ántonia! Readers will delight in the story of Harriet as she searches for her father in the American West as we mark the conclusion of our fourth year of free programming with this last Virtual Author Series of 2024.

We’re excited to be hosting our second writers cohort in Red Cloud for their two-week intensive residency in October. You won’t want to miss the sharing of their work-in-progress with readings and conversation from our panel of five writers! This event is free and open to all.

Meet The Writers

An all-inclusive fee of $175 includes round-trip transportation, lunch and dinner, guided tours of historic sites, access to permanent exhibits, and viewing of special collections in the archive.

Centered around Staff sergeant Clarence Williams' personal letters home, Not Too Far Distant honors the experience of the American soldier and reminds us that we all have the power – and the responsibility – to help create a brighter future.

Once again this fall, we journey to Santa Fe to explore one of Cather's favorite cities. Our tour guide, Garrett Peck, will lead us on a 2.5 hour Death Comes for the Archbishop walking tour, retracing Cather's steps through Santa Fe in 1925 and 1926.

We'll gather at the Plaza opposite La Fonda, the hotel where Cather and her partner Edith Lewis stayed during their visits. We'll read from Cather's letters, interviews, and articles, in addition to seeing historic Santa Fe.

We hope you'll join us in Taos, New Mexico, for a 3-day, 3-night excursion, November 14–17, 2024! We’ll explore the beautiful mountain town and the best of its historic and arts offerings, while learning about Cather’s time in New Mexico. We’ll discuss and share from Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop and The Professor’s House, as well as a host of selected outside readings, in addition to touring the Father Martinez Hacienda and Taos Pueblo, the Fechin House and the Millicent Rogers museum and more.

Students through 12th grade can attend this program for free! Please call 402-746-2653 to reserve free student tickets.

We look forward to welcoming Karen Thurlow to the Red Cloud Opera House gallery for our final exhibition of the year! Born in Red Cloud and raised in rural Webster County, Karen is a graduate of Bladen High School. With this exhibit, she recreates Webster County memories based on family photographs and local buildings, rendered in her distinctive impressionistic style and vibrant color palette.