Prairie Art Brothers represents the essence of Kearney Creates by presenting a venue at an historical site for their reading. Prairie Art Brothers is a small organization with a simple mission – to promote an awareness of locally based writers and poets and appreciation for their work among audiences in Central Nebraska. It was founded in 2017 by Rick Brown and Mark Foradori and University of Nebraska-Kearney, English Professor Dr. Rob Luscher.
Beginning in November 2016 the Prairie Art Brothers have presented bi-monthly poetry and prose reading as part of the Front Porch Poetry Series at the Frank Museum of History and Culture on the campus of the University of Nebraska Kearney. The regular presentations were interrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. In order to continue to fulfill their mission the group presented an outdoor reading at Cottonmill Amphitheater in August 2020 and a series of virtual readings in October 2020.
In 2020 Prairie Art Brothers sponsored its first poetry book – “Nebraska-Conflicting Reports” by Chuck Peek. Over 30 readers from Nebraska and Kearney have participated spontaneously in evenings with an open mic, including Nebraska-recognized writers Twyla Hansen, Matt Mason, Majorie Saiser and Kearney locals, Lauren Bonk, Rick Brown, Rick Marlatt, Brad Modlin, Terry Lee Schifferns, UNK Reynolds Chair Brad Modlin.
