History: 

In the spring of 1999, community member and former theatre instructor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Stan Kaye, approached Kearney Public Schools Board of Education members and administration about the potential of the Central Elementary School auditorium becoming a performing arts center.

Built in 1926 as Kearney Junior High School, the beautiful historic landmark building featured a classic proscenium stage and a raked auditorium, a large cantilevered balcony, an original seating capacity of 900, an orchestra pit, a spacious stage and irreplaceable plaster detailing. Indeed a space well suited to being developed into a community performing arts center. 

Central Elementary School was listed on the National Register of Historic places in July 2000.

The feasibility study, completed in February of 2001, concluded that the conversion of the auditorium into a state of the art performing arts center could benefit the entire Kearney community. A fifteen member Steering Committee was formed.

In January of 2003, Dr. L. R. Smith agreed to spearhead the capital campaign for the Kearney Performing Arts Center.  Jeanne Ross became his co-chair and Carol Cope and B.M. Stevenson became Honorary Co-Chairs of the campaign.

General solicitation of gifts and pledges began in the first three months of 2003 by a large volunteer organization of interested Kearney Citizens.  The goal of the campaign was to secure a total of $4,700,000 necessary to finance the Kearney Performing Arts Center project. The Board of Education committed $1,200,000 toward this total for gym and infrastructure and the Honorary Co-Chairs pledged major gifts and significant gifts came from the Theodore G. Baldwin Foundation, Baldwin Filters/CLARCOR, Eaton Corporation and Emma Jane Wilder.

The project was gaining momentum.  Robert M. Merryman pledged $1,000,000 and many gifts from the community brought KPAC near its campaign goal and bids were opened.  However; because of increased costs of materials, the bids far exceeded the funds raised by the committee.

Undaunted the fund raisers went back to work.  The original wooden theatre seats were sold and anticipated new theatre seats were “named” to raise money.  Soon, KPAC’s major benefactor, Robert M. Merryman made another major gift as did the school board and Carol Cope.  The Scott Morris family and the Peter Kiewit Foundation followed suit with major gifts and finally the large gifts from the community for the performing arts center numbered well over 156 and made construction possible. Sampson Construction submitted a successful bid of 5.2 million in March or 2005.   

The Grand Opening was held October 8, 2006.  The main drape was missing and the lighting and sound systems and dressing rooms were incomplete.  The Grand Opening served to show the community that the possibilities they once only imagined were becoming a reality.