Auburn Creative District Receives State CreDis Award

The Nebraska Arts Council is proud to announce the four recipients of the third annual CreDis Awards during this year’s Creative District Assembly held in Kearney on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The CreDis Awards (pronounced “Cree-Dis) are presented to individuals and Creative Districts that exhibit leadership, innovation, or support for the Creative District Program. The award title combines the two words of the program, Creative District. Serendipitously, in Latin, CreDis can also mean “to believe in, rely on, entrust.”
Auburn’s Creative District, formed in 2025, was chosen as a recipient. 
“What makes this award so special is knowing the Nebraska Arts Council saw something in Auburn’s identity worth celebrating. There are so many wonderful stories already here, and we’re finding creative ways to share our history, bring those stories to life and celebrate what makes Auburn uniquely ours. And I truly believe we’re just getting started,” said Leslie Clark, the district’s executive director.
In a statement, the Nebraska Arts Council said, Auburn has taken the Creative District certification and created an entire identity for their community around it. Even during their site visit as part of the certification process, Auburn had a dream. It wasn’t long until that dream became a reality. They brought in international muralist Matt Willey, founder of the Good of the Hive Initiative, to paint a mural downtown. This impressive mural solidified their tie to the honeybee, which is Nebraska’s state insect and has its origins in Auburn. Leslie Clark, Executive Director of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, and Matt shared their experience at the Nebraska Arts Council Arts & Culture Day earlier this year.
This wasn’t a one-time collaboration. Matt came back to Auburn this summer to add to the mural, showing that our communities are constantly growing and changing, just like a piece of art.
Other districts also chosen for this award are the Bricks Creative District in Kearney, UNI Place Creative District in Lincoln, and Trax Creative District in Columbus.