Hays Arts Council

05/05/2026

05/01/2026

Last Saturday, the Hays Arts Council brought the community together for the Spring Art Walk across downtown Hays and the Fort Hays State University campus!

With around 400 visitors exploring participating locations, it was an incredible day of art, connection, and creativity. Guests enjoyed the opening of the 57th Smoky Hill Art Exhibition, along with so many other exciting stops throughout the walk.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and supported the arts in Hays! We loved seeing the community show up in such a big way!

05/01/2026

Summer Classes for Theater, Music, and more IS NOW LIVE!

Check out our 2026 summer class lineup at https://haysartscouncil.org/summer-classes-1

04/30/2026

We are so excited for tomorrow morning and the 30th ANNUAL FAMOUS FIGURES CONTEST!

32 Ellis County 5th grade students (representing over 300 of their peers), will take the stage and share performances as Mary Cassatt, Harriet Tubman, Louis Braille, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Sacagawea, George Lucas, Dolly Parton, Audie Murphy, Selena Quintanilla, Amelia Earhart, Nadia Comaneci, Malala Yousafzai, Alexander the Great, Jackie Stiles, and so many more awesome FAMOUS FIGURES.

The event will begin at 8:30am in Beach/Schmidt and you are welcome to watch some or all of it live - BUT, with the support of the Beach/Schmidt & Tiger Network staff, the entire morning, from first contestant through the awards ceremony will be livestreamed! Here's the streaming link if you'd like to catch any of it:
https://youtube.com/live/zanXXq3Yl-A?feature=share

And, if you want to see what the project is about and enjoy images & winners from last year's project, visit our FF webpage:
https://haysartscouncil.org/famous-figures-1

A BIG "Thank you!" to the Hays Rotary Club who serves as our sponsor for this special project.

04/29/2026

Last week, Juror Hilary Cole selected from the 60 works in the 57th Smoky Hill Art Exhibition, awarding $3,000 in cash prizes and recognition to 13 artists featured in this year’s exhibition.

Cash Awards
$1,000 Best in Show – Sara Grant, Head Above Water Series
$750 First Runner-Up – Diana Unrein, Where Gravity Sleeps
$500 Second Runner-Up – Erin Tichota, Sinking in Suspension
$250 Third Runner-Up – Rodney Wood, Sensorium
$100 Landscape Award – Randall Bennett, Morning Commute Prairie Wetland
$100 Abstract Award – Norman Carr, Waterworks
$100 Portrait Award – Elicia Aceves, Lamb to Slaughter
$100 3D Award – Linda Ganstrom, Still Standing
$100 Honorable Mention – Phyllis Klima, Spiral Carved Lidded Jar

Juror’s Merit Awards (Non-Cash)
Diane Lawrence – Magical Sky
Joyce Jilg – Necklace #3 Goodbye
Tobias Flores – Funny Carrot
Matthew Lord – Council of Toads

Come experience the exhibition at 1010 Main St during gallery hours:
Thursday & Friday | 10 AM – 4 PM
Saturday | 1 – 4 PM

View the online exhibition gallery at haysartscouncil.org/smoky-hill

Hours may vary as we continue working through staffing and temporary location changes due to renovation—we appreciate your patience and support!

04/26/2026

Here are our raffle winners!

Our FHSU Leadership 310 students will be reaching out soon to get everyone their prizes!

04/26/2026

What a wonderful milestone to celebrate. 🎉

1️⃣5️⃣

Thanks to the Heartland Community Foundation for supporting these efforts and to the visionary donors who made sure we can provide music & theatre performances and education opportunities for our community. 👏

🎂🎭🎶 Celebrating a Fund-Aversary! Happy 15 Years to the Vocal Music & Theater Fund for Hays Arts Council! 🎶🎭🎂

Later this year marks the 15th anniversary of the Vocal Music & Theater Fund for Hays Arts Council at the Heartland Community Foundation — a wonderful example of how a donor’s passion can create lasting impact.

Established in 2011 with a $10,000 gift from Don and the-late Colleen Kopfman, this designated fund was created to support vocal music and theater programs through the Hays Arts Council — not just once, but year after year. Each year, the Arts Council receives a grant check from the fund to help pay for this programming, while the fund itself continues to grow.

Fifteen years later, the Arts Council has received nearly the full amount of the original gift in annual grant checks — AND today, the fund’s value has grown to nearly $20,000.

And the best part? This story doesn’t end here. Because the fund is endowed, it will continue to provide annual dollars to the Arts Council, strengthening their vocal music and theater programs not just today, but for generations to come. As the fund grows, the grant checks do, too.

To celebrate the milestone, we delivered 15th Fund-Aversary cupcakes to the Hays Arts Council board members and reflected a bit about the fund.

A designated fund like this is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when charitable giving is aligned with personal passion — and how a thoughtfully designed designated fund can create both immediate impact and a lasting legacy.

Here’s to 15 years of creativity, performance, and community — and a lifetime more to come. 💙 Many thanks to the Kopfmans for their gift and legacy!

⭐️What could you do? Ask us how your legacy can take shape today, email [email protected].

04/24/2026

04/17/2026

Our very own Director of School Programming Brenda Meder and Executive Director Chandler Reich enjoyed a morning getting to Juror the 2026 FHSU High School Art Day!

04/16/2026

Next weekend, April 25th, the Hays Arts Council will open the 57th Smoky Hill Art Exhibition alongside the 2026 Spring Art Walk!

So many amazing Kansas artists will be featured, out of 289 entries, 60 were selected for exhibition!

And a big THANK YOU to our sponsors Emprise Bank, Jeter Law Firm, Kansas Arts Commission and Northwestern Printers!