Music

The Barton County Arts Council's mission statement calls for support of “every artistic discipline”. This includes music. The Council therefore seeks to encourage local artists as well as bringing regional and national artists to the community.

The “back room” provides a venue that can be used to host intimate music events such as singer/songwriters, chamber music, and small jazz ensembles. You might want to see some photos of the previous performances in the Back Room:

Chronological (most recent first):

Alphabetical:

You can now make your Back Room reservations from your web browser.

When the anticipated attendance warrants, the Arts Council can cooperate with larger local venues, such as The Crest theatre, to hold the event. The first such performance was on April 29, 2001 when Special Consensus, a bluegrass band based in Chicago, performed at the Crest. On July 5, 2004, the Discovery String Band performed a Lewis & Clark Bicentennial program at the Crest.

Local artists seeking to showcase their talent should contact the Arts Council.

While our location may seem remote to national artists, we are located in the center of the state that is in the center of the nation, making Great Bend a convenient location for a “pick-up gig” while on the road between other events. Our “back room” can provide a venue that is something of a cross between a coffeehouse and the house concerts that have become increasingly popular in folk music circles. Musicians planning a tour through this area are encouraged to contact the Arts Council.

If you wish to be notified of upcoming events in the Back Room, answer as many of the following questions as possible and then press the subscribe button. If you aren't sure whether you're already on the list, feel free to submit the information again.