National Willa Cather Center News

The Willa Cather Foundation (WCF) seeks a highly-organized, passionate, and multi-talented candidate to fill a new Finance & Business Manager position. The Finance & Business Manager will collaborate with the leadership team to oversee operations as the WCF continues to grow and build capacity. This position's primary responsibility is to support financial management, business planning and budgeting, human resources, and administration.

The newly opened National Willa Cather Center is an arts and cultural center that serves as a living memorial to renowned writer, Willa Cather. Located in Cather’s childhood hometown of Red Cloud, Nebraska,  the Center provides almost 20,000 square feet of space that includes a public museum, archive, research center, classroom,  bookstore, art gallery, and performing arts center. The Center occupies Red Cloud’s historic “Moon Block,” an 1887 structure that was fully restored and given new life as the National Willa Cather Center.

Reflecting back on her first Spring Conference many years ago, it was the kindness shown to her as a young scholar that compelled Dr. Mary Ruth Ryder to become a member of the Willa Cather Foundation – and ultimately to join the Cather Legacy Society by naming the Foundation in her estate plans.  “The scholars were kind to each other, non-competitive, supportive of young scholars, and receptive. This is what scholars should do with knowledge. Part of my response was also due to Red Cloud itself and the interchange with people who were proud, pleasant, and eager to share.

Your survey could win you two tickets to a 2017 show! We are looking at expanding our offerings in 2018 to include a wider variety of entertainment and arts engagement activities. After searching through many acts and sorting through ideas, we now request your input to help us make our selections for 2018. If you choose to leave your contact information, you will be entered into a drawing for two free tickets.

Several weeks ago, an unexpected phone call reached Executive Director Ashley Olson's desk: were we interested in a collection of personal items which had belonged to Willa Cather, including her desk? Little did she know that archivist Tracy Tucker was also making plans for a new acquisition, "a stack" of letters written by Willa Cather to a former Red Cloud associate. The two quickly cleared their schedules to bring the new collection items to Red Cloud, where some of the items are already on display.

That is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great.” – My Ántonia

Over 8,000 visitors from forty states and five countries travel through Red Cloud annually to visit the Opera House and tour the Cather historic sites. With the addition of the museum and archive at the National Willa Cather Center, we expect to see growth in both visitation and tours. We are currently seeking volunteers and part-time tour guides to help staff the new center. Please consider being part of something “complete and great” by joining our team!