Setting the Stage for a Growing Art Scene

Tucked beneath a parking garage, an empty and long-unused retail frontage has been reimagined as the home for the Music Box (MBX), an addition to downtown Lincoln’s growing music and art scene. The storefront, featuring concrete and exposed piping, has been transformed into a multi-use performance space for local artists and aspiring musicians to gather and perform. Amidst an increasing number of community art venues, MBX is an accessible space for both tourists and residents alike to learn, collaborate and enjoy a shared love of music and artistic expression. 

Minimalist Design for Maximum Creativity

An intentionally raw material palette provides emerging artists with a blank canvas, encouraging users to experiment with the simple yet acoustically advanced space. A raw, plywood-composed stage serves as a stripped-down space that invites creative exploration, while the slightly rotated restroom block and stage create non-parallel walls, supporting an enhanced acoustic environment. 

Key features of the space include:

• A publicly accessible, multi-purpose space for learning, in-person collaboration, rehearsal and performing
• Visible branding in the storefront window that promotes the space to passersby
• Simple, colorful forms throughout the space that reflect the youth, energy and creativity of the venue’s typical users  
• A thoughtful layout that reduces the potential for flutter-echo
• A mural art walk that tells the story of Lincoln’s relationship with music, art and community

A Vibrant Hub for Downtown Lincoln

In an already growing music and arts district, MBX is geared towards further catalyzing interest in music in downtown Lincoln, while also offering support for other musical performances in the area. The venue also plans to extend an invitation to the broader Lincoln arts community by offering local artists the opportunity to enhance the space’s aesthetic, reinforcing the significant impact that a modest investment in community infrastructure can have.