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| Swedish Heritage and Culture |
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Bethany is located in Lindsborg, Kan., a town of 3,400 people that actively preserves its Swedish heritage. The architecture of the downtown storefronts reflects a traditional Scandinavian style. A three-day Svensk Hyllningsfest is celebrated biennially with a broad array of cultural activities. Thousands of visitors come to Lindsborg each year for such seasonal festivals and to visit the town's many art galleries. A number of professional artists in many different media maintain studios in Lindsborg.
Both Bethany and the Lindsborg community nurture rich cultural traditions in the fine and performing arts. The Bethany Oratorio Society is the oldest continuous oratorio society in the country and has presented Handel's Messiah during Holy Week since 1882. The centennial Messiah performance was broadcast live throughout the nation by nearly 200 PBS television stations. The Birger Sandzen Memorial Art Gallery houses an extensive art collection in an exceptional setting, and the Plym Gallery located in Wallerstedt Library displays a rare collection of native American pottery. Both galleries are on campus. Many major performing artists have presented concerts in Lindsborg under the auspices of either the college or the Lindsborg Arts Council. Guest artists and speakers have included Garrison Keillor, Ken Burns, Lionel Hampton, Wynton Marsalis, William Least Heat Moon, the Vienna Choir Boys, and Astronaut James Lovell. The Johnson Lecture Series also has sponsored Nobel Peace Laureates Elie Wiesel, Mairead Maguire, and Dr. Oscar Arias, and a presentation on Good vs. Evil by Elaine Pagels, Susan Sontag, and Terry Waite.
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