NORFOLK, Neb. — A Nebraska art center is responding after being accused of censorship and exclusion for removing a work from an exhibition.

The controversy stems from the 18th Annual Juried Show at the Norfolk Arts Center. In a news release issued Friday evening, executive director Sherry Ruden said the piece was removed “due to the content of the work.”

The release didn’t name the piece or the artist and didn’t offer a description of the work. A change.org petition built to try to reinstate the work identifies it as “Here I Am” and says it’s a photograph. NCN confirmed through email that the artist is Alex Jochim.

The online petition asked the Arts Center to reinstate the photo, issue a public statement acknowledging the decision was inconsistent with its mission, develop a policy for the integrity of exhibits and clarify its role as a community non-profit. 428 people signed the petition.

“Removing (“Here I Am”) based on its subject matter is an act of discrimination that silences perspectives and undermines the Norfolk Arts Center’s own commitment to ensuring access to cultural complexity for people of all identities and backgrounds,” petition starter Andrew Daughton wrote in the change.org post.

In the release, Ruden said the community response has led to productive conversations about the Center’s policies regarding family-friendly programming and future display options for mature content.

“We recognize that there is room for us to grow and improve as an organization, and our goal is to represent our entire community to the best of our abilities,” Ruden said.

Ruden says it is not possible to reinstate the work and that the artist no longer wants to participate in the exhibition. She says the Center’s board of directors is in conversation about the concerns brought forth by the petition signers.

“We hope these conversations will lead to meaningful change,” Ruden said.

Ruden and Jochim either didn’t respond or denied interview requests with NCN earlier in the week.

The 18th Annual Juried Show runs through May 28.