| letter from the president... |
UMKC's Downtown Campus for the Arts
As I reflect on the past year, I realize that it truly has been an amazing year for the arts in Kansas City. Hampton Stevens, a writer for the KC Star and featured writer for the Atlantic, recently remarked that this may very well be the golden year that Kansas City came of age. He attributes the change to the vibrancy and vitality of our arts community. Mr. Hampton is not only referring to the Bolender Center's debut or the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts opening, but to a tangible shift in the look and feel of our region led by the arts.
On the horizon is the possibility that one of the Greater KC Chamber's Big Ideas will be UMKC establishing a Downtown Campus for the Arts. At the Arts Council we could not be more excited about or supportive of seeing this idea come to fruition. Imagine what it could mean to downtown to have a thousand students living, studying, and contributing not only to the arts but also to the economic vitality of the city. The creation of spaces like the Kauffman Center are wonderful, but we must not forget that we have to have artists to make those spaces come alive. We must remember that visual and performing artists require an environment that makes it possible to make a living in Kansas City. Check out www.artskc.org/artistinc.aspx to learn more about how we, along with our partners, support artists living in Kansas or visit www.kcur.org/post/how-survive-artist-kc and listen to an interview with Jabulani Leffall from Central Standard on the Artist, INC program.
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ArtsKC Awards Interrupted By Intergalactic
News Flash!
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 | | Click here to check out more pictures from the 2012 ArtsKC Awards Luncheon and Campaign Kickoff! |
Last Friday was the 2012 ArtsKC Awards Luncheon and Campaign Kickoff!
Honoring seven local businesses and civic organizations and one individual, for their support of the ArtsKC Fund and the arts community in Kansas City, the ArtsKC Awards sell out annually to a crowd of over 500. This year's awards were held at Starlight Theatre, where guests enjoyed performances by Dance Star, Sheri "Purpose" Hall, Black House Improvisors Collective, and Octarium. Awards recipients received a piece of specially commissioned work by local visual artist and 2012 ArtsKC Featured Artist, Caleb McCandless.
This year's program, however, was slightly different from years past, as an intergalactic interruption brought from the future by the cast of Star Trek to warn of a Kansas City without art. Starting in 2011, with funding cuts in the Kansas legislature, the arts in our metropolitan region began to decline, and Spock and the team were blast into the ArtsKC Awards Luncheon to warn us that we may be off track.
Their message: support the arts in our region by making a contribution to the ArtsKC Fund and secure the future of the arts for the next generation. For more, visit KeepTheArt.org.
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New Inspiration for Eight Local Artists
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These eight Inspiration winners received grants ranging from $500 to $1,500 for projects that will help them to grow their art businesses. "Artists are amazing in their ability to leverage small amounts of money to create something remarkable," said Paul Tyler, Arts Council Grants Director.
"Now, I will be able to start producing the ideas that have been waiting in a sketch book. I will be able to accept collaboration offers without hesitation, since now that I know that my equipment will not create problems halfway through," says Nihan Yesil, Inspiration Grant recipient. "These are all very exciting prospects, and all will help me advance my career as an artist tremendously, and that is all thanks to that 'little bit of funding' I received."
"These artists are entrepreneurs and the grants they receive are an investment in the economic growth of our community," says Harlan Brownlee. "These grants ultimately help them in contributing to the community at large."
Artists interested in applying should visit the Artist Services section of our website at www.ArtsKC.org/ArtistServices.aspx. The next deadline for applications is March 1, 2012.
Check out this round's artists by clicking the links below!
Griffen Alexander
Greg Haynes *images provided by grant recipients: Ari Fish, Jason Dixon, and Deborah Riley
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Community Art Quilts Presented to Local Homeless Families and Youth
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 | | Click here to view all of the pictures from this special event. |
At the 2011 Plaza Art Fair over 1,400 community members joined us in the beginning of the ArtsKC Community Art Quilt Project which came full circle this month at reStart, Inc., a local homeless shelter.
Fair-goers were invited in to the ArtsKC/Bank of America tent at the 2011 fair and asked to decorate a single white square. These squares were collected over the course of the weekend and local volunteer quilters have been working hard to turn them into Community Art Quilts. These quilts were presented on January 20th to nine families and young people currently living at reStart, Inc.
"reStart, Inc. was a perfect partner for this project! We were already connected to them, as they are an ArtsKC Fund grant recipient, so we knew the need was there and that they would work with us to make this a successful and fun project for everyone involved," says Harlan Brownlee, Arts Council President and CEO.
And the best part? This is only the beginning! ArtsKC will be hosting quilt square decorating at the 2012 Chalk & Walk Festival as well as the 2012 Plaza Art Fair, so there are still opportunities to decorate a square!
For more information about being a volunteer at our square decorating booths or to sign up to be a volunteer quilter, please contact Sara Vogt at Vogt@ArtsKC.org.
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 _____________ staff picks
Kathryn Walker
Director of Finance
For me, the winter months are a time for reading - enjoying literary works created by many different and diverse authors. My favorite books are stories of mystery and suspense and I find myself, on a sunny winter day, reading while soaking up the rays. Although I'm drawn to mysteries, someone recommended a historical novel to me a few years ago--Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth. Follett, typically a suspense writer, wrote this fictional novel about the building of a cathedral in the Middle-Ages. This book details the lives of Tom Builder and others during the building of a majestic cathedral in very difficult times. I recommend this book to you if you love history and the telling of a good story!
On a more current theme, I had the privilege of attending our organization's 9th Annual ArtsKC Awards Luncheon, held January 27th. It was so inspirational to see the individuals and groups recognized for their respective contributions in support of the arts but it was also a time to enjoy some of our local, talented artists' work. Caleb McCandless was the featured visual artist and designer of the awards for this year's event. His three-dimensional work is so intriguing to admire. Four performances were held during this luncheon but my favorites were Sheri "Purpose" Hall, a poet and writer. She shared one of her poems with us that truly moved me. My other "staff pick" of the day was the performance by members of Octarium, an acapella singing group. Their highlights of John Williams music was wonderful. Lastly, my favorite form of art is music. I am planning on taking my husband (don't tell him) to Quality Hill Playhouse's current performance of My Romance in celebration of Valentine's Day. This performance features the 1930's music by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Two of their best known songs are Isn't It Romantic and Blue Moon. I have heard great reviews of this production and am looking forward to attending this before its last performance on February 19th. Maybe this would be a good way for you to celebrate Valentine's Day, too? | |
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Discover the Arts for YOU!
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arts council events
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ArtsKC 360°
This event takes place once a month and more dates will be available in our next newsletter.
Arts Council Office
906 Grand Blvd., Suite 10B
KC, MO 64106
Join us for a one-hour tour
and be inspired by the stories of how the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is connecting, supporting and transforming our community through the arts! Visit the Charlotte Street Foundation artists' studios and Mattie Rhodes Hand in Hand Folk Art Collection, all while learning more about the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City.
Valet parking is available in the 928/UMB Parking Garage.Click on the date above to register now. For additional information contact Kristy Ladd, 816.994.9240 or ladd@artskc.org.
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