In This Issue
Upcoming ArtsKC Events 

American Jazz Museum Town Hall
Sept. 6th at 10:00 AM

Let us hear your thoughts on arts and culture in your community! More listed below.

 

For more information, please visit 
artskc.org/townhalls

 

City of Lee's Summit Town Hall
Sept. 8th at 6:00 PM

 

 

Independence, MO Town Hall

Sept. 9th at 6:00 PM

 

 

ArtsKC 360 Tour

Sept. 16th at 12:00 PM 

Join us for a complimentary lunch tour and be inspired by the stories of how ArtsKC  is unleashing the power of the arts in our region.

For more information, please visit 

artskc.org/artskc-360-tour-4

 

Experience ArtsKC @ the Plaza Art Fair

Sept. 19th, 20th, &

21st 

Discover great community arts events and organizations that Kansas City has to offer year round. 

For more information, please visit

artskc.org/experienceartskc

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September 2014
Arts{INSIGHT}

Town Halls Continue Across KC Metro

 

  

 

Over the past few months we have visited with hundreds of folks from across the region and heard about their ideas to make our region better through the arts - all part of the data collection process for OneArtsKC - Regional Cultural Plan


 
This cultural plan can be a means to unleash the power of the arts for the good of our community; to connect our region and reimagine artistic solutions to the issues we all face together.  So that when school districts desire to keep music and art in their schools there is a plan to help provide resources and networks.  Or when an artist has an entrepreneurial idea that could revitalize a neighborhood there is a plan to connect them to a sponsor. 


 
And yes, a lot of this is happening now! Every week I see new and exciting adventures in the arts taking place and moving ahead across our five counties.  For example, today at Union Station, "The Monument Comes Alive" will be presented. Partners Quixotic and Union Station are using state of the art technology to transform the exterior into an enormous 3D digital canvas that will soar a full 10 stories tall and one city block wide... only in KC!


 
But we need more, we need greater accessibility, and we need collaboration to ensure these types of artistic expression have the opportunity to flourish. Together, we can make this a place of extraordinary cultural experiences for years to come and the OneArtsKC - Regional Plan will help us get there.


Share your thoughts! Take our survey.

Connect with me on Twitter!

 

Photo credit: Tom Styrkowicz, 53Tom.com


Deadline for Nominations
The ArtsKC Awards is a wonderful and unique opportunity to honor businesses and individuals for their extraordinary commitment to the Kansas City arts community. 

The nomination process is easy: simply write a summary of your nominee's activities or achievements and upload your PDF along with photographs, brochures, or other supporting materials.

Call for Nominations
Deadline: September 10th, 2014
The nomination process is easy! Complete the application online or download a PDF application for email submission.

Questions? Contact Andrea Robinson, [email protected].

Open TONIGHT for First Friday!




From left: Sponsor BNIM, Chris Willey, and Maria the Mexican.

 

Tonight we'll be open to the public for the first time for First Friday! This event will feature the work of local "Now Showing" Artist, Chris Willey, and performer and ArtsKC Inspiration Artist, Maria the Mexican. The new space, located at the intersection of Baltimore and Southwest Blvd., features a 2,100 square foot gallery in the front section of the building.

 

Visual artist Chris Willey has been an active participant in ArtsKC's Now Showing program for several years. The program, which fosters partnerships between artists and businesses, gives area artists opportunities to display work in local companies and will be the featured series in ArtsKC's new location. 

 

In addition to highlighting visual artists, ArtsKC First Friday receptions will include a special performance. Maria the Mexican, a bilingual musical act with a southwestern flare and melancholy motifs, received an ArtsKC Fund Inspiration Grant in 2013 to produce a vinyl version of "Moon Colored Jade" from their debut recording. 

 

Learn more...

 

ArtsKC's first First Friday is sponsored by BNIM Architects.

Thank you to our 2014 Inspiration Breakfast Sponsors!

 

ArtsKC will host its 5th Annual ArtsKC Inspiration Breakfast on Thursday, November 6th, from 7:30 - 9 a.m. at the InterContinental Hotel on the Country Club Plaza. Under the leadership of event chair Kimberlee Ried, and honorary chairs J. Scott Francis and Susan Gordon, ArtsKC will challenge 500 guests to imagine a region with access to the arts for everyone, while encouraging financial support for agency programs.

Textile designer and ArtsKC Fund grant recipient Whitney Manney will be the featured artist sharing her journey pursuing the arts as a career.


Visual artist and respected arts leader, J. Scott Francis brings a unique perspective to this event. Th inspiration for his own work "has many sources from Russian Icons to Greek Sculptures to Classical Mythology, and Expressionist Painting," shares Francis. Pulling from such a diverse palette for his artistic practice, Francis has a deep appreciation for the value of thorough and life-long learning in the arts.

Ried brings a deep passion for the arts as well as invaluable event planning experience to this event.

"I'm thrilled to chair this terrific event," says Ried. "Our team has worked really hard to make it a fun yet truly inspiring breakfast this year! I hope folks will walk away with a greater understanding of how important and necessary arts education and programming are in Kansas City."

To learn more or sponsor the event, please visit
ArtsKC.org/InspirationBreakfast or contact Andrea Robinson,
[email protected]

 

Photo by Tom Styrkowicz, 53Tom.com

A Look At Corporate Sponsor and Long-Time Supporter:

Burns & McDonnell


 
For several years leadership and staff at Burns & McDonnell have flexed their creative skills, supported the arts community, and welcomed art into their workspaces through participating in our programs and sponsoring our events. But their arts engagement is not limited to just ArtsKC! Many ArtsKC Fund grant recipients are directly supported by Burns & McDonnell showing their commitment to a healthy and thriving arts community throughout our region. 

 

Community involvement is part of a way of life at Burns & McDonnell.  That's why they created the Burns & McDonnell Foundation, to reflect their strong belief in giving back to the communities in which they live and work that focus on four strategic areas: educational outreach, environmental responsibility, human services, and arts and culture.  Their involvement with ArtsKC has allowed them to  deepen their commitment to showcasing the importance of art to all of us in Kansas City and provided their employee-owners with an opportunity to celebrate their creative spirit and true self.

 

"From our engineers and architects to our builders and graphic designers, our job is to be creative and innovative every day, so it's not surprising that so many of our employee-owners extend their artistry outside of work," says Greg Graves, Chairman and CEO, Burns & McDonnell.  "It's exciting to pursue and participate in programs like Now Showing together as employee-owners.  It can serve as a unique growth experience for us as individuals and as a company."

 

Staff Picks - Lydia Zacharias, ArtsKC Fund Manager

 

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year, and in the past month, Kansas City has offered a few shimmering glimpses of the cooling temperatures to come!  To me, fall brings to mind many childhood traditions that I still enjoy!  Around late September/early October I'll start making my cousin's legendary pumpkin bread and warm apple crumble. I'll often curl up with a good book while I wait for the loaves to bake, the apartment filling with the scents of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

 

A favorite that I reach for every year is Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott. It was the first book I ever bought with my own money and re-reading it always takes me back to the small bookstore where I bought it, the smell of fresh ink on paper, and the worn armchair I folded my 11-year-old self into to read about Jo and Laurie's 'will they, won't they' romance, Meg's beautiful backyard wedding, Beth's unwavering kindness, Amy's growing pains, and Marmee's lovingly offered words of wisdom.

 

Fall also reminds me of my German heritage and in the Kansas City area there's no better celebration of German food, music, and beer than Gr�nauer's annual Oktoberfest!  This year's fifth annual celebration is scheduled for September 26 and 27! Live music, food, and beer all starting at only $12 really can't be beat.  I'll bookmark my worn copy of Little Women and raise a pint to your good health if I see you there!

 

Photo credit: Tom Styrkowicz, 53Tom.com

ArtsKC - Regional Arts Council | 816-221-1777 | www.artskc.org
106 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108. 

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