Review

Regional Visual Art Organizations

First list includes organizations in Greater Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas; national, online, and sales resources are below.

Accessible Arts Inc.
Accessible Arts is a non-profit organization based in Kansas City, Kansas, that provides a wide range of services making the arts accessible to people of all ages and abilities. Services include: training, workshops, arts demonstrations with students, technical assistance, distribution of free arts supplies (donated by Binney & Smith, Inc.), a resource center, consultation and evaluation, and a nationally based referral network. AAI also publishes a newsletter semiannually with information concerning access to the arts.

Advertising Club of Kansas City
The Advertising Club of Kansas City promotes the future of advertising, marketing, and communications in the greater Kansas City area. ACKC sponsors a variety of events and provides members with professional networking opportunities. ACKC also runs two other related groups, ad2 and Art+Copy Club, which are special interest groups for creative professionals age 32 or younger.

AIGA Kansas City
The American Institute of Graphic Arts is a professional association committed to stimulating thinking about design through the exchange of ideas and information, the encouragement of critical analysis and research and the advancement of education and ethical practice. The Kansas City chapter of AIGA hosts an annual design competition and exhibtion, sponsors lectures, film screenings and a varitey of other social and networking events.

The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City
The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City helps both artists and its consumers by providing resources for the artists on their Web site (including a listing of artist opportunities, directories of artists, museums, galleries, classes, festivals, and other arts councils) and seminars and workshops. ArtsKC provides a local voice for the arts, administers the ArtsKC Fund that awards Inspiration, Catalyst, and Ovation Grants, and is a regional affiliate of the Business Committee for the Arts. BCA includes Arts & Issues, Culture Café, Cultural Concierge, and Art/Work — Creativity from the Cube. ArtsKC is also a local partner in the KC Artist LINC program.

Arts Incubator
Located in the Crossroads district of Kansas City, Missouri, Arts Incubator is a multi-functional asset to the local arts community. In addition to providing artists studio spaces for rent at a reasonable price, AI endeavors to help artists achieve a better understanding of the business side of the arts. In a joint effort with the Kauffman Foundation, AI offers the FastTrac NewVenture Program, a 10-session course focusing on new entrepreneurs to help them determine whether their business concept is a viable business opportunity and how the concept can be modified to increase its chances of success. In September 2008, AI launched the INKubator Press facility.

Charlotte Street Foundation
The Charlotte Street Foundation takes a multidimensional approach toward helping artists and helping Kansas City’s reputation as a good place for artists to work and live. Since 1997, CSF annually has awarded Charlotte Street Foundation Visual Arts Awards, unrestricted-use financial grants recognizing local work of high calibre. In 2007, four artists were selected to receive $10,000 each. In 2008, CSF expanded its reach to the performing arts, launching Charlotte Street Awards for Generative Performing Artists. Three awards of $5,000 each are planned for 2008. As part of its mission to present, promote, enhance, and encourage the visual and performing arts and foster economic development in the urban core of Kansas City, Missouri, CSF also supports The Urban Culture Project that has transformed spaces downtown into dynamic arts venues such as la Esquina and Paragraph.

Crossroads Community Association
The Crossroads Community Association seeks to foster the growth of Kansas City, Missouri’s Crossroads district as an environment for businesses, artists, and visitors to thrive while at the same time maintaining the unique characteristics that have created the identity of Crossroads district. CCA works with Crossroads galleries on co-operative marketing efforts for First Fridays and offers programs for member businesses such as the Crossroads Anti-Graffiti Initiative. They also publish a Crossroads gallery map, available for download on their Web site.

Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School - Kansas City Chapter
Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School was founded in 2005 by artist Molly Crabapple in Brooklyn, New York, as a unique drawing group event using burlesque dancers and other unusual candidates as models. Interspersed between poses are ridiculous drawing contests where you can win prizes. The Kansas City Chapter of Dr. Sketchy’s is one of roughly 40 spread out accross the United States. The group meets bi-weekly at various locations, and for a model fee of $5 artists working in a variety of media can rediscover the fun of life drawing

The Freelance Exchange of Kansas City
The Freelance Exchange of Kansas City provides a network of support and a place to exchange ideas with those who are self-employed in the advertising and marketing industry. Catering to local freelancers, the group meets once a month to discuss issues that are relevant to those self-employed in the industry. Members can network at regular group events, are notified of project opportunities, presented with business strategies, and listed in the directory for prospective clients.

The Greater Kansas City Art AssociationThe Greater Kansas City Art Association is based in Mission, Kansas, and actively promotes the appreciation of visual arts in the Kansas City area by providing art exhibitions and services to the public. The GKCAA promotes an exchange of thoughts and techniques among its member artists, through monthly meetings, an art exhbitions, and a high school art scholarship program.

Historic Northeast Cultural Arts Commission
The Historic Northeast Cultural Arts Commission, based in Historic Northeast Kansas City, Missouri, provides, enhances, funds, markets, and supports cultural events that bring the visual and the performing arts to the public in the Historic Northeast community, without regard to race, religion, or ethnic group. HNCAC organizes the annual Cultures Without Borders Traveling Art Exhibit, a Free Concert Series, and Downgo Sun, an online literary magazine.

Independent Filmmakers Coalition
The IFC provides a setting for education, artistic expression, networking, and the cooperative sharing of resources to anyone with an interest in filmmaking. Weekly meetings, free and open to the public, are held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Westport Coffee House in Kansas City, Missouri. IFC members receive a variety of benefits including discounts on equipment rental, movie tickets, and festival entry; workshops and seminars; and opportunities for financial assistance for production

Kansas Arts Commission
Based in Topeka, Kansas, the Kansas Arts Commission offers workshops, seminars, and conferences that assist organizations and artists in building capacity, growing audiences, and developing the vital business skills necessary to achieve success in the arts in the 21st century. The KAC seeks partnerships with local, regional, and national leaders in the arts and — together with the Kansas Historical Society, the Kansas Humanities Council, the Kansas Film Commission and the State Library of Kansas — is a member of the Governor’s Council of the Arts and Culture.

Kansas City Artists Coalition
The Kansas City Artists Coalition is an artist-centered, artist-run alternative space that presents a variety of contemporary visual art exhibitions. KCAC also provides opportunities for artists including grants, panel discussions, publications, programs, and workshops. Some of the opportunities KCAC offers to artists are their Artist Toolkits, which concentrate on career development. Artist Toolkits cover subjects such as Avenue of the Arts, career management and organization, creating digital images, marketing, preparing digital portfolios, preparing digital images for print and the Web, and writing an artist statement. The KCAC also sponsors Open Studios, the River Market Regional Exhibition, and administers the Lighton International Artist Exchange Program and Money for Artists Promotion.

KCAGA
With a focus primarily on 3D Animation and Computer Graphics, the Kansas City Animators and Graphic Artists group meets monthly. Meetings are informal and are focused on sharing ideas, networking, problem solving and displaying work. Members also communicate through an online forum.

Kansas City Clay Guild
The KC Clay Guild provides a supportive environment in which the clay community can meet, share knowledge, experience, and promote public awareness of the ceramic arts and foster creative and economic growth. KC Clay Guild offers a variety of opportunities for experienced and beginner potters and ceramicists. In addition to open studio times, the KC Clay Guild offers classes for all age groups and manages the Centered Earth Gallery, where a new local artist is featured each month.

Kaw Valley Arts & Humanities is a non-profit arts agency for Wyandotte County, Kansas, that seeks to create a vibrant arts community and involve the community in the arts through programs like gallery exhibitions, workshops and other professional development for artists, and after-school arts programs, and through collaborations with other community organizations like the YWCA of Metropolitan Kansas City, City Vision Ministries, and S2 Studios.

Lawrence Art Guild
The Lawrence Art Guild promotes art awareness in Lawrence, Kansas, and surrounding areas and supports the creative growth of its members and area artists. Monthly meetings are on at the Lawrence Public Library. Along with organizing and producing Art in the Park, the Lawrence Art Guild hosts the Holiday Art Fair each December and the All Members Show held at the Lawrence Arts Center and the Lawrence Public Library. The Guild also produces a quarterly newsletter with updates on calls for artists and event information.

LINC
LINC, Leveraging Investments in Creativity, is a 10-year ten-year national initiative to improve conditions for artists in all disciplines. LINC has been working with local partners in 14 major cities. In 2007, Kansas City was selected as one of these Creative Communities. Part of this effort includes helping artists find affordable health insurance and health care, professional development and training opportunities, studio and living/work space, and ways to meet the unique needs of artists in each community. LINC comes to Kansas City through the efforts of The Charlotte Street Foundation and the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City.

Mid-America Arts Alliance
Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Mid-America Arts Alliance supports and stimulates cultural activity in communities throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. M-AAA creates and manages regional, multi-regional, national, and international programs including traveling exhibitions, performing arts touring, and professional and community development. M-AAA offers several visual arts and professional development programs.

Missouri Arts Council
The Missouri Arts Council is a state agency and division of the Department of Economic Development that provides grants to nonprofit organizations to encourage and stimulate the growth, development, and appreciation of the arts in Missouri. MAC allocates funds from the Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Cultural Trust, and National Endowment for the Arts, based on the recommendations of Missourians serving on its advisory panels.

Professional Photographers Association of Greater Kansas City
The Professional Photographers Association of Greater Kansas City supports photographers by hosting workshops, competitions, and forums and by curating members’ works for display as part of their Kansas City Loan Program.

Online, National & Sales Resources

Alliance of Artists Communities is the service organization for the field of artists’ communities and residencies, providing professional development consultations, workshops, and training seminars. They also help connect their members to each other through networking opportunities at conferences and regional meetings and are a resource for artists, students, and others for information on artists’ communities through the publication of their directory, Web site, and newsletter.

Artshow is an online resource where artists can sell and display their work. Artshow also lists various opportunities for artists, including competitions, calls for entries, workshops, festivals, and classes, as well as both national and international arts organizations.

d’ART offers resources for artists, art dealers, galleries, and collectors. Artists can create galleries, submit their work for critique. and sell their work.

deviantART is a virtual community where artists from all over the world can receive feedback and criticism as well as sell their work. DevianART also offers a full service fine art print sale option and online advertising for member artists.

EBSQ - Self Representing Artists is a virtual community formed to stimulate the growth of independent artists who sell their work primarily through online venues such as eBay and Etsy. EBSQ provides an interactive, virtual portfolio, links to artists’ work on other sites, and a “EBSQ Certified Member” seal that members can use on their Web sites or at auctions.

Etsy Inc. is a virtual marketplaces providing artists of every nature virtual space to display and sell their work online.

Other Arts Resources

Rescue Public Murals offers advice about materials and techniques to consider when planning a mural that may extend the life and vibrancy of a mural and delay or reduce preservation intervention. Several Rescue Public Murals advisers have been using the Fertile Ground mural in Omaha, Nebraska (artist Meg Saligman, University of Delaware researchers, and consulting conservators at the Gerald Ford Conservation Center in Omaha are included).