Art in the Loop continues to activate Downtown Kansas City along the KC Streetcar line with 6 art installations on streetcar shelters, one wrapped streetcar, one ongoing community-engaged art project, one ongoing live painting, and six performance events incorporating 17 performing arts groups!
Traditional Music Society – Soundz of Samba will perform at Oppenstein Park on July 10 as part of the “Summer in the City” activation series produced by the Downtown KC Community Improvement District! Soundz of Samba truly depicts the color and pageantry of this four-day-long event in which marching bands come from all over Brazil to express their culture and the beginning of spring.
Tristian Griffin Dance Company, Regina Klenjoski Dance Company, and Voler: Thieves of Flight will perform in Oppenstein Park in June as part of the “Summer in the City” activation series produced by the Downtown KC Community Improvement District! Experience the park like never before as we bring contemporary dance to unexpected places, transforming the environment and sparking your imagination. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see the park come alive with the energy and creativity of two of the region’s premier contemporary dance companies!
The Art in the Loop Foundation is pleased to announce the 2024 Art in the Loop visual and performing artists. This year marks the eleventh year for the Art in the Loop Project and includes artwork based on photography, painting, digitized illustrations, and more. The Art in the Loop Project is a curated outdoor exhibition of temporary artworks presented in partnership with the KC Streetcar. For 2024, we asked artists to respond to the Spanish word Convivencia and what it means to them and their artwork. Convivencia is a shared life with others that is a constant practice, effort, negotiation, and joint achievement while recognizing friction or opposing energy. We recognize that artists and creatives are familiar with navigating space, energy, and time amongst one another and within their communities. Join us for the Kick -Off Event on June 12!
The Downtown Council, the Downtown CID and Art in the Loop produce 3 different art, music and performance series to activate Downtown KC parks and open spaces throughout the summer! Garment District Grooves returns. Art in the Loop is back with its 2024 theme – Convivencia and new this year is Summer in the City in Oppenstein Park.
After 8-years of community engagement, planning and design work, the redevelopment of Barney Allis Plaza and the Auditorium Parking Garage in Downtown Kansas City is underway! Last week, the City Council approved funding to move forward with the demolition of the facility located in the heart of the KC Convention District at 12th & Wyandotte. The park sits on top of a garage which has recently been unusable due to dangerous conditions. Continued investment in repairs is unsustainable and the structure is beyond its useful life. The garage will close starting on Monday, April 15, 2024.
We are not fooling you…the Downtown Council’s Annual Luncheon is less than two weeks away and the deadline to get tickets is fast approaching. Table sponsorships are due by April 2nd while the deadline for individual tickets is April 5th. Registration information can be found at downtownkc.org/annual-luncheon.
In 2022, a two year strategic planning process for Downtown Kansas City, the Imagine Downtown KC Strategic Plan, culminated with the release of the plan and a vision for creating a vibrant, inclusive and equitable Downtown KC. We are now working to implement the plan with a focus on its transformative strategies and catalytic projects. With the announcement of the Yes On 1 for Jackson County Campaign last month, one of these catalytic projects is moving closer to fruition, a new Downtown Ballpark.
The Art in the Loop Foundation is pleased to announce the theme for our annual summer art exhibition and performance series in Downtown Kansas City. Each year we partner with the KC Streetcar and many other organizations and corporations to exhibit artwork on one streetcar vehicle and at various streetcar stops as well as with a performance series that will kick off in June. For 2024, we will ask artists to respond to the word “convivencia” and what it means to them and their artwork. Convivencia is a shared life with others that is a constant practice, effort, negotiation, and joint achievement while recognizing friction or opposing energy. We recognize that artists and creatives are very familiar with navigating space, energy, and time amongst one another and within their communities.
Crews with the Buck O’Neil Bridge project will shift northbound U.S. 169 traffic from the existing bridge to one of the newly constructed river bridges by approximately the end of January. Updated information will be shared once an approximate date and time is available. During the traffic shift, motorists on NB U.S. 169 may notice a one-lane closure/flagging operations. This traffic shift will allow for crews to begin work on demolishing the existing bridge and finishing work on the second river bridge structure.
The Downtown Council is now accepting nominations for its 2023 annual awards. The prized awards will be a featured element of the DTC’s popular Annual Luncheon on Friday, April 12, 2024, and a special reception on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Both events will be held in the Kay Barnes Grand Ballroom at the Kansas City Convention Center.
Welcome to the Downtown Council of Kansas City’s rebranded weekly email update, “Downtown KC Connects.” The title reflects what we do at the Downtown Council. After all, it’s our mission to connect, facilitate, advocate, and bring Kansas City’s businesses, property owners, nonprofit organizations, and anyone invested in Downtown’s success, together to make Downtown KC a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community.