Metropolitan Arts Council Of Greater Kansas City

THE MISSION OF THE ARTS COUNCIL OF METROPOLITAN KANSAS CITY (DBA ARTSKC - REGIONAL ARTS COUNCIL) IS TO UNLEASH THE POWER OF THE ARTS. WE DO SO THROUGH KEY INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT OUR WORK: WE BRING TOGETHER PEOPLE, RESOURCES AND IDEAS, WE IMAGINE, AND WE LEAD.

PROMOTE THE ARTS FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL, COMMUNITY, AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS.1. COMMUNITY RESOURCES: ARTSKC PROVIDES COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND CONNECTING AND CONVENING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY. THESE INCLUDE LEADERSHIP NETWORKING, KNOWN AS THE ARTS LEADERSHIP NETWORK (ALN), DISCUSSIONS, HOSTING FIRST FRIDAY EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE AT LOCAL ARTS FESTIVALS AND OTHER ARTS-RELATED ACTIVITIES. FOLLOWING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ARTSKC PROVIDED VIRTUAL MEETINGS TO OVER 1,000 PARTICIPANTS ON COVID-19 RELEVANT TOPICS AND SPECIFIC RESOURCES. 2. CULTURAL PORTAL FOR THE ARTS, NOW KNOWN AS ARTSKCGO.COM: WORK BEGAN IN FISCAL YEAR 2016 TO LAUNCH A COMPREHENSIVE CULTURAL EVENT CALENDAR AND RESOURCE DIRECTORIES THAT PROVIDE AN EASIER MECHANISM FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE THEIR RESPECTIVE ARTS OFFERINGS AS WELL AS FOR ARTS PATRONS TO ACCESS INFORMATION ON UPCOMING EVENTS. PHASE ONE OF THIS PORTAL, IN RESPONSE TO ONE OF THE NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY THE REGIONAL CULTURAL PLAN PROCESS, WAS LAUNCHED IN FISCAL YEAR 2017 WITH THE EVENTS CALENDAR. SINCE THAT TIME, ARTSKCGO.COM HAS ALSO LAUNCHED THE BUSINESS MODULE, THE ARTISTS' DIRECTORY, AND THE ARTS EDUCATION MODULE. ARTSKCGO.COM HAS ALSO PROVIDED STRATEGIC CONNECTIONS WHICH ALLOWS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO SHARE THE ARTSKCGO.COM CALENDAR ON THEIR OWN WEBSITES. THIS TOOL WAS A WELL-USED RESOURCE TO THE ARTS COMMUNITY AS EVENTS WERE CANCELED OR RESCHEDULED AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC INTERRUPTED ARTS EVENTS IN THE SPRING OF 2020. THIS PLATFORM SERVES CLOSE TO 400 ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND WELL OVER 400 ARTISTS IN THE REGION. 3. AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE: BASED ON THE WALLACE EVENT HELD IN 2017 AND IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARTSKCGO.COM, ARTSKC SPENT SIGNIFICANT TIME IN FISCAL YEARS 2019 AND FISCAL YEAR 2020 RESEARCHING AND IMPLEMENTING WAYS TO ADDRESS SMALL TO MID-SIZED ARTS ORGANIZATIONS' NEEDS AS THEY PERTAIN TO AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT. MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS DO NOT HAVE FULL-TIME DEDICATED STAFFING THAT CAN FOCUS ON REACHING NEW AND DIVERSE AUDIENCES FOR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. ARTSKC BEGAN THIS WORK WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING TOOLS TO HELP ARTS ORGANIZATIONS BETTER MARKET THEIR WORKS. FROM THIS RESEARCH, A FOUR-PRONGED PROGRAM EMERGED AND IS BEING FULLY DEVELOPED. THIS INCLUDES ARTSKCGO.COM, THE MARKETING CAPACITY PROGRAM, THE ARTS MARKETERS NETWORK AND THE AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT TOOL (AOT). ALL BUT AOT WERE IMPLEMENTED BY THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2020. DUE TO COVID, THE MARKETING CAPACITY PROGRAM WAS MODIFIED IN FISCAL YEAR 2021 AND WILL BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2022. FUNDRAISING COMMENCED FOR A FULL LAUNCH OF THE AOT IN FISCAL YEAR 2022. 4. OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS: EVENTS THAT FOSTER SUPPORT FOR LOCAL ARTS, EVENTS AND ART COLLECTIONS AND SERVE AS A CONDUIT FOR GREATER ARTS APPRECIATION, AUDIENCE ATTENDANCE AND SUPPORT. DUE TO COVID-19, THESE PROGRAMS WERE SHIFTED TO VIRTUAL EVENTS AND INCLUDED FRIDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY NIGHT ARTS, A WEEKLY EVENT TO SUPPORT ARTISTS' WORK.

SUPPORT ARTISTS AND ARTS AGENCIES WITH CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMS AND GRANTS.1. ARTSKC FUND, ALSO KNOWN AS THE GRANT-MAKING PROGRAM: THIS GRANT-MAKING PROGRAM PROVIDES GRANTS AND ARTIST AWARDS TO ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, ARTS EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS, ARTS PROGRAMS AND INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS. FUNDS ARE RECEIVED THROUGH WORKPLACE GIVING CAMPAIGNS, INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, FOUNDATIONS, MUNICIPALITIES AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2017, GRANTS TO SUPPORT ARTS EDUCATION EFFORTS WERE ADDED. MORE THAN 5.7 MILLION HAS BEEN GRANTED TO ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION IN 2007. 2. MENTORSHIP SERVICES FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS: ARTSKC PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS ON HOW TO SEEK GRANT FUNDING AND IN MAKING THE ARTS COMMUNITY AWARE OF UPCOMING ARTS GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. 3. NOW SHOWING: CLOSE TO 50 COMPANIES SUPPORT THE NOW SHOWING PROGRAM WHERE THEY CAN SELECT ARTWORK FROM MORE THAN 250 ARTISTS FOR DISPLAY AND SALE AT THEIR LOCAL BUSINESSES. THIS PROMOTES ART IN NON-TRADITIONAL AREAS AS WELL AS PROVIDING PLACES FOR THESE ARTISTS TO DISPLAY AND SELL THEIR WORKS. DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN EARLY 2020, MANY OF THE COMPANIES CLOSED THEIR OFFICES AND PUT THEIR EXHIBITIONS ON HOLD. ARTSKC STAFF WORKED CLOSELY IN LATE FISCAL YEAR 2020 WITH THESE COMPANIES AS THEY RE-OPENED THEIR OFFICES AND STARTED SHOWING ARTWORK AGAIN. PARTICIPATION INCREASED IN FISCAL YEAR 2021 AS MORE COMPANIES RE-OPENED. 4. FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS: ARTSKC SUPPORTS THE GROWTH OF LOCAL ARTISTIC VENTURES BY SERVING AS A FISCAL SPONSOR FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS OR EVENTS TO EXPAND ARTISTIC REACH. THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS HAVE INCLUDED SPONSORING THE FAB ARTS COLLABORATIVE, BRUSH CREEK ART WALK, BOB MOTLEY COMPLETES THE FIELD OF LEGENDS PROJECT, THE NATIONAL STORYTELLING NETWORK, THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON EDUCATION FOR THE CERAMIC ARTS, THE PRINT SOCIETY OF GREATER KANSAS CITY, MOVEMENTKC, THINKING UP!KC, THE KANSAS CITY ARTISTS COALITION AND FISCAL SUPPORT FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS MARKETING GROUP (PAMG), ALSO KNOWN AS KC LIVE ARTS. A NEW FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IN FISCAL YEAR 2021 HAS BEEN THE PARADE OF HEARTS. THIS IS A $1-2 MILLION PROJECT IN WHICH UP TO 150 FULL-SIZE HEARTS WILL BE CREATED BY ARTISTS AND OTHERS FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY TO INCREASE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION. 5. DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES: ARTSKC WORKS TO BUILD A MORE INCLUSIVE KANSAS CITY THROUGH THE ARTS BY LEADING DIALOGUES DESIGNED TO PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF DIVERSE ARTS LEADERS. ARTSKC HAS COLLABORATED WITH LOCAL AND NATIONAL PARTNERS IN THESE ENDEAVORS. SEVERAL EVENTS WERE BEING PLANNED TO BE HELD IN 2020 AROUND THIS INITIATIVE. DUE TO COVID-19, NO EVENTS WERE ABLE TO BE HELD IN FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUT ARTSKC CONTINUES TO MEET REGULARLY WITH OTHER CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS TO MOVE THIS AGENDA FORWARD. NEW PROGRAMMING IS BEING PLANNED FOR LAUNCH IN FISCAL YEAR 2022 TO ADDRESS THIS CRITICAL NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.

ADVOCATE FOR THE ARTS BY EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDING FOR THE ARTS. 1. ADVOCACY OVERALL: THIS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE HAS BEEN A PRIORITY OF ARTSKC SINCE 2015, BUT OUR MOST EFFECTIVE IMPACT HAS BEEN IN FISCAL YEAR 2019 AND FISCAL YEAR 2020. WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF AN EXPERT AND INFLUENTIAL ADVOCACY COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY STRONG BOARD MEMBERS AND COUPLED WITH COUNTLESS HOURS OF OUTREACH BY THE ARTSKC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, ARTSKC HAS ACHIEVED MUCH IN THIS TIMEFRAME. A FORMAL ADVOCACY AGENDA HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR THREE FULL YEARS WITH THE POSITION THAT THE ARTS CONTRIBUTE TOWARD INCLUSIVE PROSPERITY IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IN FISCAL YEAR 2019 AND FISCAL YEAR 2020, ARTSKC PARTNERED WITH REGIONAL AGENCIES TO ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DESIGN AND INTEGRATION OF PUBLIC ART IN THE KCI PLANS. WE ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON THE ACTIVATION AND SUPPORT OF REGIONAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR PUBLIC ART INFRASTRUCTURES. AS CIVIC COLLABORATORS, ADVOCATES, AND PARTNERS, WE ENDEAVOR TO SUPPORT AND POTENTIALLY ALIGN WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO IMPROVE AND GROW OUR REGION. AS ADVOCATES FOR THE ARTS, WE KNOW THE ARTS ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE OF EVERYONE IN OUR REGION. OTHER PROGRAM AREAS UNDER THIS INITIATIVE INCLUDE: 2. ANNUAL AWARDS LUNCHEON: ARTSKC HOSTS AN ANNUAL LUNCHEON IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE PROVIDED AWARDS AND RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE REGIONAL ARTS ECOLOGY. MORE THAN 900 PEOPLE COME TOGETHER EACH YEAR TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK THESE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR THEIR STELLAR SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS. DUE TO COVID-19, THIS LUNCHEON WAS NOT HELD IN FISCAL YEAR 2021. 3. HOSTING AND SPONSORING ADVOCACY EVENTS: ARTSKC PROVIDES MEETING SPACE AND RESOURCES FOR THE HOSTING OF EVENTS THAT RAISE THE AWARENESS OF THE ECONOMIC VALUE AND QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THE ARTS PROVIDE TO THE KANSAS CITY REGION. IT TYPICALLY HOSTS ONE EVENT PER YEAR. ARTSKC, WITH MCA COORDINATES A GROUP OF RESIDENTS AND CIVIC LEADERS TO ATTEND THE MISSOURI ARTS LEGISLATIVE DAY IN JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI. TYPICALLY MORE THAN 40 PEOPLE PARTICIPATE EACH YEAR. FISCAL YEAR 2021 WAS HELD REMOTELY DUE TO COVID-19. 4. ARTS EDUCATION ADVOCACY: IN FISCAL YEAR 2016 ARTSKC BEGAN EXPLORING HOW IT COULD HELP FURTHER THE CAUSE AND PROMOTE THE VALUE OF ARTS EDUCATION. RESEARCH WAS DONE AND PARTNERSHIPS FORMED. IN FISCAL YEARS 2017 AND 2018, ARTSKC PROVIDED GRANT SUPPORT FOR ARTS EDUCATION WORK, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE METRO PARTNERS IN EDUCATION PROGRAM. THIS IS CURRENTLY A BI-STATE COLLABORATION WITH AN ARTS ORGANIZATION AND TWO SCHOOLS. THIS COLLABORATIVE HOSTS AN ANNUAL ARTS INTEGRATION SYMPOSIUM IN JULY EACH YEAR AND OFFERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CURRICULA DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR TEACHING ARTISTS TO WORK WITH EDUCATORS IN BOTH ARTS ENHANCEMENT AND ARTS INTEGRATION. IN FISCAL YEARS 2018, 2019, AND 2020 ARTSKC CONTRACTED WITH A RESEARCHER TO UNDERTAKE EVALUATION OF THE CURRICULA AND DOCUMENT THE BENEFITS OF ARTS INTEGRATION IN SCHOOLS. THE THIRD AND FINAL YEAR OF EVALUATION IS CURRENTLY WAS PUT ON HOLD DUE TO THE IMPACT THAT COVID-19 HAS HAD ON THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE FINAL REPORT IS EXPECTED TO BE RECEIVED IN FISCAL YEAR 2022. 5. ARTS & ECONOMIC PROSPERITY STUDY: IN FISCAL YEAR 2016, ARTSKC WAS THE ORGANIZATION THAT GATHERED REGIONAL ARTS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY DATA, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS (AFTA) NATIONAL STUDY. THIS DATA WAS BASED ON THE CALENDAR YEAR OF 2015 AND WAS THE FIFTH (5TH) STUDY DONE BY AFTA. IN FISCAL YEAR 2017, THE DATA GATHERING WORK WAS COMPLETED AND ARTSKC WORKED WITH AFTA ON THE MESSAGING TO ROLL OUT THE DATA FOR THIS STUDY TO THE REGION. THE STUDY GENERATED DATA ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SPENDING BY THE KC REGION'S NOT-FOR-PROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR AUDIENCES. ARTSKC ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE 2012 ARTS & ECONOMIC PROSPERITY STUDY IV. THIS DATA ILLUSTRATES GROWTH OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THIS DATA IS VITAL TO ADVOCACY WORK TO EDUCATE ELECTED AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ARTS' ECONOMIC IMPACT. THE ROLL OUT OF THE DATA IN FISCAL YEAR 2018 WAS DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH JOHNSON COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL AND THE KANSAS CITY OFFICE OF CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SERVICES, PROVIDING A REGIONAL APPROACH. SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS OCCURRED IN FISCAL YEAR 2019 AROUND THIS DATA. IT ALSO HAS THE AFTA ARTS ECONOMIC IMPACT CALCULATOR ON ITS WEBSITE AND THE USE OF THIS TOOL WAS ALSO PROMOTED. LITTLE ACTIVITY OCCURRED IN FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUT ARTSKC WILL TAKE A LEAD ROLE IN THE SIXTH SUCH STUDY WITH AFTA IN FISCAL YEAR 2022.