2020 AWARDS LUNCHEON NOMINATION FINALISTS - ArtsKC
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2020 AWARDS LUNCHEON NOMINATION FINALISTS
VIRTUOSO AWARD An exceptional individual for their dedicated volunteerism, their artistic contributions, and/or their impact and work within the Kansas City region arts community as a whole. • Katie Mabry Van Dieren • Lonnie Powell • Pat and Beth McCown
KATIE MABRY VAN DIEREN
Katie Mabry van Dieren is the is the Owner and Curator of one of the world's
top indie craft fairs, The Strawberry Swing and the Co-Founder and Director
of Arts & Programming of Troost Market Collective, a non-profit organization
whose mission is to create equitable economic opportunity for creative
entrepreneurs, inspiring future generations through innovative partnerships
and programming. Katie is a champion for community and the maker
movement. Her own maker business, Papillon Kate, leads one of Etsy's
largest maker teams with over 800 local Etsy businesses. She is also a
contributing writer to The Kansas City Star's Maker City KC, which highlights
the city’s many makers and entrepreneurs, creating an audience for maker
spaces and the spirit of innovation in our city. Katie also is the lead for the
Makers & Creators track of Global Entrepreneurship Week, an international
celebration of the makers, innovators and job creators who launch startups
and bring ideas to life.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
https://www.thepitchkc.com/katie-mabry-van-dieren-answers-the-pitch-questionnaire/
LONNIE POWELL (1 of 2)
Lonnie Powell is a graduate of Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri where he was privileged
to study under the guidance of the late James Dallas Parks whose influence spread well beyond the
sphere of art. The vast majority of his career was as an art teacher in the Kansas City, Missouri
School District.
Powell has shown in and around his beloved city of KCMO in many venues including solo and group
exhibits at Ethnic Art Gallery, The Central Exchange, Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center and
Museum, American Jazz Museum’s Changing Gallery, The Vine Street Studio, The 18th Street
Studio, The Review Studio and many others. He has exhibited at a number of area colleges and
universities including Park University, Parkville, Missouri; Western Missouri University, St. Joseph,
Missouri; Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri; Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Missouri
where he spent a year (1969-1970) as artist in residence; The University of Central Missouri,
Warrensburg, Missouri; Avila College, Kansas City, Missouri; William Jewell College, Liberty,
Missouri; and Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
His art is in numerous private collections, as well as corporate and museum collections including: Sprint Corporation, H & R Block Corporation, Federal Reserve
Bank of Kansas City, Fishnet Corporation, Andrews/McMeel Universal, Sports Association Management, Inc., Truman Medical Center, Kansas City Chiefs
Arrowhead Art Collection and permanent collections at The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, American Jazz Museum, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, and
Mulvane Art Museum.
LONNIE POWELL (2 of 2)
PREVIOUS RECOGNITIONS
• Powell has had art accepted in competitions at The Portfolio Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri;
• The Atlanta Life Insurance Company’s African-American National Art Competition and Exhibition,
Atlanta, Georgia;
• The Black Arts Festival, Dayton Ohio;
• The Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City, Missouri;
• The National Watercolor Society, Brea, California; and
• The St. Louis Art Fair, Clayton, Missouri.
• Powell is a Signature Member of The National Watercolor Society and his award winning watercolor,
South Sun, toured the country in 2006 with The National Society’s 85th Annual Traveling Exhibition.
PAT AND BETH MCCOWN (1 of 2)
Pat and Beth McCown have served the Kansas City community for years with their philanthropic
spirit and advocacy for the arts. Pat has served as chairman of the board for both ArtsKC and the
Kansas City Art Institute. He has also served as co-chair of the Business Council for the Nelson-
Atkins Museum of Art and a corporate partner of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. What
makes Pat and Beth such special treasures in the Kansas City arts community is that they don’t just
write checks; they fight to support the arts. Beyond simply supporting area arts financially, the
McCowns have donated their time and energy to chair countless events and serve on the boards of
several arts organizations across the city. Beth has sat on the board for the Lyric Opera Ball and has
served as the treasurer for that organization.
When Pat served as the Chair of the Development committee of Starlight Theatre in 2014, he greatly
helped Starlight meets its financial goals of the event. Starlight had hoped to net $500,000 from the
event and was still $25,000 under its goal, something that Pat would not let happen. Pat and Beth
both strongly supported the idea of doing a public ask for support the night of the event, which ended
up raising more than $28,000 in additional donations. The McCowns led by example, donating
$1,000 to help Starlight meet its goal.
Pat and Beth together co-chaired the Störling Dance Theater’s Inspire Freedom Gala in 2013 and in 2015 teamed up once again to serve as the honorary chairmen for
the Arts Council of Johnson County Shooting Stars Gala. Since its creation, the Shooting Stars Program has recognized over 1,000 high school seniors and awarded
over $250,000 in college scholarships. Beyond their service as honorary chairmen, Pat and Beth are also Arts Ambassadors for the Arts Council of Johnson County.
Additionally, Pat and Beth have supported arts organizations all across Kansas City, including the Lyric Opera, Arts Council of Metro KC, the Kansas City Symphony
and Starlight Theatre. Their generous and dedicated support has contributed to valuable artistic impression all across the city.
PAT AND BETH MCCOWN (2 of 2)
Pat and Beth McCown are dedicated individuals who have exemplified what it means to be a steward
of your gifts. Together, they have chaired events including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Black Tie Ball, Red Hot Nights for Children’s Mercy, and Variety Children’s Charity’s Inaugural Variety
Show. They have also donated to countless causes in Kansas City, including both most certainly not
limited to World Vision, Hope House, KC Rescue Mission, Ronald McDonald House and United Way.
Their commitment to service, philanthropy and the arts is inspiring and has impacted Kansas City for
generations to come.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/McCown-
supplement.pdf
ARTS INNOVATION AWARD An area nonprofit organization that fosters an environment of creativity and inclusion, supports local artists and/or arts organizations, and provides exemplary leadership in the arts community. • UMKC Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation + The Kansas City Art Institute • Music 4 Jeremy Cherubs Foundation • Interurban Art House • Kansas City Young Audiences
UMKC REGNIER INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP &
INNOVATION + KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE (1 of 3)
As traditional career pathways for artists become more and more competitive, the ability of artists to create their
own opportunities is a necessity. Entrepreneurship education is one way in which institutions are training the
artist to be an entrepreneur. In an innovative new collaboration, KCAI and RIEI have launched a minor in
Entrepreneurial Studies in Art & Design (Entrepreneurial Studies). The program is available to all students at
KCAI. Entrepreneurial Studies directly meets the need to equip art and design students with the relevant
business skills required to be competitive in today’s multifaceted market. Since a majority of graduating alumni
stay in the region, our local and area businesses will directly benefit from graduates having business knowledge
and skills. This creates versatile students who are business-minded problem-solvers and creative thinkers who
add value to any employer, or who start their own business in our community.
When last year’s freshman class declared majors, approximately 1/3 of the class (approximately 50 students)
declared the new minor. Fall 2019 is the first semester the program has been officially offered. 22 students are
currently enrolled in the two available courses.
Additional Partnerships:
KCAI’s unique geographic position between the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art provides faculty the opportunity to teach from actual
objects in galleries and bring art history to life. Students can enrich their academic experience with internships such as the elite Durwood intern program at the Nelson-Atkins, where
they experience every aspect of curating, conserving, lighting and operating an art museum. The college enjoys partnerships with several area organizations such as Hallmark,
Cerner, and an exciting new partnership with the Rabbit Hole, where students have developed exhibits based upon classic and new children’s stories. KCAI also engages in formal
collaborations with several local businesses. Through our Sponsored Studio program, students help clients like Kansas City Royals and UMB Bank creatively solve challenges and
capitalize on business opportunities. Last year, our illustration students created all of the mural store fronts for the UMB Bank’s School of Economics which teaches area elementary
students business and money management concepts. This real-world experience is what gives our students the skills and confidence to be career-ready upon graduation.
RIEI benefits from its position within the University of Missouri System and has partnerships with an array of entities across campus and the system. We actively pursue
opportunities with other departments to offer entrepreneurship education and programs. We partner with the Innovation Center and KCSourceLink to offer workshops to the public.
For the last two years, Blue Cross Blue Shield has provided a health innovation track as part of our annual student pitch competition. Over the summer, RIEI established a
partnership with Plexpod to provide workshops, resources and mentoring for entrepreneurs that office in Plexpod and the community.
UMKC REGNIER INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP &
INNOVATION + KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE (2 of 3)
Kansas City Art Institute:
• Assistant Professor of Liberal Arts, Anne Boyer received two major literary awards in 2018, including the inaugural Cy Twombly Award for
Poetry and recognition from the Whiting Foundation as one of ten emerging writers in Non-Fiction Poetry.
• Assistant Professor in Photography Steve Rowell both received the highly competitive Guggenheim Fellowship award based on prior
achievement and exceptional promise. Guggenheim Fellowships allow artists and scholars to pursue their creative endeavors.
• Windgate Student Recipients
• Non-Profit Connect Philly Awards
• Make48 Competition Winners
Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation:
• 2019 Model Program Award - UMKC Bloch School Regnier Institute - United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship
(USASBE) - Recognizes colleges and universities that provide comprehensive, bold, high quality educational programs that train future
generations of entrepreneurs.
• 2019 Global Award in Entrepreneurship Education Excellence - UMKC Bloch School Regnier Institute - International Council of Small
Business (ICSB) - Recognizes excellence in entrepreneurship education at the programmatic level.
Joint Recognition:
• Andy Heise (RIEI) and Chris Chapin (KCAI) conference presentation was accepted to present at the Society for Arts Entrepreneurship
Education conference. “Partnerships in Arts Entrepreneurship Education”UMKC REGNIER INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION + KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE (3 of 3) SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Regnier- Letter-of-Support.pdf https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Kansas-City- Art-Institute-introduces-Entrepreneurial-Studies-minor-Kansas- City-Business-Journal.pdf https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Entrepreneurial-Studies-Card_V1.pdf https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/UMKC-KC-Art- Institute-work-to-prepare-artists-for-business-Kansas-City- Business-Journal.pdf
MUSIC 4 JEREMY CHERUBS FOUNDATION
Music 4 Jeremy's Cherubs Foundation began in memory for their son, Jeremy Frye, who succumbed to
a brain tumor at age 23. Since Jeremy was preparing to become a band director, collecting, rehabbing,
and donating musical instruments to children and youth was a natural. In ten years since its inception,
M4JC has donated more than 2300 instruments to youth in the Greater Kansas City area and around
the world. M4JC has also donated more than 500 guitars to traumatically injured soldiers and awarded
more than 30 scholarships to music students and future music educators. Musical instruments are
donated to individual youth, to schools, and to organizations that support music education. The Kansas
City Harmony Project at the Northeast Community Center provides music education to hundreds of
children. Several KCMO charter schools have received large numbers of instruments as has a volunteer
music instructor teaching at St. James Methodist Church. A number of drum sets have been received by
high school pep bands and Scuola Vita Nuovo School was thrilled to receive a full drum line set. Christo
Rey High School was delighted that their musical instruments were rehabbed. Scouts have completed
their Eagle Award projects with M4JC. The instrument rehabbing process has been enhanced through a
partnership with BAC Horn Doctor who donates their labor. In return, M4JC supported BAC's charitable
work struck by disasters in New Orleans and Joplin.
M4JC’s founder and director, Dr. Harold Frye, was honored with the Pinnacle Award for Advocacy and community engagement by
Johnson county Library Foundation in 2013 for his work to bring music education to children and youth.
https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/M4JC-
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
program.pdfINTERURBAN ART HOUSE (1 of 2) At InterUrban ArtHouse in Johnson County, artists and creative industries work and prosper in an affordable, sustainable and inclusive space. The organization runs programs including a professional development program for artists and entrepreneurs and an art therapy program. InterUrban also facilitates district-wide cultural planning with leaders from civic, merchant, education and nonprofit sectors. Its new building houses a classroom, gallery exhibit space and a dozen studios that can host 20 to 40 artists at a time. InterUrban ArtHouse has done something really special — create a community space where creative people thrive. Founder Nicole Emanuel put it best when she said, “Working together is motivating and reminds you of why you’re doing what you’re doing.” InterUrban offers innovative community outreach including professional development programs for creative entrepreneurs. Nicole and her efforts with the InterUrban ArtHouse are paving the way to make Downtown Overland Park a cultural hotbed in the greater Kansas City area. From their work with area schools, adults with developmental disabilities, providing affordable studio space to emerging and established artists to the redevelopment of the Overland Park Post Office into the new, innovative home of the ArtHouse, her contributions continue to make Downtown a desirable place to work and play. Ongoing efforts between InterUrban ArtHouse, the county, the city and the Downtown Overland Park Partnership are looking towards bringing creative placemaking to the area while creating a cultural/innovation district designation.
INTERURBAN ART HOUSE (2 of 2) InterUrban ArtHouse‘s programs have been developed to serve needs identified through our research and community outreach. They are continually growing their five primary programs through community, art and civic partnerships: ArtMatters, ArtWorks, ArtsConnect, ArtSmart, and ArtHeals. See more about each program at http://www.interurbanarthouse.org/programs/. Partnerships with area schools, Growing Futures Early Education Center and the Johnson County Development Center have allowed InterUrban ArtHouse the opportunity to impact diverse and otherwise underserved communities with artist outreach. They also provide educational workshops for entrepreneurs looking to build, shape and cultivate their own small business.
Kansas City Young Audiences (1 of 6)
Though their performances are rarely advertised on KC billboards, and their artists
more likely to perform in school gyms than the Kauffman Center, Kansas City
Young Audiences (KCYA) can fairly be described as the source of our community’s
involvement in the arts. For nearly 60 years, they’ve humbly and doggedly pursued
a vital mission – to give all KC Metro children the creative tools to develop as
powerful thinkers, learners, citizens, and advocates for the arts. Creativity and
inclusivity are written into KCYA’s mission – “To engage all youth in the arts,
promote creativity, and inspire success in education.”
KCYA, one of the largest members of the national Young Audiences Arts for Learning network and a KS/MO member of The Kennedy Center Partners in Education,
executes on their mission through a number of programs:
• A broad range of arts experiences in schools is ensured by the Arts Partners program, which KCYA administers.
• In their Community School of the Arts (CSA) classes, visual, written and performing arts are taught by a roster of experienced teaching artists.
• Teaching artists of the School and Community Programs are also deployed into the classroom to integrate creative methods and philosophies to traditional school
curricula.
• As a Kennedy Center Partner, KCYA joins the Carlsen Center, and the Shawnee Mission and Liberty, MO school districts to promote the professional learning of
teachers.
• Finally, KCYA and KC STEM Alliance continue their STEAM Residency program with growing success, expanding into after-school programs.
“AMAZING! It [STEAM Residency] defied my expectations to see my students, beaming with excitement, make connections that would be considered "higher level
thinking" for kids three years older. To see them focus, create, question and work collaboratively was one of myKansas City Young Audiences (2 of 6) Why should we care about KCYA? Because arts integration promotes learning which is active, experiential, reflective, evolving, collaborative, and problem- solving – characteristics children must have to navigate the speed and change of the years ahead. • Children learn that art is not a separate activity that lives outside academic instruction, but in everyday life as a pathway to greater understanding of language, math, and sciences. They may grow to pursue a full-time art career or choose to live an artistic life in whatever day job they hold. • Young brains are taught to learn flexibly, seek options, pair the expected with the unexpected, and explore beyond the status quo – the definition of innovation. What could be more needed now than showing our children that multiple roads to a solution are possible? As technology encroaches on rote tasks, human creativity takes on even more importance. • Children gain self-confidence from achieving skills and performing in front of peers and audiences. They learn the importance of experimentation, failure and persistence. They learn personal expression -- that they possess a unique point of view. Additionally, in KCYA integrative programs and classes, children create. Dances aren’t just set upon them, they choreograph. They don’t just learn music, they write it. They don’t just memorize content; they work with others to make their own ideas come alive. “This production…stretched Caroline in so many wonderful ways. And taught her invaluable life lessons about stepping out of your comfort zone, working hard and believing in yourself. Thank you for this amazing opportunity. You are making a difference!”—CSA Parent
Kansas City Young Audiences (3 of 6) In addition to their creative mission, KCYA works hard to integrate the arts into the educational experiences of students throughout our region, regardless of economic ability. On the heels of a successful capital campaign and move to a gorgeous multi-use space in the heart of Midtown, KCYA has made great strides in increasing and measuring engaging arts experiences for students, particularly those from low-income households. • KCYA serves more than 100,000 students each year and roughly 70% qualify for public assistance. • Moving KCYA’s from St. Theresa’s in Brookside to 37th and Main has increased exposure, access, and awareness for CSA programming and KCYA’s visibility in general. • Through the generosity of the philanthropic community, the CSA is able to provide financial assistance for a significant number of students ensuring access to many who would not otherwise be able to participate. In FY 2019 the CSA had 1,964 enrollments, 15% of which were supported by scholarship. “The work these men do with my students is amazing…I am continually surprised that my traditionally mute students spark up and open up in these workshops. Also, I want to say that I could see these gentlemen as visiting artists in residence in the KCMO school district. They are so constructive and positive.” ~ Teacher, Kansas City Public Schools, regarding Dramatic Art and Rhythm, with the Recipe Guild Established in 1961 to provide children classical music in the schools, KCYA has become so much more. Thoughtful, adaptable planning, long-term vision, and the inarguable value of their programs have made KCYA a Kansas City arts institution and the largest non-profit arts education provider in the region.
Kansas City Young Audiences (4 of 6) KCYA has many partnerships specifically designed for improved access to the arts for children from economically and ethnically diverse communities. STEAM Residency program: Originally begun with support from the Francis Family Foundation and DST Systems, KCYA and KC STEM Alliance STEAM Residency program continues to grow, with a focus professional development to encourage and assist teachers in integrating the arts into STEM subjects. A classroom teacher and professional teaching artist are paired for a semester long partnership to implement a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) LAUNCH curriculum module in the classroom. After completing the professional development and planning meetings, the teaching artist visits each classroom throughout the semester to lead or co-lead the specific lessons. For example, a teaching artist used dance to illustrate the concept of computer coding to Kindergarteners. Students were able to name a creature and associate it with a piece of colored construction paper. The different colored papers were then laid out in a pathway. Students created a movement associated with each of the creatures/paper (a snake –yellow paper, a bird - pink paper, an elephant - blue paper, etc.) As the children made their way from one paper square to the next, their “dance” changed to represent each creature. In this way, they were learning the concept of computer coding. The paper was telling them what to do and where to go. The collaboration established between the teaching artist and educator provides the educator with the support, creativity and confidence to integrate the arts into STEM curriculum, effectively engaging students in new and creative ways. Now the support for STEAM is growing. This year, KCYA received a grant from American Express to underwrite STEM + Arts Integration programming, in partnership with the Local Investment Commission (LINC), to explore STEM + Arts Integration in the afterschool space. KCYA will take lessons learned in the STEAM residency project into nine LINC sites, providing multiple afterschool artist residencies in each location throughout the year. Our STEAM programs provide a laboratory to explore and document the success of arts integration in non-arts curriculum. The results have been extraordinary, leading to a decisive shift in attitudes among educators about arts integration and the role of the arts in the classroom. Links to STEAM project videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxMl7lW3nn1PFNxDQAaVPuav-NHD5Jp7t
Kansas City Young Audiences (5 of 6) Destination Imagination Global Finals: A new and innovative partnership in 2019, Destination Imagination (DI) is an education non-profit that engages participants in project-based challenges designed to build confidence and develop creativity, critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills. KCYA was part of the team that recruited DI to bring 17,000 student participants, chaperones and family members to Kansas City for. KCYA was the exclusive provider of arts education workshops for attendees, providing 143 workshops in multiple creative disciplines. DI will return in 2020 and KCYA will again serve their participants. The Kennedy Center Partners in Education: KCYA is thrilled to announce their membership beginning this year in the KS/MO team of The Kennedy Center Partners in Education; a national partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts designed to assist arts organizations throughout the nation to develop or expand educational partnerships with their local school systems. KCYA joins the Carlsen Center, Liberty School District and Shawnee Mission School District. The primary purpose of these school/community partnerships is to promote the professional learning of teachers, which is an essential component of efforts to include the arts in education for students. Recently KCYA hosted with other KS/MO Partners a 3-day Arts Integration Symposium at the Kauffman Conference Center featuring Kennedy Center Teaching Artists and attracting teachers, teaching artists and administrators from 8 MO and KS counties. Arts Partners: KCYA expanded opportunities for students by launching the innovative Arts Partners program in 1985. Arts Partners is a consortium of 15 premier KC arts organizations who provide innovative, sequential arts-in-education programs for grades K-12, successfully integrating arts education into the curriculum of participating school districts. This service provides schools with planning assistance and coordinated access to the Partners so that the arts are an integral part of every child’s education. Students enjoy arts education tied to science, mathematics, social studies, and language arts provided by the Arts Partners organizations, including KCYA’s own School & Community Programs. These Arts Partners programs are purchased on a contractual basis — ensuring district-wide continuity – and serve mainly students in Title I schools where more than 40% of the student population qualifies for the free or reduced-price lunch program. The Arts Partners program has served as a model for replication by other Young Audiences affiliates around the country including Dallas, Houston, Cleveland, Wichita and Buffalo.
Kansas City Young Audiences (6 of 6)
RECOGNITIONS
Destination Imagination Global Finals: A new and innovative partnership in 2019, Destination Imagination (DI) is an education non-profit that engages
participants in project-based challenges designed to build confidence and develop creativity, critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills. KCYA was part
of the team that recruited DI to bring 17,000 student participants, chaperones and family members to Kansas City for. KCYA was the exclusive provider of arts
education workshops for attendees, providing 143 workshops in multiple creative disciplines. DI will return in 2020 and KCYA will again serve their participants.
KCYA is an affiliate of the national Young Audiences Arts for Learning network, the leading provider of arts education programs in the United States. The
National organization was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1993, and each affiliate was presented with the medal.
As a KS/MO Kennedy Center Partner in Education, KCYA’s commitment to enabling classroom with the tools for success is nationally recognized.
The most important recognition we receive are from those we serve:
” Thank you so very much for the time, energy and talent you gave to this year’s [theater] production. [My student] looks forward to this all year long and this is a
testament to the sense of fun and community you create. This production will be one we remember always!” – CSA Parent
2019 KCYA Luncheon video – don’t miss this one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1JUqsVvgBI
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Anita-
Able.KCYA-letter-of-support.pdf
https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ArtsKC-
Nomination-KCYA-2020.pdfARTS EDUCATION AWARD K-12 education systems (public or private) that have made a commitment to making the arts an integral part of their educational approach. • Academy for Integrated Arts
ACADEMY FOR INTEGRATED ARTS (1 of 3)
At Academy for Integrated Arts, the arts serve as a catalyst for learning, achievement,
curiosity and strong self-esteem. Through the arts, this KCMO charter school fosters
students’ imagination and empowers the innovators of the future.
AFIA’s mission is to use the arts to prepare students for an admissions-based college
preparatory secondary school. Visual art, music and performance are used for teaching all
core subjects: science and social studies, literacy, fine arts and physical movement, and
mathematics.
Currently, traditional school curricula marginalizes the arts in favor of a narrow focus on reading and math. AFIA operates from the standpoint that such a strategy is
counter productive, as students are best able to learn important skills and strategies in an authentic, meaningful context that includes student-centered project work and
arts integration. With this approach, students are more engaged. They more readily grasp the subject matter and internalize it — they know it, rather than memorize it.
In November 2015, AFIA began a capital campaign to purchase and renovate the abandoned King Louie East Bowling Alley at 7910 Troost. Within six months, they raised
over $3,000,000 and have continued to raise additional funds.
With Helix Architecture & Design, AFIA created an inspiring space with a modern configuration of common areas and classrooms, including new areas dedicated to music
and fine arts. The school would like to transform their expansive outdoor space with an outdoor classroom (butterfly gardens, etc) so students can learn about the natural
world and understand what it means to be good stewards of the Earth.
A majority of AFIA’s students live in poverty, and at any given time, at least 10% are homeless. Many begin the school year below grade level. That’s why AFIA works
diligently to implement trauma-sensitive practices.
“We know that children can thrive in the face of adversity, but we also know that poverty, hunger and homeless make staying focused on academics an arduous task. In
response, we continue to grow our Resilient Schooling practices, drawing from the work of Trauma Sensitive Schools. Arts integration serves as a powerful way to grow
resiliency in our students and our learning community,” says Tricia DeGraff, AFIA executive director.ACADEMY FOR INTEGRATED ARTS (2 of 3) AFIA’s work is significant, particularly considering that the population of children it serves are often excluded from arts opportunities: "A substantial body of evidence demonstrates a positive impact of arts engagement on students, teachers, and schools. Despite this evidence, the implementation of arts programming across the country is disproportionately distributed and subject to elimination. This most often occurs in a context of limited resources and a focus on accountability and high stakes testing, especially in communities that serve low-income students" (Stoelinga, Silk, Reddy, & Rhaman, 2015. http://bit.ly/2hoJKL9) “We believe in arts integration and are committed to ensuring our students have access to the arts. We partner with local organizations like Kansas City Young Audiences, City in Motion Dance School and Base Academy of Music to provide our students with high quality arts experiences,” says DeGraff. AFIA actively seeks grant funding and other resources. However, the school's leadership believes that integrating the arts is not cost prohibitive. For example, no materials are necessary when students use dance to grapple with a science concept or deepen understanding about the Civil Rights Movement. Plus, our city is full of fantastic resources that enable AFIA to connect their students to the arts community outside the school. For instance, many art museums and theater venues offer bus stipends for Title I schools. During the 2018-19 school year, at a small cost, students experienced the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, and plays at Coterie and Johnson County Community College. AFIA has received grant funding to bring teaching artists to AFIA, including teaching artists from Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey.
ACADEMY FOR INTEGRATED ARTS (2 of 2)
RECOGNITIONS
Keyonia Cobbins, 5th grade teacher, was awarded the
Kansas City Charter Elementary Teacher of the Year in May
2019. AFIA is in the final stages of a grant application from
the Missouri Arts Council. This grant will provide opportunities
for teachers and students to work with a local teaching artist.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/AFIA-
Supporting-Materials.pdfEQUITY IN THE ARTS AWARD An individual for exceptional efforts to promote and embrace diversity, equity and inclusion in arts and culture programming. • Greg Reid • Deanna Munoz
GREG REID (1 of 2)
Greg Reid was a Starlight Board member when the theatre initiated its Future Generations capital campaign in 2003.
While he and his wife, Rebecca, were certainly interested in helping Starlight expand and improve its physical facility,
they were equally interested in helping to bring a more ethnically diverse pool of talent to the Starlight stage.
The couple had relocated to Kansas City from San Francisco in the 1990s, and their passion for the performing arts
quickly led them to Starlight. While they thoroughly enjoyed the experience, they also noticed an opportunity for
improvement. As Greg explained in a 2006 article in The Olathe News, “As we’ve gone to the shows, we’ve certainly
noticed that there is an opportunity for more diversity in the productions. So it occurred to us that anything we could do
to encourage youth to take an interest or expand their interest in the theater would be a good thing for Kansas City and
beyond.”
Thus was the impetus for the Reids’ establishment of the Vincent Legacy Scholarship program in 2006. They chose to
name the scholarship in honor and memory of Greg’s infant son, Vincent, who had died several years earlier.
The Reids contributed an initial $50,000 donation for the establishment of an endowment to fund annual scholarships for
minority students in grades 6, 7 and 8. Annual Vincent Legacy Scholarships in the amount of $2,500 were to be
awarded to youth with the intention was to provide funds to young performers whose families might not otherwise be
able to afford training in vocal performance, dance and/or acting.
Financial need and a demonstrated passion/proclivity for the performing arts, however, are not the only criteria that scholarship candidates have to demonstrate each
year. To be considered, young people must have good grades, a strong school attendance record and interest/ participation in community service.
To date, 40 aspiring young Kansas City performers have been awarded $2,500 Vincent Legacy scholarships. With Starlight stewarding utilization of the funds,
scholars have used their dollars all types of performance training – from improv classes at Kansas City Young Audiences to master classes at the Coterie,
professional voice lessons, hip-hop classes at Kristi’s Academy of Dance, Team Shakespeare courses, and even a six-week Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive Program
in New York City.
In addition, the Reid’s support extends well beyond the scholarships they help provide. Every holiday season, Starlight and the Reids host a reunion for the all of the
scholars that have been a part of the VLS program. This allows the Reids to continue to be a mentor in these scholars’ lives, and makes it so the scholars can keep
in touch with each other and form friendships that will last a lifetime.GREG REID (2 of 2)
Greg and Rebecca were awarded the Broadway League's Star of Touring Broadway in 2015.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Reids-Equity-
in-the-Arts.pdfDEANNA MUNOZ
Deanna Munoz has worked so hard to provide a forum for
underserved artists, both novice and expierienced, in the
Latino community. Through the Latino Arts Festival, artists are
able to showcase their work and appreciate the work of other
artists in visual arts, dance, creative writing and music.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS https://www.bustle.com/p/what-is-deanna-from-queer-eye-
doing-now-shes-still-making-kansas-citys-art-scene-more-
dynamic-18201192ARTS UNITY AWARD An outstanding business, nonprofit organization, or individual for connecting regional arts and culture directly to community life through unique programs and measurable social impact. • The Whole Person’s Expressions Art Exhibition • The Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City
THE WHOLE PERSON’S EXPRESSIONS ART EXHIBITION (1 of 3)
The Expressions Art Exhibition is a program which was created by The Whole Person to provide
opportunities for artists with disabilities in Kansas City to show their work in professional settings and
engage in development and networking events. Currently in its 9th year, Expressions boasts a collection of
works from a diverse group: artists using a myriad of medium, with various disabilities, from all parts of the
metro area.
In recent years, Expressions has seen growth with the addition of a planning committee, made up of
volunteers from the arts community. The committee is also responsible for selecting the group of artists
who will exhibit during the year. Strong relationships with UMKC, The Epsten Gallery, The Johnson County
Arts Council, InterUrban ArtHouse, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, to name a few, allows the program
to provide great gallery space, events, and workshops for our artists. Our goal is that artists with
disabilities will gain equal access to the arts community, and we hope to impact the community with art
that might not otherwise be seen.
In the past year, Expressions implemented some new features to support artists in connecting with the
community. One of the new features was a Master Artist talk. Stephen Proski, a local artist, was invited to
speak to our artists about himself and how his disability ties in to his work. We have also witnessed
successes of our artists related directly to being involved in Expressions--two time artist, John Campbell,
has recently opened his own studio "Unlucky Rabbit" in the River Market and attributes part of his
motivation to his involvement in Expressions.
Featured artists are all persons from the Kansas City area with disabilities including paraplegia, PTSD,
osteoarthritis, autism, schizophrenia, and other disabilities both seen and unseen. The Expressions
Exhibition strives to accommodate every artist and disability, and ensures equal access and exposure in
the arts community.THE WHOLE PERSON’S EXPRESSIONS ART EXHIBITION (2 of 3)
To ensure the highest quality of exhibition and art practice, The Whole Person (TWP) put together a committee of individuals from the Kansas City Arts Community, led by TWP staff member Lea
Klepees. With the addition of a steering committee, the Expressions Art Exhibition has been able to grow in tremendous ways. Each committee member brings expertise from their arts
background:
Lea Klepees is a Community Relations Specialist at The Whole Person where she is the team lead for Expressions, a year-long, traveling art exhibition for artists with disabilities. Lea is a
disability advocate, educating the community on disability issues and awareness.
Chairperson, Poppy Di Candeloro, has a master’s degree in Art History and teaches Art History 110 and Anchor III online courses at UMKC. She is also a PhD Candidate at UMKC in Art History.
Poppy serves as undergraduate advisor to art history and studio art students at UMKC. In addition to her roles at UMKC, Poppy is the co-founder and operator of D2 Research, a local
independent research and art management collections firm.
Serving alongside our chairperson and TWP team lead, the Expressions steering committee is rounded out with 11 additional committee members:
• Kathryne Grimm is an award-winning and nationally exhibited fine art conceptual figurative photographer and queer disability activist.
• Meghan Dohogne (PhD Student) is co-owner of D2 Research, a local independent research and art management collections firm.
• Colin Mosely (MA Student) is a New Media artist and interdisciplinary researcher who uses animation, 3D modeling, and programming to create interactive art.
• Linda Link graduated with a B.A. in Studio Art with an emphasis in photography and graphic design from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2015. She is currently working on her MA
Thesis in Art History and works as the photographer for D2 Research.
• Heather Lustfeldt is an arts education and community engagement specialist with 20 years of creative professional experience in Kansas City.
• Emily McCullough is currently a student at UMKC, studying Art History.
• Ashley Lindeman is writing her dissertation on Italian murals made during the 1930s and 1940s. She also teaches online courses at Florida State University and in Italy.
• C.J. Charbonneau is an arts writer and curator based in Kansas City, MO, and is the founder and director of the KC Women in the Arts Networking Group.
• Madison Wellman is a studio art student at UMKC.
• Alexej Savreux studied acting, theatre and improv at The Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. Alexej has published four books of poetry and owns and operates the multimedia firms, Illogical
Conceits and Brain Sex Press.
Committee members give both their time and talent with occasional fiscal support for the Expressions program. The creation of a committee has allowed Expressions to increase opportunity for
mentorship to artists who are selected to exhibit, as well as to plan and execute meaningful educational and social workshops for Expressions artists to participate in all year long.THE WHOLE PERSON’S EXPRESSIONS ART EXHIBITION (3 of 3)
As Expressions has grown over the last few years, we have formed partnerships with
many local arts organizations. The exhibition has traveled to well-known galleries such
as the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center and the InterUrban ArtHouse. We also had the
opportunity to exhibit in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Mid-Continent Public Library
hosted the exhibition in Independence and Clay Counties, both counties we had not
exhibited in in the previous 8 years. Because of partnerships like these, our artists were
able to participate in artist talks, artist receptions, residencies, and more. Our
relationship with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has grown over the years, and they
will be hosting a free art education and screen printing workshop for next year's artists.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/TWP-EX19-
Traveling-Exhibition.pdf
https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Letter-of-
support-NAMA.pdf
https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/The-Whole-
Person_MCPL-Support.pdfTHE BLACK ARCHIVES OF MID-AMERICA IN KANSAS CITY (1 of 3)
The Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City has a strong commitment to
its mission statement, especially the part about our being an educational
resource that provides access to our collections for research, exhibition and
publication to honor our community’s heritage and to catalyze public
awareness. Art is the perfect medium in which to convey the beauty of history,
the importance of culture and community development. Its usefulness as a
means of enhancing an understanding of difficult, complex or even remote
ideas is unquestioned. Sometimes art simply articulates what we are thinking
but cannot put into words. The Black Archives of Mid-America recognizes the
capacity of art to stimulate our community into preserving and sharing the
artistry of their heritages. We are honored to be a conduit between artists and
the stories they tell through their craft to our community. We have worked hard
to include as many people as possible, as artists creating the narratives and
images of the lives of people of African descent in this region. We do that with
special programming.
For example, funded in part by the Missouri Humanities Council, one of our most successful programs has been, “Steps to Preserving the History of Freedom.” For this
workshop we posted an open invitation to the community to come share their stories with us. Many did. We listened to their stories and took notes. We wrote the stories
of those who were unsure of their ability to do so. But those who felt confident of their writing skills committed their tales to paper (or Word Perfect) and shared them with
us. We collected, edited and are publishing those stories in a chapbook. Exhibiting creations of others is another of our prime means toTHE BLACK ARCHIVES OF MID-AMERICA IN KANSAS CITY (2 of 3)
connect our community with art. The exhibition, “The Lives and Souls of Black
Folk: Stories Told Through Quilts” attracted visitors from around the country.
The artistry in the quilts told many stories about the lives of people of African
descent in America from life in African villages, through the Middle Passage,
Slavery, Emancipation, the #MeToo Movement, the murders of innocent Black
people, the Joy of Children, Building of Families, Solace in Song and Poetry,
Peace through Religion, and other day-to-day actions that build culture and
sustain lives. The Black Archives has had programs for writers to launch their
books and for graphic novelists to display their artistic talents. Spoken word
artists have “spit” for our community in our Great Hall and on our Great Lawn.
Red Shoes were the highlight of a summer bash that brought various artists
across generations to a common site. These outcomes have a measurable
social impact. We can count the number of people who tell us how much they
appreciate being able to share the interior of their lives with other. We watch as
the number of people who come to our programs grows incrementally. We read
their social media posts about the value of their experiences here at the Black
Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City.THE BLACK ARCHIVES OF MID-AMERICA IN KANSAS CITY (3 of 3)
RECOGNITIONS
• The executive Director, Dr. Carmaletta M. Williams, has received an Emmy@ award from The National Academy of
Television Arts and Sciences
• The Black Archives of Mid-America has recently received The Red Shoe Summer Bash Community Support Award
June 2019
• The Black Archives has also received "The Excellence in Community Support" award from the National African
American Quilt Museum and Textile Academy July 2019
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
https://artskc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Williams-CV-
pdf.pdfYou can also read
