The public is invited to attend the unveiling of KC Streetcar 804 for the 2023 Art in the Loop Project: “Celebrate” on Wednesday, June 21, from 11 AM – 12 PM at the Union Station Streetcar Stop located on the KC Streetcar line. This will be a chance for guests to see meet local artist Fred Trease and see his artwork ‘Disco Cloud’ wrapped around the Streetcar. This event will also feature a music performance from DJ and Producer Encode. Encode is a character, an artist, and a project created by Xavier Martin. This event is free and open to the public however, we do ask that you RSVP here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023.com for planning purposes.

2023 marks the tenth year of the Art in the Loop Project. The Art in the Loop Project is a curated outdoor exhibition of temporary artworks presented in partnership with the KC Streetcar Authority. Artists responded to the 2023 theme of “Celebrate” and addressed questions about how one defines celebration in their lives. Artists addressed this theme of celebration in art, identity, culture, community, and more.

The 2023 Art in the Loop Project is provided artistic guidance by Marissa Starke, who is serving in her first year as the visual art director for Art in the Loop. Marissa Starke is a non-profit executive with a distinguished, 13-year history of success in non-profit management, corporate and community relations, and team leadership. A visionary leader with a demonstrated history of working in the fine art industry, Marissa has pioneered and led dozens of arts initiatives and programs across Missouri and Kansas, offering expertise in curation, community engagement and arts advocacy.

The 2023 Art in the Loop Project is provided artistic guidance by Jade Osborne, who is serving in her first year as performance art director for Art in the Loop. Jade Osborne is an international performance artist, arts activist, facilitator, mentor, and speaker. She has worked in non-profit education, served in AmeriCorps, and has been a Poet and Artist in Residence (Capoeira & Aerial Acrobatics). She was the first female Capoeira performer in the U.S. and in Hong Kong and helped pioneer aerial acrobatics in Kansas City with Voler – Thieves of Flight Performance Ensemble. 

The 2023 Art in the Loop Project is made possible through the generous support of the KC Streetcar Authority, Henderson Engineers, Stinson LLP, and other corporate partners. This project is funded in part by the City of Kansas City, Missouri Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, as well as by awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Missouri Arts Council, ArtsKC, and the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts – Commerce Bank Trustee.

Project partners include the Downtown Council, Downtown Community Improvement Districts, KC Streetcar, and the Kansas City Art Institute.

For more information about the project and the artists, visit www.artintheloop.com, www.facebook.com/artintheloop, or twitter.com/ArtintheLoop. 

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Contacts:

Art in the Loop
Ann Holliday, Program Director, ann@downtownkc.org, (c) 816-718-1355

Marissa Starke, Visual Arts Director, marissastarke@gmail.com (c) 816-519-4236

Jade Osborne, Performing Arts Director, jademuse@gmail.com

KC Streetcar

Donna Mandelbaum, Communications & Marketing Director, dmandelbaum@kcstreetcar.org, (c) 816-877-3219

The 2023 Call for Performing Artists for the summer series is open!  Musicians, dancers, spoken-word and perfomance artists are encourged to apply by May 22.  Performances will take place monthly in Downtown Kansas City.   An information session was held on May 15, 2023.  Click here to learn more and view the slide presentation.

The Art in the Loop Foundation (AILF) is seeking visual artists to engage the community through an exhibition of public artwork along the KC Streetcar route in Downtown Kansas City from May 31 through November 31, 2023. This is our 10th annual summer public art program. Through a competitive, open-call process, AILF selects local artists to create temporary, site-specific work along and near the KC Streetcar route in Downtown Kansas City. Your artwork will be viewed by thousands of KC Streetcar riders and Downtowners daily! Selected artists will receive funds and project support to bring their artwork alive for a 6-month outdoor program.

Our 2023 theme is “Celebrate.”

How do you celebrate? This year we are asking artists to show us how/what they celebrate in their lives. This could be the celebration of art, identity, culture, community, and more. How do you reflect celebration in your artwork and art practice, your community, and your city?

For the 2023 Art in the Loop Project, we are looking for artists to respond to these questions and to explore their vision of celebration. Proposed projects should reflect these questions and ideas in ways that engage and stimulate Kansas City audiences through public art installations.

This year artists may submit proposals in 5 categories:

• KC Streetcar Wrap + Shelter
• KC Streetcar Shelter (Within the Frame)
• KC Streetcar Shelter (Live Painting)
• KC Streetcar Shelter + Sculpture
• ARTwall Installation + Shelter

The application requires a written description of your proposal, a visual concept, and a short narrative about your goals for public engagement. Stipends will range from $1,000-$2,500 depending on the category. The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 17, 11:59 CST. Applications must be made online via the application portal.

For information about eligibility, the selection process, evaluation criteria, and important dates, review the application guidelines. Applicants are also encouraged to learn about artist projects from previous years. Annual catalogs from past years’ programs can be found here.

Important Links:

• Call for Artists
• Application Guidelines and Requirements
• Examples from previous years (annual catalogs)
• Online Application

Learn more about the call at an information session:

• Thursday, February 23rd from 11 – 12 pm at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, in person and via zoom –  Click here to register
• Wednesday, March 1st from 6 – 7:30 pm, Information Session and Workshop at AI Hub 511 Delaware Street Suite 50 KCMO – Click here to register
• Saturday, March 11th from 10 – 11 am, Information Session Mix and Mingle at KCAC 3200 Gillham Road KCMO – Click here to register

Performance artists and musicians, stay tuned for our second call for artists in which we will have opportunities for performances along the KC Streetcar route and more.

Questions may be directed to Art in the Loop Visual Art Director, Marissa Starke, marissastarke@gmail.com, or Program Director, Ann Holliday, ann@downtownkc.org.

Art in the Loop Mission:
The mission of the Art in the Loop Foundation (AILF) is to contribute to the visual identity, enrichment, and revitalization of Downtown Kansas City, create new opportunities for artistic development, and expand public interaction with new art of excellence. AILF values an equitable, diverse, and inclusive art community.

Celebrate what made Kansas City’s 2022 Art in the Loop Project: Sustainable great. The curated outdoor exhibition, staged in partnership with the KC Streetcar Authority, wraps up with a reception, illustrated review, and reflection on this year’s entries.

Art in the Loop organizers and participants look back on the artistic works and performances featured from June to September. Art director Kyle Mullins will lead a presentation highlighting all the offerings, and selected artists present their works and discuss their experiences. Among them:

• Devin Edwards, Darrius’s Garden, on KC Streetcar 806
• DINKC Galicia, Generations, at the Power & Light Southbound Streetcar Stop
• David Wayne Reed, Mother, at the Kauffman Center Southbound Streetcar Stop
• Jennifer Lapka with A.P. Visual, The Dieynaba Dress, at the Metro Center Northbound Streetcar Stop
• Raffaela Malazarte, Mahalaga, at the Library Northbound Streetcar Stop
• Dave Lowenstein, You Are Here, at the Union Station Streetcar Stop
• Sol Anzorena, Take Care of Who Cares For You, at the River Market West Streetcar Stop

The event includes performances by the flamenco trio FlamenKCMO and poet Natasha Ria El-Scari with jazz musician Kevin “Church” Johnson.

Art in the Loop is designed to make cultural experiences available to downtown residents, visitors, and workers. The closing event is co-presented by the Art in the Loop Foundation, the Downtown Council and KC Streetcar Authority.

A reception and live performance will start at 5:30 p.m. followed by the program at 6:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Click here to register and learn more.

The 2022 Art in the Loop Art Walk will take place on Wednesday, September 14, from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.  The public is invited to join the project artists, planners and others as we ride KC Streetcar and walk to 6 different streetcar stops. At each stop the artists will talk about their work.  Artists include:

• Dave Loewenstein
• David Wayne Reed
• Jennifer Lapka
• DINKC
• Raffaela Malazarte
• Sol Anzorena

We will be joined on the walk by a group of improvisational dancers “Dancers of a Certain Age” led by Jeramy Zimmerman.  The event will end with a performance by Jass.

Learn more about the event and RSVP here.

The 2022 Art in the Loop Project is provided artistic guidance by Kyle Mullins, who is serving in his second year as art director for Art in the Loop. Mullins is a dance artist living and creating in Kansas City, MO. He is the artistic director of his company Cerca Trova, where he creates works of dance theater, and producer of Making Moves, a monthly dance performance series he founded in 2019. He also works as an Artists Services Program Officer at Mid-America Arts Alliance. He is a former Charlotte Street Foundation Studio Resident. Mullins danced in NYC for ten years before relocating home to Kansas City. He holds an MFA in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

The 2022 Art in the Loop Project is made possible through the generous support of the KC Streetcar Authority, Stinson LLP, UMB Bank, JE Dunn Construction, Academy Bank, and other corporate partners. This project is funded in part by the City of Kansas City, Missouri Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, as well as by awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Missouri Arts Council, ArtsKC, and the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts – Commerce Bank Trustee.

Project partners include the Downtown Council, Downtown Community Improvement Districts, KC Streetcar, Kansas City Public Library and the Kansas City Art Institute.

For more information about the project and the artists, visit www.artintheloop.com, www.facebook.com/artintheloop, or twitter.com/ArtintheLoop. 

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Join Art in the Loop, the Downtown Council and our other partners as we celebrate all things local on Tuesday, August 16, at the City Market. The event will feature live entertainment, branded events, and fun activities. On this day, community connectedness is strengthened by local business and resident pride.

Since 2018, the downtown community has been celebrating all things 816! This year we are partnering with Art in the Loop and Art Garden KC to bring a celebration worthy of our area code to the Historic City Market.

Celebrate 816 Day between August 5 – 16, 2022 with a friendly game of Scavenger Hunt Bingo. Discover new destinations and revisit old stomping grounds around downtown Kansas City and along the KC Streetcar route. Complete your Bingo card by snapping a QR Code or picking up a sticker at the select downtown businesses, restaurants, artworks, landmarks, and the KC Streetcar.

Your completed Bingo card is your ticket to be eligible to win raffle prizes during the Art in the Loop Performance at City Market on Tuesday, August 16, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. featuring:

• The Black Creatures: A musical duo whose inspirations range from Robert Glasper toDa Brat.
• Circus Scorpius: A dynamic display of breathtaking physical acrobatics.
• Kyle Jones: A jazz saxophonist concerned with righting social injustices through music.

Come early and shop unique creations from diverse Kansas City artists and makers curated by Art Garden KC from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Click here to RSVP for the event.

Bingo cards can be downloaded on the Downtown Neighborhood Association website or picked up at participating businesses. Riding the KC Streetcar is a great way to visit most of the shops and restaurants. You must be present to win the 816 Day Bingo prizes.

For questions, contact Jared Campbell with the Downtown Council at jared@downtownkc.org or Donna Mandelbaum with the KC Streetcar Authority at dmandelbaum@kcstreetcar.org.

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The 2022 Art in the Loop Project is provided artistic guidance by Kyle Mullins, who is serving in his second year as art director for Art in the Loop. Mullins is a dance artist living and creating in Kansas City, MO. He is the artistic director of his company Cerca Trova, where he creates works of dance theater, and producer of Making Moves, a monthly dance performance series he founded in 2019. He also works as an Artists Services Program Officer at Mid-America Arts Alliance. He is a former Charlotte Street Foundation Studio Resident. Mullins danced in NYC for ten years before relocating home to Kansas City. He holds an MFA in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

The 2022 Art in the Loop Project is made possible through the generous support of the KC Streetcar Authority, Stinson LLP, UMB Bank, JE Dunn Construction, Academy Bank, and other corporate partners. This project is funded in part by the City of Kansas City, Missouri Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, as well as by awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Missouri Arts Council, ArtsKC, and the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts – Commerce Bank Trustee.

Project partners include the Downtown Council, Downtown Community Improvement Districts, KC Streetcar, Kansas City Public Library and the Kansas City Art Institute.

For more information about the project and the artists, visit www.artintheloop.com, www.facebook.com/artintheloop, or twitter.com/ArtintheLoop.