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Community Gathers To Talk About A New Cultural District

Laura Spencer
/
KCUR

A three-day public planningcharrette — a workshop exploring the potential of a new cultural district — wraps up on Saturday afternoon. For the last few months, community volunteers in work teams have met to generate ideas about what this district could look like. 

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art unveiled concepts last yearfor a cultural district, roughly stretching from 39th Street to 55th Street, from Main to Paseo. The idea is to link neighborhoods, museums, schools and green space — with pedestrian bridges, and new construction.

Seft Hunter is the president of the historic Manheim ParkAssociation. He says the neighborhood offered the renovated Bancroft School's auditorium as a place to meet east of Troost. More than 100 people filled the seats for the opening session on Thursday. 

"We've had a number of conversations with the Nelson," says Hunter. "The folks who were putting together these conversations...were really interested in truly beginning the process of bridging the east-west divide."

Hunter says conversations like this are an important part of the process. But, as a plan takes shape, he says it will need some follow-through. 

"I do think it’s critically important to identify some tangible action steps and next steps that can actually be accomplished," he says. 

A public workshop takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Bancroft School Apartments, 4300 Tracy, Kansas City, Mo.. A group discussion is scheduled for noon. 

Work teams will continue to meet in March and April. A presentation to the public is expected in May. 

Kansas City is known for its style of jazz, influenced by the blues, as the home of Walt Disney’s first animation studio and the headquarters of Hallmark Cards. As one of KCUR’s arts reporters, I want people here to know a wide range of arts and culture stories from across the metropolitan area. I take listeners behind the scenes and introduce them to emerging artists and organizations, as well as keep up with established institutions. Send me an email at lauras@kcur.org or follow me on Twitter @lauraspencer.
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