Arts & Culture

The groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday marks a long anticipated turning point for the conservatory. The performing arts center expansion will include state-of-the-art theater space and equipment, two dance rehearsal rooms and expansive music rehearsal and performance spaces.

Events like Lawrence Art in the Park, which will take place this weekend, and the Plaza Art Fair are central to the business of many Kansas and Missouri artists. They're not just a huge sales opportunity, they're also a chance for artist to talk with the public about their work.

The Kansas City Renaissance Festival began as a fundraiser for the Kansas City Art Institute in 1977, making this year its 50th season. The festival opened September 5 and will run every weekend through October 12, rain or shine.

The festival returns for its sixth year of free movie programming, which will include films across a range of genres from experimental to animation.

Starting Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, 11 Black-owned restaurants will feature special deals in an effort to put their food on the map. Black Restaurant Week was recognized by Christal Watson, mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, to amplify Black-owned businesses. Many suffered economic losses in the recent severe storms.

Sweeping Promises will embark on an American tour on Sep. 9 to share their third album, “You Say I Romanticize.” The Kansas-based duo has been gaining national attention, while also producing other local bands at their "artistic commune."

Harry Houdini's connection to Kansas City started out by accident, but it lasted throughout his legendary career. A new historic marker will commemorate the debut of his first escape from a straitjacket while suspended in midair.

The public radio music station first went on air 25 years ago Wednesday. The Kansas City broadcaster has become a champion for local artists and music discovery, and serves as the home for Current matches on the radio.

The 70-foot-tall sign’s bright neon arrow and 11 letters have been restored and its 3,000 light bulbs have been replaced. So when will the metro get to enjoy the latest glow up for Kansas City’s most recognizable building-topper?

Multidisciplinary artist Kasim Hardaway reflects on the first year of “Take What You Need,” an interactive public art installation that pops up around Kansas City and invites people to pause and reflect on their lives.

Not every business saw a boost from visiting fans, but some leveraged a prime location, ingenuity in planning, or a personal connection to get a boost from the FIFA World Cup's stint in Kansas City.

A break-in at a Kansas farmhouse unearthed a trove of artifacts from Maud Wagner, one of the country’s first known female commercial tattoo artists. Wagner was born in Emporia and joined a sideshow act with her sister until a fateful meeting pushed her to pursue carnival stardom, inked from head to toe.