Arts & Culture

The locally-directed mockumentary "Rennie," which premieres at the Folly Theater on Oct. 11 and 12, follows Renaissance Festival workers on a quest to save their small town from a devastating flood. It was filmed at Kansas City's own fair and features an entirely local cast.

Pintscher is a well-known conductor and composer who previously led the renowned Parisian group Ensemble Intercontemporain. He replaces former music director Michael Stern at the helm of the Kansas City Symphony's orchestra.

A 15,000-seat amphitheater, to be owned by Live Nation Entertainment, is planned for an industrial park near a soccer training complex and a casino. But can Kansas City's live music scene support another outdoor venue?

Missouri bans more books from schools than any other state except Texas and Florida, according to PEN America. Margaret Atwood and “That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America” author Amanda Jones visited Kansas City for Banned Books Week.

The Kansas City artist co-founded the Kansas City Artists Coalition in the mid-1970s and was known for her known for her large-scale colorful, abstract paintings and prints. She died on Wednesday.

The five-time Grammy winner and Kennedy Center honoree is the editor of "Music and Mind," a collection of essays on how music can positively impact our health. Fleming is coming to Kansas City Sept. 26-29 for a panel discussion and performances with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

In a small workshop behind his Eureka, Kansas, home, a master shoemaker from Italy is quietly pursuing his craft. "I think you really have to like the culture to really understand how to make a proper cowboy boot," cobbler Sam Vasta says.

With five Grammy nominations under her belt, the Great Bend, Kansas, native returns to the Folly Theater on Saturday, Sept. 21, to perform her latest album, "A Kiss for Brazil," which showcases her continued love for the country's rich music.

Robert Benecke captured 19th-century western Kansas landscapes before massive European migrations to the area transformed them. In the intervening years, the dust bowl, mass extinction of bison, and expansion of mechanized agriculture have all led to a profusion of trees, ponds and lakes across the Sunflower State.

Spanning several genres including cultural criticism, political commentary and memoir, "Bone of the Bone: Essays on America by a Daughter of the Working Class" compiles Smarsh's strongest work from the last decade, and solidifies her as one of the country's leading voices on socio-economic class.

Musician Freedy Johnston sang he "sold the dirt to feed the band" after leaving his hometown of Kinsley, Kansas, to pursue a career in New York City. Johnston returned home in August to paint a mural celebrating the tiny town. He hopes it sheds a light on how art can impact rural communities.

The Kansas City organization DistrKCt IS teaches audio engineering, music production and content creation to students around the metro. It’s run by Jo Blaq, a multi-platinum producer from Wyandotte County.