More than 30 students from Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools have artwork on display this week as part of an inaugural youth art show, and the public gets a say in who wins. The show, organized by Build WyCo and EPIC Arts Clay Studio, features pieces made with clay, watercolor, graphite, glitter and other materials, much of it inspired by what reminds the young artists of home.
Wyandotte County residents and visitors of all ages can vote on their favorite installations during the Third Friday Art Walk, running from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, according to the Kansas City Star. The show marks the first time Build WyCo and EPIC Arts Clay Studio have put together this kind of youth exhibition, and organizers plan to make it a recurring event, with the program aiming to hold similar shows in future years.
How the Winners Get Picked
Before the public vote even begins, EPIC staff and Kansas City Art Institute students already narrowed the field, selecting three outstanding submissions from each of the elementary, middle and high school levels. Those school-level winners, set to be announced Friday, will receive a cash prize, while the winners chosen by public vote will take home gift cards to Blick Art Materials. EPIC plans to announce all of the winners on social media once the contest wraps up.
The show was organized by Caroline Meek, EPIC's outreach coordinator, who worked with area art teachers and Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools' integrated arts resource center to pull the submissions together. That resource center supports arts and extracurricular programming within the local school district. Meek, who according to her Build WyCo team profile serves as Co-Manager and Outreach Coordinator for EPIC, said the art walk gives students a platform to share their talent.
Workshops Led Up to the Show
In the run-up to the exhibition, EPIC hosted art workshops with the Bethel Neighborhood Center and the Armourdale Renewal Association, part of a broader push the organization describes as building community and increasing public access to the arts. EPIC — whose name stands for Every Person Is Creative — says its mission includes providing spaces where children can practice creative skills and share their art with others.
The youth art show sits alongside Build WyCo's annual block party, which takes place along 6th Street in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, near EPIC's studio. The Kansas City Star places EPIC's studio at 611 N. 6th St., though a separate online listing for the organization cites 609 N. 6th Street — an inconsistency worth noting for anyone planning to attend.
What Else Is Happening at the Block Party
Beyond the student art exhibit, the block party will include live music and dancing, interactive art exhibits and numerous vendors. EPIC is offering a free clay activity for all residents, along with tile decorating as part of a community collaborative project. Attendees can also try out a pottery wheel for free or shop pottery made by local artists.
Build WyCo, which organizes the block party, describes its broader mission as investing in neighbors' power to build thriving Wyandotte County communities. Friday's event folds that mission into a single evening — turning a student art contest into the centerpiece of a larger community gathering in downtown Kansas City, Kansas.
