Kansas City has earned a distinguished reputation for excellence in the visual and performing arts, thanks to growing national recognition. An October 2008 Art in America article titled “Generous benefactors, new museum facilities and a variety of exhibition and residency programs are helping to turn this heartland city into a cultural hub” highlights The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s new Bloch Building, the new Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art — as well as innovative programming by the Charlotte Street Foundation, Review, Inc., and local galleries. The article also featured Kansas City’s One Percent for Art program and the Avenue of the Arts program as evidence of Kansas City’s high caliber and artistfriendly art scene. It is an exciting time to be involved in the arts in Kansas City. — Robin Trafton
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