Sherae Honeycutt

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Original Post

Open Spaces is underway in Kansas City. Maybe you have been able to check it out the past few weekends, or perhaps you are still making plans to go. A good place to start is in Swope Park where art is all around, and organizers hope to transport you to a wonderland of creativity.

“I think any time you can draw attention to the arts is always good,” said Kansas City resident, Elizabeth Stehling. “We have so many great artists, and art organizations here in town, and I think just having any kind of art event brings everyone together, and it just creates more and adds to that conversation.”

From pink trees, to bands of color, you can’t escape the beat of contemporary art from a collaboration of local and international artists.

“I want Kansas Citians to not maybe think of contemporary art as something that`s for snobs or sophisticates, but as something that`s really for everybody,” said Artistic Director, Dan Cameron.

From the obvious installations to the ones you have to look for off the beaten path.

“Just walking through nothing but green, and then bam, it’s just nothing but beautiful color,” Kansas City resident,Vincent Farrar said after stumbling across an exhibit inside the old Swope Park pool. Creator and artist Ebony Patterson took the aquatic structure and made it into a thought provoking piece.

“I love that it just gets people out. They enjoy being outside,” Farrar said. “Most people wouldn’t take this walk. I mean, who’s going to come to a deserted pool in the middle of Kansas City.”

“Kansas Citians are a little reticent sometimes to take ownership of what a cultural treasure this city is allowing, is nurturing, and allowing to grow,” Cameron said.

Open Spaces is just getting started. The city-wide exhibit is going on through October. If you want to find out what art may be hiding all around you there is a full list of exhibits online.