Public Artwork Commission for 18th and Vine Parking Garage

Kansas City's One Percent for Art Program is seeking artists to create a permanent public artwork for a future parking garage at 18th Street and Lydia Avenue in the Historic 18th and Vine district. This is a reissued call for artists after the initial nationwide call drew significant criticism from the local community.

The original call for artists, announced in January, selected three semifinalists, none of whom were from the Kansas City area or artists of color. This sparked public outcry from local artists and community members who felt excluded from a taxpayer-funded commission. The city acknowledged the concerns and has now reopened the call with important changes.

Key changes to the new call include limiting participation exclusively to artists based in the Kansas City metro region. This decision came after feedback from community leaders like Deaunte Thomas, artistic director of the 18th and Vine Arts Festival, who emphasized the special cultural significance of the neighborhood and the need for artists with deep local connections and understanding of its rich jazz heritage.

Kansas City Public Art Administrator James Martin acknowledged the initial misstep, stating that the city misread the extent to which local artists wanted the opportunity to be locally-focused. He expressed appreciation for the public feedback and views the reopened call as an opportunity to set the project on the right course.

Note that the final artwork will not be installed in time for the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches scheduled for summer. However, local artist Michael Toombs has been selected to create a temporary banner artwork that will be displayed on the three-story building during the World Cup event, celebrating the richness and culture of the historic jazz district.