02 Aug Kansas City Arts Institute (KCAI) Receives $65,000 Grant from Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts
Kansas City Arts Institute (KCAI) recently received a grant for $65,000 from the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts to provide general operating support for their programming.
This gift from the Richard J. Stern Foundation will support KCAI’s annual fund, which finances 9% of the College’s annual operating budget and addresses the funding gap between student tuition and actual costs. Vital programs supported by this fund include the B.F.A. in Ceramics, the Current Perspectives Lecture Series, and collaborations with visiting and residential artists through KCAI’s Crossroads Gallery. Funding from the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts will help the College advance its reputation of quality arts education and community programming.
The KCAI Ceramics department continues to be at the forefront of undergraduate Ceramics programs in the nation. It is renowned for producing undergraduate students that do innovative, graduate-level work. The Ceramics curriculum is holistic and spans the continuum from art education to the integration of professional practice. The foundation of the program is rooted in the history of the medium while introducing students to contemporary practice. The 21st century student needs opportunities to take theory into practice through technical skill in ceramics applied to various forms and genres. Support from the Foundation will enable faculty to keep pushing the boundaries of contemporary ceramics, and encourage students in the use of new materials, processes, and ideas.
KCAI’s curriculum is further augmented by the Current Perspectives Lecture Series (CPLS) and visiting artist (VAs) programs. For 17 years, CPLS has provided students and the community with access to professional artists for free. The Visiting Artist’s Working Group (VAWG) committee strives to select visiting artists that challenge students and community members to consider new points of view about art. More recently, KCAI’s Crossroads Gallery has provided another venue for KCAI students to work with national artists in a studio environment while offering free public exhibitions to the community. The grant from the Foundation will be used to attract high profile artists who bring diverse perspectives and dialogue happening in society and contemporary art across the country to Kansas City.
Founded in 1885, the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) is a nationally recognized, four-year college of art and design awarding the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree with majors in animation, art history, ceramics, digital filmmaking, fiber, graphic design, illustration, interactive arts, painting, photography, printmaking, product design, sculpture, and studio art with an emphasis on creative writing. The college offers certificate programs in social practice, entrepreneurship, and Asian studies. KCAI serves the broader community through public programs that include Current Perspectives, a free artist public lecture series, as well as free exhibitions at the H&R Block Artspace and at our newest location, the KCAI Crossroads Gallery. Art and design classes for children, youth, and adults are offered through KCAI’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies.