Kansas City arts festival in 18th and Vine is back for second year — and on a mission
Kansas City’s art scene was on full display this September with Art Westport and the Plaza Art Fair, and there’s one more festival dedicated to showcasing Black artists throughout the metro.
The 18th and Vine Arts Festival is back for a second year, celebrating the local arts scene over the weekend from Sept. 27 to 29. Marquez Beasley, one of the organizers of the event, said 2024’s event will be bigger than 2023, featuring more than 90 artists selling paintings, sculptures, jewelry and other pieces.
The nonprofit festival’s goal is to make an equitable space for Black artists in Kansas City, marketing manager Cedric Williams said. To help with that, organizers are helping the artists in attendance set up LLCs with talent agency The Next Paige, business bank accounts and improving their online sales.
It means a lot for Beasley and Williams to be able to host an event for artists who may not be able to afford to buy a booth at other festivals in Kansas City. They only charge a $25 application fee for artists to sell their creations, and organizers say many of the artists sell out of their stock before the weekend is over.
It was also important for the duo to see art that looked like them, which they said they don’t see as muchat other festivals in the area. This, along with there being no major representation of the art scene in KC’s Third District, were the reasons behind starting the 18th and Vine Arts Festival.
“We want to keep the history of the 18th and Vine area and the Black arts there for future generations to come,” Williams said.
In addition to the artists of all styles and mediums, each day will offer entertainment: a fashion show highlight ‘70s style on Friday, local Black musicians paying tribute to ‘70s artists like Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin on Saturday, and family-friendly events on Sunday, including a show celebrating Black hair artistry.
The festival runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The festival can be found near The Paseo, from 17th Street to Truman Road.
Single-day tickets cost $10, and tickets for the weekend cost $20 via 18thandvineartsfest.com. Tickets sold at the gate will be $15 for one day and $30 for the weekend. Money collected will go towards paying the singers, dancers and performers visitors see during the festival.
“We plan to be around forever,” Beasley said.
