Creating and Collecting: Kansas City and Contemporary Decorative Arts

For more than four decades Kansas City has been a center for important developments in contemporary decorative arts or craft, especially in ceramics, as the setting for schools, artists, studios, galleries and collectors.

At the core of this creative energy are The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kansas City Art Institute. The school has played a significant role in undergraduate art education for 125 years. Students are taught the fundamentals of art-making by established artists in a variety of media. Some students have settled in Kansas City, while others retain connections through local galleries.

The proximity of the school to the Museum and access to its important collections have strengthened the scholastic programs and inspired generations of students. Local galleries and collectors are the second major factor in Kansas City’s role as a center for contemporary decorative arts, creating a vibrant arts community that continues to grow and change.