The Arterie Master Plan. Drawings produced by Burns & Mc Donnell
With a planned launch Nov. 2, The Arterie is a newly established winding pathway through an envisioned “cultural district” in Kansas City. Midtown KC Now, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Kansas City Art Institute formed a partnership to establish The Arterie.
“The Arterie winds through the heart of the city to connect institutions, installations and creatively fueled sights along the way. It is a connective, ever-evolving journey that weaves together art, people and places,” said Kathleen Leighton, manager of media relations and production at the The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
The idea for such a cultural district originated more than four decades ago. Recent developments in the city’s transportation infrastructure brought The Arterie to the forefront for local arts leadership. “When I started my role at the Kemper, I learned about a series of plans for a unified cultural district that date back to the 1980s,” said Jessica May, executive director of Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. “Each one revealed a vision for connecting this entire part of the city —including museums and educational institutions, the Plaza, these amazing parks — for pedestrians as well as for vehicular traffic. I think that with the arrival of the streetcar this year, the time has come for us to move from plan to reality.”
The art museums and KCAI have operated in close proximity for years. Yet, their operations have co-existed in a somewhat siloed state while each serves an overlapping arts-centric audience. The Arterie integrates the partners via a pathway and shared purpose that benefits their collective audience — the public.
The short-term goal for The Arterie is to “create a real magnet for the whole neighborhood so that visitors and residents can navigate from site to site easily and safely,” explained May. The purpose and plans for the pathway won’t remain static after its launch.
“Over time we hope this will develop: this needs to become a parklike environment where being outdoors is wonderful for all people, where there are special events and a feeling of connectedness throughout this part of the city. This goal is within reach, and it is so exciting,” said May.
As a designed way making approach that interconnects art, nature and places, adoption of The Arterie by people remains paramount.
“The big question that we ask ourselves here every day is how to best serve artists and our community,” said May. “I think that what we are learning is how much more effective we can be in our mission if we create a broad space of possibility for our visitors, our audiences and our artists. Some people call this model ‘the third space.’ Where do people want to spend time that isn’t their home, isn’t their office? Where can we go and feel comfortable, welcome, and connected to beauty both indoors and out? I want the The Arterie to be that place.”
The partnership enlisted Burns & McDonnell as the landscape and architecture team with the brand design team headed by Carpenter Collective.
A Grand Opening Celebration for The Arterie will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 2, with opening remarks and other festivities at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, 4420 Warwick Blvd. Visit the KCAI Gallery and Cafe Nerman and enjoy a Fantastic Hat Parade at Kansas City Art Institute, 4415 Warwick Blvd., and a Día de los Muertos Festival at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St.
