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Kansas City, MO 64111

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Kemper Museum is a free art museum in Kansas City, Missouri that presents global contemporary art.

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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art acknowledges it resides on the ancestral territory of the Osage, Kaw, and Otoe-Missouria, among other tribal nations forcibly moved to the region such as the Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware, Potawatomi, Sac and Fox and Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) nations. We recognize and support the continued vibrancy of Native communities and cultures today who continue to thrive, as well as the inherent sovereignty of tribal nations. We are compelled to serve and advocate for these communities in accordance with our public mission.

Kemper Museum acknowledges and respects the diversity of Native people connected to this land today. Many recognize the land and all beings who live within it as relatives. We acknowledge the earth we inhabit, the waters of the Blue River, the Kansas River, the Missouri River, and the plants, animals, and people supported by them. 

We acknowledge our responsibility to be good caretakers of the land we occupy. 

Click here to learn more about our land acknowledgment process.

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KANSAS CITY, MO–Today, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art announced more than 20 public programs that will connect global contemporary art with Kansas City artists and communities. Programs ranging from exhibitions and artist talks, to workshops and camps, to music and dance performances, will engage visitors of a variety of ages and interests, and all are free, thanks to support from members and other donors. A complete listing is below and at kemperart.org/event-calendar.

Led by a museum educator, this three-day art camp features fun and creative activities inspired by artwork. Campers meet at Kemper Museum each day from 10 a.m.–12 p.m., Wednesday through Friday.

Jun. 12–14, (Im)Perfect Patterns (at capacity)

Jul. 10–12, Sizable Scales (at capacity)

Aug. 7–9, INSIDE/OUT (registration opens July 1)

Head to Kemper Museum each month for an evening of community and creativity! Pick up a stool, drawing board, and provided drawing materials, or bring your own sketchbook and find a spot for open drawing at the museum. Cash bar. Our community partner Classical KC will be onsite to provide music.

Thursday, Jun. 6, Open Drawing, 6–8 p.m.

Thursday, Jul. 11, Open Drawing, 6–8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 1, Open Drawing, 6–8 p.m.

Families with children on the autism spectrum or people who have sensory sensitivities are invited to join us for special sessions outside of regular hours that offer a quiet and low-stimulating environment where participants can enjoy a hands-on creative activity while experiencing art. A designated gallery and sensory break room with visual resources, hand fidgets, and other tools will be provided.

Tuesday, Jun. 11, Low Sensory Session, 1:30–3 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 20, Low Sensory Session, 1:30–3 p.m.

Summer Madness: Silent Concert + Live Mural Demo with JT Daniels

DJ Joe "The Mad Scientist" and Silent KC present a uniquely layered, silent concert celebrating the summertime heat with a vibrant fusion of jazz, R&B, and hip-hop paired with KC muralist, JT Daniels' live painting demo. Watch musicians play their electric instruments silently, while listening through wireless headphones that channel the full musical production, allowing you to control the volume and take the music with you while viewing the galleries and outdoor sculpture collection. Featured musicians: Lee Langston, vocals; Paula Saunders-Lewis, vocals; Vincent Orsolini, piano; Zach Arias, guitar; Trevor Turla, trombone; Joe Straws, drums; Blair “Prince” Bryant, bass.

Thursday, Jun. 13, Summer Madness Silent Concert, 6 p.m.

In celebration of Juneteenth, Kemper Museum is delighted to host renowned Kansas City-based African American choreographer, dancer, and director, Tristian Griffin and award-winning Los Angeles and Wichita-based choreographer and director Regina Klenjoski. Together, their companies present a dance performance that explores themes of unity, collaboration, equity, and the inclusive potential of dance. An artist talkback with the directors will follow the performance.

Thursday, Jun. 20, Converge II: New Spaces, 6 p.m.

Children ages 3-5  sing songs, read books, explore art, and make your own art with a Kemper Museum educator and Kansas City librarian.

Friday, Jun. 21, Totally Tots, 10:30 a.m.

Friday, Jul. 19, Totally Tots, 10:30 a.m.

Friday, Aug. 16, Totally Tots, 10:30 a.m.

Once a month, join local artists for free hands-on workshops inspired exhibitions on view. 

Thursday, Jun. 27, Studio Night: Pulp to Page with Kelsey Pike, 6 p.m. (at capacity)

Thursday, Jul. 25, Studio Night: Print and Pattern with Viva La Tinta, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 29, Studio Night: Fruit and Florals, Instructor TBA, 6 p.m.

Lawrence, Kansas-based artist Mona Cliff (Hanook-gah-neeh/ Spottedcloud) will present on her practice and celebrate her work in New Words: Women to Watch 2024 exhibition, on view this year at the National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. after being selected from a 2022 exhibition at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.

Thursday, Jul. 18, Artist Talk: Mona Cliff, 6 p.m.

Gallery Talk: Executive Director Jessica May on Frank Stella

Kemper Museum Executive Director Jessica May will give a gallery talk on influential artist Frank Stella, who passed away earlier this year. Stella has been a prominent part of Kemper Museum's Permanent Collection since the museum's founding. Come by to hear about this remarkable artist's legacy and take a last look at The Prophet (D16, 2X), which has been installed prominently in the museum Atrium since its first decade, before August 12, when it will come down for an expanded Atrium Project installation.

Saturday, Aug. 3, Gallery Talk: Executive Director Jessica May on Frank Stella, 11 a.m.

Excerpts from The Unexpected: Within the Red Lines

Join us for a preview performance featuring excerpts of Tristian Griffin Dance Company's new work, The Unexpected: Within the Red Lines. This provocative duet looks closely at the narrative of a Black and Latino man whose identities are wedged between polarizing communities, the barriers they face within them, and their attempts to breach beyond "redlining." Renowned African American choreographer, dancer, and director Tristian Griffin will present excerpts of his choreography performed by two dancers with a vocalist, followed by a Q&A, in advance of the work’s premier on Saturday, August 10, presented by the American Jazz Museum at Gem Theater.

Thursday, Aug. 8, Excerpts from The Unexpected: Within the Red Lines, 6 p.m.

Local educators are invited to a Teacher Appreciation Happy Hour where they can learn about museum school tours and educational offerings, and enjoy a mini docent tour, or explore the galleries on your own using drawing prompts.

Thursday, Aug. 22, Teacher Appreciation Happy Hour, 4–6 p.m.

2024 Summer Public Programs.pdf

Located in Kansas City, Missouri, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is a leading presenter of global modern and contemporary art in the region. As the first contemporary art museum in the state, Kemper Museum has connected Midwest communities with the artists of our time since 1994. The museum cares for nearly 1,500 artworks by hundreds of artists in its growing Permanent Collection. A rotating selection of these works are on view in the museum’s Gunnar Birkerts-designed building, alongside rotating special exhibitions. Each year, the museum presents eight to ten exhibitions and major projects, with a special focus on emerging, mid-career artists, as well as artists from historically excluded groups. An active calendar of creative public programs provides meaningful engagement opportunities for visitors of all ages and backgrounds.

Kemper Museum is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Admission, parking, and public programs are always free, thanks to the generosity of members and other donors.

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Announces Summer 2024 Free Public Programs