Anyone who loves the arts, from a Canadian architect looking for new inspiration to a young person fresh out of university can appreciate the arts and culture that a city like Wichita offers. Residents and visitors can spend a night at Center Theatre or listening to classical music in an unconventional setting at Chamber Music at the Barn. You could also take an afternoon away from your job working with automatic waterers to browse through one of the city's fine museums, like the Kansas African-American Museum or the state's Sports Hall of Fame. And Wichita is so committed to its arts and culture scene that it has created the Division of Arts & Cultural Services, which provides arts education and opportunities to the citizens of Kansas's largest city.
The main purpose of the Division of Arts & Cultural Services is to provide funding for area artists and advise the City Council and City Manager on matters related to these topics throughout the city. The Arts Council is an eleven-member committee that is in charge of reviewing grant applications for artists of all disciplines. You could be a multi-media visual artist who wishes to turn an old coil labeling system into an indoor installation or you could be an emerging theatre group interested in producing pieces about Kansas's culture. The Arts Council then makes their recommendations to the City Council, who distribute the grants accordingly.
Also part of the DACS is CityArts, which provides many educational opportunities and information for those in the area who are interested in arts events. There are even classes available through this organization in a number of arts disciplines, from glassblowing to film, for a small fee. These classes are open to both adults and children. You could take a class as a hobby or use it to start a business making something like wrought iron furniture. Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles may be more well known for their arts communities but Wichita is full of many talented individuals as well.
The Division of Arts & Cultural Services is also responsible for handling the application process for community events in the city. So, if you're an event planner Toronto and have come to the city to host a festival or event, you will need to go through this office. The city requires that you receive a permit for an event of more than fifty people that's taking place on city-owned property or an outdoor event of more than 250 people on private property.
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