Interurban Arthouse

Results: IUAH’s five core programs provide artists with the resources, opportunities, and support they need to thrive while fostering meaningful community connections through the arts. In 2024, these programs served 10,357 artists and audience members, generated $16,000+ in art sales, and paid $8,000 directly to 32 performing artists and panelists. Total membership grew 41% from 280 to 395, reflecting IUAH’s increasing impact in the Kansas City arts community.

Target demographics: advance economic mobility of artists and creative workers across disciplines AND eliminate barriers to access and engagement for audiences

Direct beneficiaries per year: 1,155 total ArtWorks business development touch points, including 755 in-person and 400 virtual; 75 unduplicated artists benefiting from ArtWorks Financial Literacy training and awards in partnership with the Arts Council of Johnson County; 2,386 total students in grades 7-12 impacted by ArtSmart programming; 10,357 total artist and audience beneficiaries across programs.

Geographic areas served: the Greater Kansas City metro

Programs: IUAH designed its five programs in direct response to the needs of local artists, providing resources, opportunities, and support to help them thrive. ArtSpace serves as IUAH's physical hub, bringing together multidisciplinary artists in the Southwest Corridor of the Kansas City metro while remaining deeply connected to the broader arts community. This space fosters social connections through the arts and provides a place for artists to create, teach, exhibit, and engage with audiences. ArtMatters creates income-generating opportunities for artists while offering skill-building experiences for the creative public. Through this program, artists can teach classes, showcase their work in exhibitions, and connect with peers in open studio sessions. ArtsConnect harnesses the power of the arts to support community development and grassroots problem-solving. This program includes public performances and IUAH’s Creative Placemaking initiatives, using the arts to strengthen community infrastructure. ArtWorks equips artists and creatives with the entrepreneurial skills they need to succeed as economic contributors. By helping artists build sustainable careers, IUAH supports the creative sector, which contributes $1.1 trillion annually to the U.S. economy. ArtSmart ensures young people have access to diverse creative experiences that foster innovation, inventiveness, and expanded career possibilities. By nurturing the next generation of artists, this program helps secure a vibrant future for the arts.