The Challenge
KC Studio magazine’s mission has grown exponentially since its inception due to a sharp decline in arts journalism nationwide, particularly in newspapers. The importance of such coverage was highlighted in a recent Wallace Foundation initiative granting $52 million aimed at audience growth for 26 arts organizations in other parts of the country: “Experienced journalists are being squeezed out… This gap needs to be filled or the transmission of arts news is likely to weaken demand for the arts.” President of the Wallace Foundation, Will Miller, said the grants were intended to help institutions reach more people at a time when “attracting and engaging new audiences is challenging for arts organizations because, even as the number of arts groups has grown, national rates of participation in the arts have declined, arts education has waned, and competition for ways to spend leisure time has increased.” (The New York Times)
Evolution of KC Studio Collaborations and Partnerships
KC Studio’s first bimonthly edition was published in May 2008. Since then, it has gone through many changes and sharpened its mission: to inform the arts audience about high-quality visual, performing, cinematic, and literary arts, large and small, in the metropolitan region.
Since its inception, KC Studio has covered over 20,000+ organizations and independent artists. In 2014, KC Studio magazine was donated to and published by The Arts Engagement Foundation of Kansas City, a 501 (c) (3).
Content provided by consortium members reaches KC Studio’s mailing list of 14,000 top donors, prospects and regular attendees of arts events located in the five-county region reaching as far as Lawrence, Kansas to Columbia, Missouri. The Arts Consortium members also benefit from the magazine’s promotion of their pages on social media, free of charge.
Organizations tell their own stories in a section of Consortium pages, born in January 2013 out of a successful 3-year promotion of six arts organizations called performARTS. The current partnership with the Arts Consortium members that debuted January 2014 are: Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, Harriman-Jewell Series, Kansas City Actors Theatre, Kansas City Public Library, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Linda Hall Library, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, Midwest Trust Center at Johnson County Community College, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Starlight Theater, Störling Dance Theater, Theater League, The Rabbit hOle and the Unicorn Theatre. The Arts Consortium truly represents the backbone of KC Studio through their commitment since its inception with a consistent presence and message to our readers has proven invaluable.
Arts Partners organizations tell their stories from time to time over the years. They are: Alcott Arts Center, Allied Arts Council of St. Joseph, American Guild of Organists, Avila University, The Friends of Chamber Music, Bach Aria Soloists, Brush Creek Art Walk, Folly Theater, Gladstone Summertime Bluesfest, Greater Kansas City Japan Festival, Heart of America Japan Society, Heartland Men’s Chorus, Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, Johnson County Library Foundation, Kansas City Actors Theatre, Kansas City MeltingPot, Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City Jazz Orchestra ,Kansas City Museum, Kansas City Wind Symphony, Lee’s Summit Symphony, Midwest Chamber Ensemble, Linda Hall Library, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, Mid-Continent Public Library, National WWI Museum and Memorial, The Whole Person, Summerfest Concerts, Truman Library Institute, Synergy Services, UMB Bank and the Youth Symphony of Kansas City, Johnson County Library Foundation, Kansas City Actors Theatre, Kansas City MeltingPot, Kansas City Artists Coalition, Kansas City Jazz Orchestra ,Kansas City Museum, Kansas City Wind Symphony, Lee’s Summit Symphony, Midwest Chamber Ensemble, Linda Hall Library, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, Mid-Continent Public Library, National WWI Museum and Memorial, The Whole Person, Summerfest Concerts, Truman Library Institute, Synergy Services, UMB Bank and the Youth Symphony of Kansas City.
In March 2026, KC Studio formed a new category KC Studio Corporate Consortium Members that are advertisers spending $10,000 to invest in our pages and we created this new listing on our donor pages: 1900 Building/Karbank Project, Arvest Bank (presenter of the podcast Artful Connections Along the Streetcar), Kitchens by Kleweno, Meierotto Jewelry, Protecting Your Retirement and Tivol (sponsor of Artful Connections Along the Streetcar).
In September 2025, KC Studio launched a podcast by Susan Cantrell, VP Sales & Marketing.
Artful Connections Along the Streetcar is a monthly audio and video podcast bringing listeners inside candid and creative conversations with leaders of Kansas City’s flourishing arts and cultural organizations accessible along the recently expanded route of the KC Streetcar — just in time for World Cup 2026.
Each podcast episode delves into the vibrancy of KC’s arts scene, spotlighting emerging creative venues and the rich diversity of people who bring them to life. Guests include: George Guastello of Union Station of Kansas City, Tom Gerend from KC Streetcar Authority, Dr. Eric Dorfman from Linda Hall Library, Julian Zugazagotia from The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Stacey Paine of Crown Center Redevelopment, Jon Stephens of Port KC, Rick Truman from the Folly Theatre, Kathy Nelson from Visit KC, Lindsey Douglas from KC2026, Dr. Peggy Shannon of the Kansas City Art Institute and Sidonie Garrett of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival.
You can sign up to receive email notifications of upcoming podcast episodes at kcststudio.org/podcast.
Annual Reader Survey
In March 2026, KC Studio sent an anonymous online survey to 13,982 readers in KC Studio’s database. 381 readers responded, a 2.7% response rate.
- 79% use KC Studio to make decisions about specific arts activities
- 65% rank quality of KC Studio very high
- 77% use KC Studio for the calendar of events
- 52% read KC Studio’s online reviews
- 64% receive KC Studio’s newsletter for Arts & Culture
- 82% attend lectures, library, museum, gallery or educational institution
- 66% listen to jazz music or attend live jazz music events and concerts
- Top 3 performing arts organizations attended (or plan to attend):
- Kauffman Center – 73%
- Starlight Theatre – 49%
- Kansas City Symphony – 47%
- Top 3 museums visited (or plan to visit):
- The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art – 94%
- Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art – 78%
- Union Station Kansas City – 70%
- Top 3 destinations planning to visit:
- Bentonville, Arkansas – 75%
- Lawrence, Kansas – 68%
- St. Louis, Missouri – 49%
- Travel/Vacation is #1 purchase or planned purchase.
- 92% have donated to charitable or non-profit organizations.
- Top causes donated to:
- Arts & Culture – 74%
- Social Services – 54%
- Religious – 36%
Comments from KC Studio readers
“KC Studio is a gorgeous magazine, packed with great articles, information, calendars, and coverage of the arts in the whole KC Region. Beautifully and professionally produced.”
“Alice Thorson is a treasure; depth of knowledge, community connections, writing skills.”
“Thank you for providing this lovely magazine, I enjoy reading the articles and learning about what KC has to offer.”
“I find the KC Studio Magazine a jewel of information…”
“I appreciate the hard copy magazine, refer to it often and share it with neighbors who have interest in the arts.”