Faculty at the Kansas City Art Institute are celebrated artists and designers who are leaders in their field.

It's really important for the students to have access to, you know, working industry professionals, not only I think in the faculty, but also in the visiting artists that we bring in.

Students at KCAI have access to artists, designers, historians, and scholars, through more casual visits, like studio visits, field trips in the local area, meeting people in the design community, but also through the current perspectives lecture series, and the Center for contemporary practice.

Students have direct access to many of these artists who are invited to campus maybe working on a project together, maybe participating in department critiques of student work. And this is so we can introduce students to the widest range possible contemporary art practices.

Visiting artists sessions you have really are a great way to not only connect the students within the KCAI community itself, but also the larger art community in Kansas City, which is a really rich art community.

People who come to Kansas City know to expect a dynamic art community, lots of venues to visit and lots of talented artists that are choosing to live and work in Kansas City. There's so many opportunities for artists, studio spaces available, grants to support artistic practice and to fund special projects.

There are makerspaces that help supply tools and equipment that maybe you enjoyed while you're a student residency such as Beltre arts. There is urban potters Guild.There's also the Charlotte street foundation that has opportunities for cross pollination of ideas, connecting with others outside of your discipline, so that you can create and invent new ways of working.