The weather’s cooling down, but the arts scene in Kansas City is heating up. The 2024-2025 season is here, and our world-class arts and cultural destinations have pulled out all the stops this year. Our local talent is the best it’s ever been, and you’re not going to want to miss a minute of it. We’re making it easy to sample everything Kansas City has to offer in arts this fall—here’s your go-to guide to finding it all.
Museums & Exhibits
Charlotte Street
Charlotte Street—through its grants, residencies, and connections—has been a crucial incubator for KC artists since 1997. Its 2024 season focuses on sound and the way it moves us. Ways of Listening, a seven-artist audiovisual showcase, will occupy the Charlotte Street Gallery until September 7, with artist-led demonstrations, meditations, and performances throughout. To keep the sound waves moving, the Spirit of Sonic Art series will emanate monthly (August 1, September 5, October 3, and November 7) from Charlotte Street Stern Theater. The organization’s benefit gala, loaded with installations and performances, is October 19 on the Charlotte Street Campus. Check their website for more information.
Johnson County Arts And Heritage Center
Johnson County Arts And Heritage CenterWith a hand in almost every aspect of Johnson County, from chronicling its History to supporting its citizens with disabilities, it’s not a surprise that the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center is a steward for the arts. Some organizations under its purview are the Johnson County Museum and the Arts Council of Johnson County. The museum’s exhibit Free to Be…A 1960s Fashion Revolution will be on view until January 11, with several relevant lectures planned into the fall. Meanwhile, the arts council is teaming with its Lenexa counterpart to present Place of Peace, an exhibition of art by veterans in the Kansas City metro, from October 29 to November 24. For more details on the center’s programming, head to their website.
Kansas City Artists Coalition
KCAC was established in 1975 as a centralized space for innovation—not elitism and stagnation—in the Kansas City arts scene. Its exhibition calendar each year is reliably filled with unique talent. Highlights of its 2024 lineup include Ozark artist Christine Riutzel’s deep acrylics (August 2-30), Kansan Barbara Lane Tharas’s interpretations of borderline personality disorder (September 6-27), and Hannah Banciella’s 11-foot charcoal drawings in her exhibition Communing with Poppies. KCAC’s members-only showcase runs from November 1 to 22 in the Snap Space Gallery. Visit their website for a full calendar of upcoming events.
The Kansas City Museum
This striking museum holds a special place in Kansas City’s museum scene, with an awe-inspiring campus and faculty experts in everything from architecture to poetry. Its collection of historical artifacts contains over 100,000 items, and selections are displayed across all four levels of the main building, the astounding Corinthian Hall. On display this year is The Loula Long Combs & Tom Bass Memorial Weathervane, which was constructed by astronaut and Kansas City native Ed Dwight. The weathervane will eventually top the campus’s Carriage House, which is currently undergoing restoration. Learn more about the museum at their website.
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
In its 30th year, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art continues to provide a platform for emerging and mid-career artists and celebrate established career artists. Lucía Vidales: Hambre (September 20-July 13) examines imagery associated with The Last Supper with a Vidales’s distinctive style. Infinite Regress: Mystical Abstraction from the Permanent Collection and Beyond (September 20-February 23) collects works from the Kemper’s permanent collection and debuting artists to “offer an intergenerational dialogue about art as a spiritual home in a beautiful and troubled world.” On November 2, the museum will host ArtSmash, a benefit gala. Head to their website for more on the season.
Kansas City Public Library
Kansas City’s libraries are more than libraries. They’re technology centers, meeting spaces, and purveyors of the arts—especially in the case of the downtown Central Library. Its gallery spaces will host three notable exhibitions this season. Until September 16, visit Going Home, a collection of incisive contemporary Indigenous art. Celebrate the Weavers Guild of Greater Kansas City’s 70th anniversary from September 7 to November 23 with the exhibition Fibers of Being. And from October 6 to January 6, seek out the multimedia exhibit An Exchange of Gifts, a compilation of artwork produced by the staff themselves to cap off the organization’s 150th year. Learn more about the exhibits at their website.
The National WWI Museum & Memorial
The National WWI Museum & MemorialThis Kansas City icon is undergoing a multi-year renovation of its gallery spaces, and several exhibits will open their doors before Veterans Day. The first is the reimagined space surrounding the Renault FT17 tank that will allow guests to see it from all angles. A new display, Casualties, will represent a bombed-out church turned field hospital. And Battlescape, an original film depicting the terrors of WWI shellings, will be projected into a constructed battle crater. Visit their website for more information.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Kansas City’s seat of visual art is, as always, presenting coveted artwork from across time and space. Hokusai: Waves of Inspiration (September 6-January 5) will feature approximately 100 works from Katsushika Hokusai, the 18th-century ukiyo-e artist most famous for Under the Wave off Kanagawa. Elsewhere at the Nelson, Still Performing (August 24-January 12) will showcase the dizzying variety of 19th-century European photography, and Glorious Glass (November 2-August 9, 2026) will display centuries of European glassmaking. Learn more at their website.
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art
Three exhibitions are on view at this Johnson County jewel from August 9 to December 8. Actions for the Earth: Art, Care & Ecology is an 18-artist, interdisciplinary curation that calls attention to humanity’s collective responsibility to address planetary crises. The museum will also host two painters for their solo museum collection debuts: Emilio Villalba with Everything is Something, an onslaught of color and symbols; and Gabriel Mills with Aunechei, a multi-textured ocean of oil paint. Get the whole rundown on their website.
Performing Arts
1900 Building
The 1900 Building in Mission Woods is a lot of things. It’s an event space, an office space, and an architectural beauty. It also gives a spotlight to a diverse roster of musicians throughout a season that nearly spans the year. On September 14, Ensemble Ibérica will bring its South American sound to the 1900 stage. On September 26, Italian folk singer and guitarist Beppe Gambetta returns to the venue. Several acts from Park University’s International Center for Music, a close partner, will perform over the next several months. See the full schedule on their website.
City in Motion
Since 1985, the City in Motion dance troop has cultivated expression, education, and inclusion in the Kansas City dance community. The ultimate combination of those elements is back on September 7 for its 25th year: Dance in the Park, a free showcase of our region’s dances and dancers in Roanoke Park. Learn more about City in Motion at their website.
The Coterie Theatre
Serving audiences in Crown Center for decades, the Coterie Theatre’s most anticipated event might be outside its walls—at Union Cemetery, the oldest public graveyard in Kansas City. Electric Poe (October 17-November 3, select nights) started as a pandemic collaboration between the Coterie and Union Cemetery Historical Society to provide outdoor entertainment. Today, it’s an annual favorite. KC actor and playwright R.H. Wilhoit performs adapted works from Edgar Allen Poe at sunset amid the graves. See the whole schedule—which includes a puppet show of Finding Nemo (November 6-December 30)—at their website.
Folly Theater
With its signature neon marquee, the Folly Theater has hosted musicians, comedians, theater productions, and a sitting U.S. president. At over 120 years old, the Folly is a revered venue in the Kansas City performing arts scene—which is why several institutions in this preview host performances on its stage. This fall, the Folly’s lineup includes Park ICM, the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, and the Friends of Chamber Music. For something fun, you can catch The Ultimate Elvis Concert on September 26. Find the full schedule at their website.
The Friends of Chamber Music
The Friends of Chamber Music has had quite the voyage to its 49th season. In 1975, founder Cynthia Siebert staged the first four concerts in private residences. By 1985, they’d hosted several international talents and moved to the Folly Theater. Today, they’re a fixture at the Folly and a destination for the world’s best. Their 2024/2025 season, appropriately called Voyages, begins on September 13 with Voyage of Love, a three-part show. Then comes the scintillating stylings of Christina and Michelle Naughton, twin master pianists, on September 28. The destination, after nine more shows, is a performance from Gramophone-winning master pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet on May 9. Dig into the full season at their website.
Harriman-Jewell Series
The Harriman-Jewell Series has brought a staggering number of world-class musicians to Kansas City since 1965. Its 2024-2025 season lengthens the list. A preview: Pianist Khatia Buniatishvili performs at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on September 17; violinist Joshua Bell, soprano Larisa Martínez, and pianist Peter Dugan fill the Folly on October 8; and Chelsea Guo (piano and soprano) and Joseph Parrish (baritone) come to the Folly on October 19 for a free concert as part of Harriman-Jewell’s Discovery Series. Experience the magic of multi-Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato joining forces with the sensational four-voice vocal group, Kings Return, for a holiday season musical celebration on December 9. Find the complete schedule at their website.
Heartland Men’s Chorus
With a mission to build community, celebrate pride, and empower authenticity, The Heartland Men’s Chorus is celebrating their 39th season as a pillar of performing arts excellence in Kansas City. Their season begins with an annual holiday concert the first weekend of December, helping Kansas City kick-off the holiday season with flair! Stay updated for the rest of the season at website.
Kansas City Actors Theatre
Kansas City Actors TheatreThe 2024/2025 season marks two decades’ worth for KCAT, a vital force for local artist prosperity and fair pay in Kansas City’s dramatic arts scene. Head to Union Station’s City Stage August 7-25 to watch Trouble in Mind, which tackles racism in theater in the 1950s. From September 11 to 29, psychological thriller Dial M for Murder (a modern adaptation of the murder mystery) takes over at City Stage. The season ends with another mystery, Doubt: A Parable, at Kansas City United Church of Christ from March 6 to 23. Get the details on their website.
Kauffman Center Presents
With its unmissable architecture, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts has become as much a symbol of Kansas City as Union Station and the Liberty Memorial Tower. But, as with the latter two icons, it’s also about what’s inside—and the Kauffman Center has housed world-renowned performers since its 2011 opening. The 2024 season of Kauffman Center Presents includes Rock & Roll Hall of Famers The Righteous Brothers on their farewell tour (September 14), blues artist Keb’ Mo’ and singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin (October 5), and classical crossover artists the Vitamin String Quartet (November 7). Go to their website for the full series lineup.
Kansas City Ballet
Housed in the beautiful Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity near Union Station, the Kansas City Ballet has trained and entertained thousands of Kansas Citians in its 60-plus-year run. This year, its season begins at the Midwest Trust Center with performances of New Dance Partners, September 20-21. Then it’s down the rabbit hole with Alice in Wonderland, October 11-12, with a sensory-friendly performance soon after on October 17. It finishes the year with the classic ballet The Nutcracker, December 6-24, with a sensory-friendly performance on December 5. For its schedule through spring 2025, head to their website.
Kansas City Chorale
If you want to feel your art, seek out the vibrant tones of Kansas City Chorale this fall. The Grammy-winning choir’s opening show for the 2024/2025 season takes place in the stately Rozzelle Court at Nelson-Atkins on December 5. The 12-song show will mix new and old, celebrating Austrian composer Anton Bruckner’s 200th birthday and including songs by contemporary composer Will Todd for good measure. Keep your eye out for the full season schedule on their website.
Kansas City Jazz Orchestra
The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, though relatively young at 21, never forgets the art form’s history. On August 24, it’s all ears for the work of Kansas City jazz legend Charlie Parker, with KCJO playing a collection of the great saxophonist’s songs. Then it’s onto the Signature Series, highlighted by a vocal performance from Sachal Vasandani, on October 11, a stop at the arcade with the video-game-themed Level Up!, and a Hollywood-themed finale led by singer Brenna Whitaker. For the whole lineup, head to their website.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
KCRep has been a cornerstone in Kansas City’s dramatic arts scene for 60 years, so it’s appropriate that its 2024/2025 season focuses on the cornerstone qualities of theater. Once, an adaptation of the Tony-winning musical, tackles love and aspiration (September 3-22); Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill chronicles the life of a legend in Billie Holiday (October 8-27); Broke-ology is a touching tale of a family’s strength (February 11-March 2); and Emma is a contemporary take on classic literature (May 6-25). The classic KCRep tradition, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, shows from November 23 to December 28. Learn more at their website.
Kansas City Symphony
For the first time in 20 years, the Kansas City Symphony won’t open its season with Michael Stern conducting. The symphony’s 2024/2025 season is Matthias Pintscher’s first as its music director after a decade at the helm of Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris. The 44-show season begins August 21 and concludes June 8; highlights include Grammy-winner Dionne Warwick teaming with the symphony on September 28, and a series of concerts packed with classics, including cello virtuoso Alisa Weilerstein playing Dvořák (September 13-15), violinist Gil Shaham dazzling in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto (October 4-6), and Mozart’s Requiem (November 1-3). Find the whole schedule on
their website.
Lyric Opera KC
The first producing opera in Kansas City is resilient. In its nearly 66-year run, Lyric Opera KC has adapted and thrived through fire, pandemic, and changing musical tastes. In 2024, the show goes on. Notably, on September 27 and 29, soprano Renée Fleming and baritone Rod Gilfry perform The Brightness of Light, a show based on letters exchanged between Georgia O’Keeffe and her husband, Alfred Stieglitz. From November 17 to 18, enjoy The Barber of Seville, a rom-com as enduring as Lyric Opera KC itself (“Fee-garo! Fee-garo! Fee-garo! Yep, that one,” the Lyric’s description reads). Get the full rundown on their website.
Midwest Trust Center
The Midwest Trust Center at Johnson County Community College aims for a varied group of performances every year. This season brings dance, storytelling, live film scores, theater, and somehow more. Notable shows are ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Live in Concert (September 29), an all-family cast in Hotel Elsinore (October 16-17), and the off-broadway hit Hyprov: Improv Under Hypnosis (November 3) starring Colin Mochrie and Asad Mecci. It also hosts New Dance Partners, a four-company collaboration at Yardley Hall (September 20-21). Find the whole schedule at their website.
Music Theater Heritage
MTH started on a loading dock at Belger Arts Center. Today, it performs for thousands each year across three stages in Crown Center. It concludes its musical season with three timeless works: La Cage aux Folles (August 1-18), Sweeney Todd (October 3-27), and It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (December 5-23). The first is on the Grand Stage, the latter two on the Main Stage. Over in the more intimate Ruby Room, you can catch the heralded drag newscast Deep Inside Tonight (August 23-24) and tribute group Rock & Roll Call: The Dynamic Duos of the 60s (October 11-12). Get all the details at their website.
Owen/Cox Dance Group
The Owen/Cox Dance Group is everywhere. They perform at Dance in the Park, the Folly Theater, and City Stage—and they even accompanied the U.S. State Department on a diplomatic trip to Ukraine. Their 2024 season begins with Creative Intersections (August 9-10), a free outdoor performance at the Hyde Park Butterfly Labyrinth. They’re also featured in the Midwest Trust Center’s New Dance Partners on September 20 and 21, and their rendition of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King prances through Polsky Theatre December 13 and 15. Find the whole schedule at their website.
Park University International Center for Music
Between its faculty, alumni, and students, Park ICM rosters an intergenerational bonanza of world-class musicians. Its 2024/2025 season puts this on full display, with five performances from the Park ICM Orchestra (including a November 1 fall concert with guest conductor Laura Jackson) and a night with faculty ensemble the Park Trio (January 24). See the whole lineup at their website.
PNC Broadway in Kansas City
The American Theatre Guild brings national Broadway tours right to Kansas City’s doorstep this 2024-2025 season. Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time, Funny Girl comes to Kansas City (December 3-8), followed by Chicago (January 7-12). Then, Tony Award-winner for the 2023 Best Revival of a Musical, Parade takes the stage (January 28-February 2). This spring, PNC Broadway offers Broadway favorites you won’t want to miss, such as Beetlejuice, Back to the Future, Disney’s The Lion King, and The Wiz. Get all the details at their website.
Starlight Theatre
Starlight TheatreIt’s always a whirlwind season at Starlight. Its Broadway series, began with Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Shrek the Musical, continues with Come From Away (August 6-11), West Side Story (August 20-25), and Peter Pan (September 17-22). Its series for young audiences starts on November 9 with Journey to Oz, a Wizard of Oz adaptation where the kids are invited on stage to sing and dance. After that, The Gruffalo’s Child sneaks through the night on March 1. Then it’s back to the world of Peter Pan on April 5 with Underneath a Magical Moon. See Starlight’s full lineup, including its concerts, at their website.
UMKC Conservatory
The conservatory at the University of Missouri-Kansas City encompasses dance, theater, and music. Its fall 2024 lineup is heavy on music, with a faculty flute recital presented by flute professor Terri Sanchez kicking off the season on August 20. Other highlights include pianist Yuefeng Liu’s doctoral recital (August 31); a guest master class with Spencer Myer, associate professor of piano at Indiana University (September 15); and the ‘Roo Holiday Horns Concert (December 4). See the whole events calendar at their website.
Unicorn Theatre
Unicorn TheatreThe Unicorn Theatre’s history is almost mythical. Since its first show in a River Market warehouse in 1975, it has hosted a litany of regional premieres for Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning productions. The Unicorn found a permanent home in Westport in 1986 and has continued its mission of bringing thought-provoking, socially conscious plays to Kansas Citians. Its first play this season is The Heart Sellers (October 22-November 10), an examination of immigrant families that The New York Times calls “politically astute and filled with subtly devastating lines.” From December 4 to 22, utopian fantasy Fire Work makes its world premiere. To learn more, head to their website.