ArtsKC, Charlotte Street, and the Spencer Museum of Art have set up a relief fund to support local artists who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Artists are encouraged to apply for this interdisciplinary grant beginning now. Starting May 1st, ten artists will be chosen each week as recipients of a portion of the fund. Grants will continue to…
Punishment Park // Courtesy The Script Lab As a teenager, I stumbled across a documentary on The Exorcist where they interviewed members of the audience who had fled the theater — people for whom the film was not simply offensive, but upsetting to their belief systems and emotional well-being, to such a degree they could no longer endure. Crying, screaming, even becoming ill…
Vanessa Severo and Nathan Darrow as Maggie and Brick // Photo: Don Ipock As spring and early-summer travel plans are being skewered by the pandemic, we have found some consolation in the promise of summer outings — to the theater, to the park, to the theater in the park. Would the shows go on? Could they still go on? In…
The plague as a game. // Screenshot by Brock Wilbur COVID-19 is spreading around the globe and as a result, many folks are stuck in their homes while they practice social distancing. So it seems like a perfect time to play some fun, carefree video games. Or you could play games about pandemics, viruses, and diseases. It might seem weird,…
Some of the locally made products found on shoplocalkc.com The Strawberry Swing has been a staple in the Kansas City crafting community since its founding in 2011. With seasonal festivals and pop-ups in between, The Strawberry Swing keeps the craft scene in KC vibrant and provides a great source of revenue for local makers. As with many things, COVID-19 and…
A girl reading through this. // Photo by Chris Ortiz We’ve been asking members of the KC community to submit stories about life under house arrest. If you’ve got a story you’d like to share, please send it to brock@thepitchkc.com for consideration. Today, Celia Searles reminds us that there is self-care in not setting impossible goals right now. Illustration by Jack…
Illustration by Jack Raybuck Dear Dan: I am a super queer-presenting female who recently accepted that I have desires for men. My partner of two years is bisexual and understands the desires, but has personally dealt with those desires via masturbation, while my desires include acting. Her perspective is that the grass is greener where you water it and that…
Crossroads Community Kitchen // Photo by Zach Bauman It’s been nearly a month since The Rieger started operating as the Crossroads Community Kitchen and in that time they have already served more than 15,000 meals. Through donations and hard work, the restaurant has been able to change how they operate and keep their staff employed while keeping the community fed….
KC under quarantine // Photo by A.Orr Photography Mayor Quinton Lucas just announced the extension of the stay-at-home oder in the Kansas City metro area to May 15. This decision follows discussion around the country of whether or not the current efforts to curb the Coronavirus are enough to stop the spread. Like many communities, Kansas City officials have decided…
Ann Stewart and Marion Merritt are partners in crime at KC’s very own Records With Merritt, located on 1614 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO. // Photo by Travis Young. The afternoon of February 6th, 2020 played out like a funeral. My phone was pinging with condolences at an alarming rate, and I was steeped in overwhelming disquietude. Usually, in times…
We’ve been asking members of the KC community to submit stories about life under house arrest. If you’ve got a story you’d like to share, please send it to brock@thepitchkc.com for consideration. Today, we have a photo essay on how rural areas are looking during coronavirus. Chris Ortiz, MFA is a photographer whose further work can be found at his Instagram…
Gov. Kelly // Courtesy Laura Kelly for Governor Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has just extended her stay-at-home order until midnight on May 3. This follows the initial stay-at-home order placed on March 30, set to expire on April 19. This extension was not unexpected as businesses and residents alike have hunkered down for the long haul. Kansas organizations remain at…
Award recipients. // Courtesy KC Scholars KC Scholars is poised for continued impact and sustainability and is providing good news when good news is needed. On Friday, May 1, KC Scholars will announce their highly anticipated college scholarships for low-and-modest income students across a six-county area of the Kansas City region. The awards provide financial assistance, college advisement, and college…
Til Willis at Kaw Valley Public House // photo by John Knepper Just a month prior Douglas County’s shelter-in-place order went into effect on March 23, the Kaw Valley Public House, located at 444 Locust Street in North Lawrence, celebrated its first anniversary. In the year it had been open, the location grew from a cozy bar into a fine…
Boulevardia 2019 // Photo by Keclie McKenney Organizers of Boulevardia, the two-day Kansas City beer, food and music festival announced today that the 2020 event has been cancelled due to ongoing concerns surrounding COVID-19. The festival was set to celebrate its seventh year in a new location at Grand Boulevard in Crown Center on June 19-20. This is just an…
Boulevard’s beer for The Last of Us II / Courtesy Boulevard Brewing Co. With the cancellation of Boulevardia, we could all use some good news. That’s why I’m mumbling “oh my god” to myself alone in my office, because this announcement is WILD to me. Boulevard Brewing Co. has partnered with Playstation on a special limited edition tie-in beer for…
Illustration by Jack Raybuck Names have been changed in this story to protect the identity of parents and their children. A job you’d rather not have if given the choice, bills upon bills upon bills, cultivating and balancing relationships, children in constant need of care or they will literally die: all things many American parents can relate to. Life can…
Blue for you. // Courtesy Starlight Earlier this week, a properly social-distanced team of just three Starlight staff members lit the iconic towers in Swope Park blue to honor essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Starlight joins landmarks across Kansas City in the campaign to thank those in our community who are working on the front lines. The Light…
Employee glamour shot // Photo courtesy Servaes Brewing Company LLC Editor’s Note: SBC is releasing a 40th-anniversary beer in our honor. You can find it here, and 10% of all profits go to Harvesters. It gets tapped on Saturday. After years of homebrewing, Courtney Servaes is celebrating her first anniversary as the founder and owner of Servaes Brewing Company in…
Rooftop Vigilantes at the Replay in 2012 // photo by Nick Spacek Lawrence garage rock quartet Rooftop Vigilantes haven’t been a going concern since the early 2000s, but they’ve gotten back together to play the occasional reunion show. The quartet was omnipresent during their heyday, so it’s unsurprising that the band’s occasionally come out of hiding to put out unreleased…
Rieger’s hand sanitizer containers. // Photo courtesy J. Rieger’s. Despite the distance, the Kansas City community is “closer” than ever with their efforts to support those putting themselves at risk to keep us safe. Front-line workers and restaurant owners qualify for free hand sanitizer thanks to the Support KC Industry Collection campaign run by Single Wing. They’re partnering with J….
Liam Kazar // photo by Alexa Viscius These days, musician Liam Kazar splits his time between his hometown of Chicago and Kansas City. During his time growing up in Chicago, he played in the hip-hop act, Kids These Days, which also included rapper Vic Mensa and OHMME’s Macie Stewart. Not a bad start. His debut solo single, “Shoes Too Tight,”…
Richard Eugene “Dick” Hickock and Perry Edward Smith. // Photo by Richard Avedon, courtesy of RadicalMedia If you live in Kansas, there are two books that you will never escape, even if you have never read them: L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences. Because…
99 cent gas. // Courtesy Grand Slam Liquor and Convenience Grand Slam Liquor and Convenience (631 Grand Blvd) is saying a big “thank you” to all the essential workers in Kansas City. They are selling gas for $0.99/gallon until midnight tonight. No proof of essential status is required. They consider everyone to be doing their part, whether they’re staying at…
