Westside Party

As the traditionally Hispanic Westside neighborhood in downtown KC continues to shape-shift — and change colors — the time seems particularly ripe for the second-annual Comunidad/Community art exhibition at La Esquina, the Westside venue of Charlotte Street Foundation’s Urban Culture Project. The group show, presented by UCP and Azteca de Greater Kansas City, brings together some 40 Kansas City-area artists as they explore their ideas of community and unity; it’s curated by Jenny Mendez (chairwoman of Azteca’s Guild of Latino Fine Arts and director of the Mattie Rhodes Art Center). The exhibit opens this weekend in conjunction with Azteca’s and UCP’s third-annual Westside Block Party. The outdoor fiesta’s music, dance, food, beer and lowrider cars attracted more than 1,000 people last year. The free party takes place from 6 to 10 tonight in the parking lot in front of La Esquina (1000 West 25th Street, just north of Southwest Boulevard) and along the block of West 25th Street. Call 816-221-5115 or see charlottestreet.org for more information.

Fri., June 5, 6-10 p.m., 2009