11 Kansas City artists ‘changing the cultural landscape’ will receive awards
The second annual 18th & Vine Arts Festival Honors Awards will return this spring, recognizing artists who have shaped Kansas City’s cultural identity from within the urban core.
The event is scheduled for May 24 at the historic Gem Theater in the 18th & Vine Jazz District. Building on its inaugural year, the awards expand across disciplines while continuing to honor creatives whose work has had a lasting impact on the city’s arts scene. Organizers say the event highlights artists across music, poetry, visual art, theater, dance and more, with an emphasis on those who have contributed to the fabric of the metro’s cultural landscape.
“I always loved the Kennedy Awards and I felt like it was an award show for people who had been doing it for years, like decades,” said Marquez Beasley, organizer of the festival and awards. “But some people still get overlooked for their work. That’s why I started the Honors Awards. I knew there were a lot of people who have been in the business a long time, opening doors for artists that might not even know their names.”
The Honors Awards operate as an extension of the 18th & Vine Arts Festival, which has grown into a showcase of local talent. The addition of an awards component creates space to recognize the individuals who helped build Kansas City’s current arts scene.
Honorees are selected based on Beasley’s direct experience working with artists across the city. The process does not rely on public voting. Instead, it focuses on longevity and impact, with most recipients having spent years, and often decades, contributing to their craft and community.
“Because it’s all about the arts,” Beasley said. “When you come to the 18th & Vine Art Festival, you don’t just see visual artists. You see musicians, singers, directors. We show films. You see models. So it’s under that umbrella, and now it’s a recurring award that we do in the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District.”
This year’s awardees will include:
- Film critic Shawn Edwards
- R&B singer Sosha Oshaye
- Poet Simeon Taylor
- Musician Pablo Sanhueza
- Jazz musician Lonnie McFadden
- Poet Mary Moore
- Gospel singer Issac Cates
- Choreographer Isha Williams
- Visual artist J LeRoy Beasley
- R&B singer LeVelle
- Icon Award for radio personality Sean Tyler
- Special recognition for music and film producer Jason Betts
The 18th & Vine District remains central to the event. Long recognized as a cornerstone of Kansas City’s Black cultural and musical history, the district provides a setting that connects contemporary artists to a legacy rooted in jazz, blues and R&B, while also embracing newer forms such as hip-hop and spoken word.
The awards also create space for generational connection. Last year’s ceremony included tribute performances from younger artists, offering a direct link between those who built the scene and those continuing it.
For Glenn North, a longtime poet and founder of the Verbal Attack open mic series, that recognition carried added meaning. North was among the inaugural 11 honorees and said the experience stood apart from other acknowledgments he has received.
“It felt great,” North said. “When your peers recognize your accomplishments, that’s a special feeling.”
North, who began writing poetry at age 8 and has been active in Kansas City’s arts community since the 1990s, said being recognized at home holds a different weight than recognition elsewhere.
“A lot of the artists who have been doing this for 10 years or more said they had never been recognized like that at home,” North said. “They travel all over the world, but it feels different when it’s at home. If your city honors you, that means something.”
That perspective reflects the broader goal of the Honors Awards, which aims to reinforce local recognition at a time when many artists feel pressure to leave Kansas City to gain visibility.
Along with North, last year’s inaugural class included Kansas City arts pillars such as visual artist Harold Smith, drum and dance instructor Danny Hinds and singer Darcus Speed Gates, reflecting the range of disciplines the awards aim to recognize.
North said the awards are part of a larger pattern of artists creating their own opportunities in the absence of consistent institutional support.
“I don’t think Kansas City has a strong enough infrastructure or ecosystem to support all the artists that are here,” North said. “But what Kansas City has demonstrated is that artists have always been innovative and created outlets independently.”
Even without that infrastructure, North said Kansas City offers advantages through its size and connectivity. Artists frequently share spaces and collaborate across disciplines, creating a network that supports creative growth.
“I feel like the advantage of living in Kansas City is that you can connect with all these artists,” he said. “Whether it’s poets connecting with musicians or visual artists, it’s easier because we’re in closer proximity. I see a lot of collaboration, and I think that’s really cool.”
This year’s ceremony will continue to build on that collaborative spirit. Organizers plan a full production that includes live performances and tribute segments rather than a traditional awards format.
Attendees can expect a themed evening built around the “Red Rose” concept, designed to create an engaging and emotional experience while celebrating the work of those being honored.
“Expect the unexpected,” Beasley said. “Expect to laugh, cry and have a good time. This is a full production. It’s not your typical award ceremony.”
Tickets for the awards are available online at 18thandvineartfestival.com and will also be available at the door for $30.
Organizers say the long-term goal is to establish the Honors Awards as a lasting institution within Kansas City’s arts landscape, with plans to continue the event annually and explore opportunities to expand its reach.
North said efforts like the Honors Awards signal a broader shift in how the city recognizes its creative community, especially as Kansas City prepares for increased national and international attention due to the World Cup.
“I think it’s becoming an institution,” North said. “What excites me is how these efforts are changing the cultural landscape. By supporting one another, it helps people understand that we’ve got a vibrant arts community here.”
