This year's Chalk Walk art won't just be on the sidewalks

By JOE JAROSZ
Northeast News
April 23, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Sidewalks and chalk.

Those two items go together like lemonade and a hot summer day.

This year, for the first time in the event’s seven year history, artists of all ages will have the opportunity to draw on the sidewalks surrounding the Kansas City Museum, 3218 Gladstone Blvd., for the annual Chalk Walk.

This free, family-friendly event will bring more art to the museum grounds. And if drawing on a slab of cement isn’t your style, the event offers more than just the title activity such as free health screening provided by the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, an inflatable bounce house for children, fruit supplied by Cosentino’s Price Chopper and free books to grab from the North-East Library.

In the past, the event has been held on the sidewalks of The Concourse. Northeast Arts Kansas City president Rebecca Koop said the event is being held outside the museum because even though The Concourse is a great venue, there was nothing new to offer at that location. A little over a year go, Koop said event organizers began talking to museum officials about hosting the event.

“We asked ourselves, ‘What’s going to entice new people to check us out?’,” Koop said. “We spoke to museum staff and they’re excited about the pairing. We we’re looking for a small change and a way to support the museum.”

Every year since its inception, there has been more to the event than just chalk art on sidewalks. Koop said the health screening tent offered by KCUMB students and the free books from the library have been with the event from the beginning. Koop added she’s invited area schools and neighborhood associations to set-up a table to introduce themselves to Chalk Walk guests.

“It’s a true community event,” Koop said.

The seventh annual Chalk Walk takes places from 9 – 5 a.m., rain or shine, on Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27, at the Kansas City Museum. For more information on the event, visit www.chalkwalk.org. The event is sponsored by Northeast Arts KC.