Kansas City will host the FIFA World Cup soccer matches in 2026.

As the city prepares for this great honor and opportunity, how will the arts and culture community be involved in the planning and implementation of programs and events for the national and international audience of sports and arts supporters?

At the Kansas City Museum, we hope that there will be a city-wide effort to ensure that the city’s museums, arts, culture, and civic assets are front and center in the World Cup planning.

One of the best organizations to convene and unite all of us around this goal is Creative City KC Inc.

In November 2017, the City of Kansas City, Missouri, became a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and remains the first and only UNESCO Creative City of Music in the United States. Creative City KC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to support and sustain the city’s membership as a UNESCO Creative City, the most recognized cultural arts brand in the world.

As we all work together in the creative sectors to make the World Cup a success, our UNESCO designation can bring us all together to create local and international programs for the World Cup and increase cultural tourism in our city and state.

Arts and culture are a major economic driver worldwide so let’s make sure we value our local institutions that do the hard work every day to uplift and advance this message and the creative sector of our vibrant and renowned Kansas City.