Kansas Department of Commerce
The Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) has announced that the "Tallgrass Artist Residency" program will celebrate its 10th year of strengthening the Kansas arts community and connecting artists with the people and communities of the tallgrass prairie by inviting the public to its annual Fall Gathering.
The event will take place in Matfield Green, KS on Saturday, October 4.
Tallgrass Artist Residency is designed to help Kansans experience compelling work by dynamic artists — and immerse themselves in unique aspects of rural life.
“Arts are more than creating a beautiful painting or producing a song that groups enjoy — they’re a key component to a prosperous community and strong local economy,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Kansas is the place where we encourage and uplift artists — because their talent and vibrancy makes the Sunflower State attractive for new residents and new investments alike.”
The Fall Gathering will include a day full of free events, including the 11 visiting artists-in-residence for 2025, local artist open studios, a community dinner and a special guest speaker, Sarah Smarsh.
Smarsh is a journalist and bestselling author whose newest book, "Bone of the Bone: Essays on America from a Daughter of the Working Class," is a thought-provoking collection of more than 30 of her previously published essays from the past decade.
“Artists may not have experience living in a community this small and many have never seen prairie this expansive,” Tallgrass Artist Residency program administrator Kelly Yarbrough said. “It’s an impactful experience for these artists to be here, and they are able to return to their own communities with new experiences and a better understanding of Kansas’ people and places.”
Tallgrass Artist Residency has hosted 91 artists from 20 different states in its first 10 years of the program. Artists of any discipline are qualified to apply. Applicants each year are selected through a juried review process.
The Fall Gathering will take start at 10:00 am and last until sunset.
A list of activities can be found here.
Community members interested in attending the afternoon programming at the School for Rural Culture and Creativity or the community dinner are encouraged to RSVP here.
Additionally, there will be opportunities to work with sound artist and composer Clay Gonzalez.
Volunteer opportunities are open to people of any age and experience level. If interested, visit here to register.
To view the 2025 visiting artists-in-residence or learn more about Tallgrass Artist Residency, visit here.