The arts can add great enrichment to anyone’s life and are often a motivating factor in choosing a destination city for new residence. When considering where you can live an enriching life in the arts one doesn’t always consider the central United States. When taking a closer look, you might be surprised to find a wealth of cultural delights and artful indulgences right in the heartland of Missouri. The following five cities will show you the potential for artful living in Missouri.
St. Louis is the Gateway to the West, a hub of activity in middle America, and one of the best cities in Missouri for everything arts. The St. Louis Art Museum, Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis, small local galleries, and street fairs for local talents ensure every medium of artwork are at your fingertips at any given moment. If you are more in the market for live art, St. Louis brings you everything Broadway to ballet. On any given night you can catch stand up acts, musicals cabarets, live dance, or whatever you are in the mood for at venues like The Fabulous Fox Theater, The Muny, and The Scottrade Center. For those that are the artists themselves, feel free to immerse yourself in any of the activities listed by using the city’s urban atmosphere and creative feel to bring inspiration around every corner. Or better yet, enroll in classes at the local museums, theaters, or even the University of Missouri for the art student experience. All over the city you will find art programs for the novice or expert looking to hone their craft in any artist genre.
Being the most populated city in Missouri, Kansas City offers a sprawling cityscape of urban culture and vibrant art life. With the Arts KC Regional Arts Council as a huge part of the community, everything creative is not only embraced but encouraged in this cityscape. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art also brings a whole community feel to the Kansas City art scene. An interactive display of small to large art installations with educational goals for the whole family begins the love of creative pursuits at an early age. There is even a special tour for the visually impaired to ensure no one misses out on the experience. From there Kansas City residents can take in live entertainment and dinner prepared by artists of the kitchen at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Also, the Uptown Arts Bar is a great upscale option for an evening out to enjoy a nightcap along with comedy, jazz, or even karaoke. Whatever your preference, Kansas City will not disappoint as your new home for creative expression.
Known as the Queen City of the Ozarks, Springfield is Missouri’s third largest city but feels like small town America. When here you have the benefit of all that city life has to offer in addition to rural surrounding property that will give every artist inspiration. Springfield is also a college town with Missouri State University, Drury University, Ozarks Technical University, and multiple other schools offering exceptional programs in any number of artist pursuits. School like Creava School for the Arts, The Creamery, and the Performing Arts Center of Springfield provide art specific programs that are in the top of their kind. When not studying, Springfieldians enjoy time in the newly revitalized downtown sector where Art in the Park is a local favorite and showcases local work in every genre. Also a local favorite are the weekly farmer’s markets held in various places in the city. Farmers sell their delicious organic treats alongside artesian creations from around the state. As a home for the creatives, Springfield is by far one of the best cities in Missouri.
The state capital of Missouri, Jefferson City sets a precedent for the experience to expect statewide. The Village Square is a great starting point to experience Jeff City art. With a coffee shop and bistro to recharge and work on your own projects alongside multiple art studios and an exceptional art gallery that sells artisan gifts, this locale provides a great environment to explore. Local theaters and event spaces also offer multiple performing art opportunities every day. One in particular, The Etta and Joseph Miller Performing Arts Center, is owned and operated by the Jefferson City school system and gives students a chance to learn about art as curriculum. Another aspect to the cultural life in Jeff City is the ability to see and appreciate architectural art daily. The city is comprised of building after building build with the purpose of being art rather than just buildings. The city art museum itself is a work of art and creates a swaying building optical illusion against the city sky.
The birthplace of legendary writer Langston Hughes, Joplin’s history with the world of art is long and plays a large role in the function of the city. Their Connect2Culture program works hard to make this a trend that continues indefinitely. Throughout the city you can see evidence of their work in the local artist installations focused on community solidarity after losing a large portion of the city and its residents to a tornado in 2011. The city rallied together and often use art a way to bind themselves together further. Visual arts, performing arts, cultural arts, handcrafted arts, and annual arts festivals fill the city and create a perfect fit for the creative soul. The jewel in their crown for the arts is the Spiva Center of the Arts which serves as a cultural hub for a four state area including Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
