Barney Allis Plaza

Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Shortlisted Artists: Ghada Amer, Sanford Biggers, Paul Cocksedge, Daily Tous Les Jours, Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, Hugh Hayden, Ugo Rondinone

About: Petrichor Projects serves as the Curatorial Arts Consultant for the reimagining of Barney Allis Plaza, transforming this iconic downtown space into a world-class cultural destination. As Kansas City’s “front door,” the plaza will offer an inspiring first impression for both residents and visitors, showcasing the city’s creative vitality and cultural identity.

Our approach brings a new model to the city’s public art commissioning process by integrating local museums, professional curators, and public art experts into the artist selection process. This collaborative framework ensures that the art program achieves the highest level of artistic excellence while authentically reflecting Kansas City’s spirit and history.

As part of our community engagement efforts, we have developed Office Hours, a mentorship program offering one-on-one sessions for artists to review portfolios, refine project proposals, and navigate the RFQ/RFP process. Through this mentorship, we are expanding access to public art opportunities, ensuring that emerging and mid-career artists can engage with civic-scale projects and thrive.