Best Show of Support for the Arts

This March, more than 25 galleries in the Kansas City area housed ceramics exhibits -- ranging in theme from the worldly Eight From Korea exhibit at the Leopold Gallery (which brought some of Korea's finest ceramists to town) to the racy Terra Sutra: 21st-Century Ceramic Erotica at the Arts Incubator. Although the National Council on Education of the Ceramic Arts holds a national event held annually in a different city, Kansas Citians got involved when the organization brought arts enthusiasts to town this year. Local ceramists contributed their work to gallery shows. Venues opened their doors to ceramists from all over the country, and the Westin Crown Center hosted a rare John Waters talk on creativity in general (not on ceramics). Trolleys took visitors to all the spots on their maps. And for once, everyone seemed to be talking about art. For two weeks, downtown Kansas City looked how it ought to look all the time: bustling, energetic and populated.