CONTACT: Melissa Beltrame, Marketing Director
mbeltrame@leadbankonline.com
Jenny Kincaid, Socialworx PR
(816) 550.4382 / jenny@socialwrx.com
KANSAS CITY, MO (MARCH 2016) Lead Bank, a locally owned financial institution dedicated to the needs of small businesses, will be announcing a new community art project in partnership with Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) Friday, March 4, at 5 p.m. at Lead Bank Crossroads, 1801 Main St., as part of March First Fridays. Lead Bank will unveil the bank’s first Community Art Wall installation, and the artwork will rotate every couple months, each featuring a different art department of the Art Institute.
“Since we are located in Crossroads Arts District, we continue to deepen our involvement in the art community and support local art initiatives, especially those involving students,” Lead Bank Vice Chairman Josh Rowland said. “Bringing the Art Institute and its students into the Crossroads community is exciting for the future of Kansas City. We hope to further grow our relationship with KCAI and the community through this creative installation.”
In celebration of this partnership, there will be a wine tasting from Amigoni Urban Winery and food available from Boo Yah! and Twisted Asian food trucks. Six KCAI students will be selling their artwork in the parking lot from 5-7 p.m., weather permitting. The students represent the departments of illustration, printmaking, graphic design and fiber arts.
The Featured Artist, Slimm Fabert, is a senior in Illustration at KCAI and an illustrator whose work varies from comics to paintings to hand-lettering. Slimm enjoys working in a wide variety of media, both digital and traditional. His artwork for the Lead Bank Community Art Wall consists of three banners depicting three of the Greek Muses representing history, music and comedy. “Clio, the muse of history, was chosen to honor the creative works of curators and historians, whose work records, preserves, and helps us to understand the creations of those who came before us and laid the foundations for contemporary artists,” Slimm said. “Euterpe, the muse of flute music and lyric poetry, represents Kansas City's rich music scene, from composers to stage performers to orchestral musicians. Thalia, the muse of comedy, is for the stage performers, the playwrights, and the creative cleverness that goes into making people laugh."
"The Kansas City Art Institute is pleased to partner with Lead Bank through our Sponsored Studio program," said Randy Williams, senior director of corporate development. "The program prepares our students to be the next generation of innovators and creative thinkers through the development of creative projects with area businesses. We look forward to creating new artwork for Lead Bank's Community Art Wall.”
About Kansas City Art Institute
Founded in 1885, the Kansas City Art Institute is a private, independent four-year college of art and design awarding the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with majors in animation, art history, ceramics, digital filmmaking, fiber, graphic design, interdisciplinary arts, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and studio art with an emphasis in creative writing. KCAI also hosts a free public lecture series — “Current Perspectives” — and a range of public programs including exhibitions, events and partnerships in the community to benefit the general public as well as evening, weekend and summer classes in art, design, multimedia studies and desktop publishing for children, youth and adults. For more information, visit KCAI on the web at http://www.kcai.edu.
About Lead Bank
For more than 85 years, Lead Bank has remained a strong independent commercial bank dedicated to delivering smart financial solutions for business owners, managers and their families and communities. With locations in Garden City, Lee’s Summit and now the Kansas City Crossroads, Lead Bank continues to provide treasury management, lending services, and personal client products. Lead Bank also offers advisory services to companies from bookkeeping to business brokerage services through its division, Lead Business Advisors. The new flagship location in Kansas City’s dynamic KC Crossroads District introduces clients to a new “era of banking.” For additional information, call (816) 220.8600 or visit http://www.lead.bank