The Kelly Poling Arts Festival celebrates “Where Art Meets Vision” at this two-day outdoor event. The Festival is held in the city known as “The Home of Sliced Bread”. This Festival will be a high-quality, juried fine art event featuring local and regional artisans. Visitors and exhibitors will enjoy a unique blend of ART, MUSIC and FOOD as well as the annual Chillicothe Main Street wine-tasting/walk event featuring the best of Missouri Wines. The visual feast of art, subtle sound of ambient music and delicious mouthwatering food will make for a festival that will be one to attend each and every year.
Kelly Poling Arts District is a 501c3 nonprofit that was formed in honor and memory of Kelly Poling, renowned muralist. Kelly had a vision of how art could bring the past alive and tell stories of the past to future generations, “Where Art Meets Vision” describes his passion. Kelly has works from Las Vegas and throughout the Midwest. His vision assisted the city of Chillicothe to be finalist in the National Main Street Award for several years. The pandemic has been devastating to the art world, local communities and the world. The Kelly Poling Arts District (KPAD) is very cognizance of the guidance and recommendations from the State and Local Health Departments for recommended or required guidelines. Art Festivals are rich and special due to the person to person interactions between the artists and the patrons but as this Festival has been planned the setting for each space will have excessive area for proper social distancing, controlled traffic flow, requirements of face shields (masks, scarves, etc), hand sanitizers, and other means that are recommended or required.
Chillicothe is located 90 miles northeast of Kansas City, home of the famous Plaza Art Fair. The history of the Plaza Art Fair mirrors the issues of today. The first fair was held during the great depression with the purpose of lifting people’s spirits and enjoying a time to celebrate art and each other. How apropos that on October 2nd and 3rd, 2020, we reflect back to that simple message, to come together to celebrate art and each other all the while lifting spirits.
Kelly Poling Art District (KPAD) CORPORATION has an ongoing jury process that can process applications on a weekly basis. KPAD CORPORATION has elected to offer this new and exciting festival not only to showcase our beautiful community and the murals and artwork of our namesake, Kelly Poling, but also to mirror the strength and attitude of our neighboring Kansas City and the Plaza Art Fair. In cooperation with the Chillicothe Main Street Wine Walk, which is a sell-out event, this will be the perfect opportunity to display and sell your works of art of every medium to the people that come from across the state for the wine walk as well as the surrounding cities of Kanas City, Columbia, Kirksville, Maryville, Des Moines, St. Louis, Lake of the Ozarks, Springfield and Branson. Please contact Chillicothe Main Street if you choose to participate in the Wine Walk.
