Art. Music. Good Vibes.
Kansas City Art Festivals & Pop-Up Markets!
About us
Welcome to Art Garden KC!
Art Garden KC (aka AGKC) is a grassroots, artist-led social enterprise of volunteers and community builders, supporting KC creatives and culture throughout the year in the city’s urban core.
We specialize in organizing community-centered popup markets and festivals, in Historic Kansas City locations: including Berkley Riverfront Park, City Market, Crossroads Art District and West Bottoms. Our mission centers on creating an inclusive space for local creatives, nurturing a supportive community for entrepreneurs and encouraging consumers to actively impact their local economy.
Celebrating a diverse spectrum of artistic specialties and handmade products—from ceramics to holistic skin care, custom-designed clothing and accessories, fine art paintings to photography, woodworking, and beyond - our events honor the unique creative expressions of our local artisans.
Each gathering brings communities together to share in the richness of local culture and KC’s small business community!
Click below to view our upcoming events or follow us on socials at @ArtGardenKC
Photos courtesy of AbraSue Photography, Air Cam KC and the many wonderful volunteers on our social team committee.
“Family friendly events every time! It’s never too overly crowded and everyone is so kind here. Such beautiful art and talented artists. Every visit is just an amazing experience. I’ll be coming back every Sunday every chance I get!!”
The Early Days - Season 2 in Pendleton Heights, Kansas City
Video Credit: Sundays Sauce Pot @SundaysSaucePot
Our Partners & Sponsors
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Our Partners & Sponsors ❤
Our History & Impact
In March 2021, as a response to pandemic isolation, a few founding artists from Pendleton Arts Block in Northeast Kansas City, set out to host our first community event in Pendleton Heights with the help of local business owners.
Starting small, we hoped to create a regular Sunday space for reconnection in our community and address the mental/financial struggles many creatives faced during Covid. Creatives and the community were invited each week to join us in a small park across from our local coffee shop; to make and sell art, play music, dance and connect. To our surprise, the event's popularity grew rapidly! The impact felt by artists & neighbors became very apparent, driving our team to build a more organized system and grow!
Today, we've expanded!! Hosting over 75 free community events per year, in historic Kansas City locations. Our team now consists of 20 dedicated volunteers and a skeleton crew of 5 administrators/event managers running the daily operations that make our events so successful.
In 2023, Art Garden KC provided a $1.4 Million economic impact to the creative small business community and $10,700 in support to local musicians!
Through our generous sponsors, donors and volunteers…plus wonderful partners such as City Market, Port KC and Crossroads Arts District we continue to bring valuable experience to artists & small business owners at amazingly affordable rates.
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From 2021-2023, Art Garden KC onboarded over 1500 local artists & makers to our vendor network!
Our organization accepts all local artists & makers with handmade/art centric products in the Kansas City area, regardless of background, age, skill-level, experience etc.
Compared to competitive art markets in Kansas City that range from $150-$500 per booth fee, Art Garden KC has continued to maintain an affordable booth rate of $10-$50 depending on the event venue, with no application fees! In Kansas City and nation-wide this is unprecedented for an operation our size and imperative to our mission!
Our Berkley Riverfront Festival through the support of Port KC, functions as a low risk/low barrier entrepreneurial "test kitchen", supporting over 60 diverse artists, makers, and innovators, every Sunday from April through October…many from minority communities and low-income ZIP codes. Our booth fees for artists at Berkley are just $10, ensuring that all creatives, no matter their financial situation can participate in our events! For new and emerging artists, we provide free canopies and equipment to those in need, on a borrowed basis. Upon their arrival at the event, our site crew teaches the new vendors how to set-up a canopy and display their art, and even offer helpful tips about pricing their products or greeting customers.
As artists, we sympathize with the fear and anxiety many creatives feel when entering a new scene, therefore we make every effort to encourage a supportive, non-competitive environment.
At Berkley, creative entrepreneurs can expand their business budget, gain sales/marketing experience, develop their product display and eventually graduate to our curated markets in higher-traffic venues.
Throughout the season, we partner with fellow organizations, to host entrepreneurial education classes for youth and small businesses. Another area of focus is providing event support for a rotating selection of food trucks, plus promotional opportunities for wellness instructors, nonprofits and commercial small businesses.
Spreading the good vibes, KC wide - Art Garden KC's Berkley Riverfront Fest is quickly becoming Kansas City’s most anticipated weekly hub for entertainment and community connection!
The free event, drives festival lovers from all over the Midwest to gather every Sunday, along the green spaces and river views of Berkley Riverfront Park! Each day is filled with local art, food, music and creative activities.
Help us continue our impact!
Corporations:
Individuals:
EVERY SUNDAY | 11AM - 4PM: Shop handcrafted local works from KC makers in the gorgeous, Berkley Riverfront Park!
Over 70 vendors featuring unique, handmade jewelry, décor, ceramics, clothing, art and more! Family friendly atmosphere with food trucks, yard games, open mic, yoga, kid’s crafts…activities for all ages. Doggos welcome!
FREE to attend!