Exhibitions: Present, Future, Past

Here you’ll find what’s happening right now, what’s just around the corner, and ten years’ worth of shows that have made KCAC what it is today. Whether you’re here to see what’s fresh or to deep-dive into our archives, you’re in good company — we’re nerds for this stuff too.

This is what’s up right now — the art you can actually stand in front of, breathe in (respectfully), and get lost in. If you’re local, consider this your cue to grab a friend and swing by. If you’re browsing from afar, we’ve got plenty of eye candy to tide you over until you can make the trip.
Here’s your sneak peek into what’s coming next at KCAC. Think of it like looking over our shoulder while we hang the show — you’re in on the secret before the paint’s even dry. Mark your calendar now so you can be the person who says, “Oh, I saw that before it was cool.”
This is where we stash the receipts — the last ten of 50 years’ worth of artists, shows, and ideas that have rolled through our galleries. It’s proof of just how much creative energy has pulsed through KCAC. Feel free to dig deep… you never know which artist you’ll spot before they hit the big leagues.

The Annual Undergraduate Student Juried Exhibition is one of the most the most popular exhibitions at KCAC as it showcases young talent from across the region. The Exhibition is juried by a prominent local curator and offers cash awards to three students.

Current Exhibitions

Featured

Confronted With The Gaze of Another

Tara Karaim

Opening Reception: First Friday
August 1 st, 2025, 5:00 – 8:00 PM

All eyes will be on our Main Gallery in August as we exhibit this portrait invitational exhibition Confronted With the Gaze of Another. 9 Local artists were chosen to exhibit their interpretation of the contemporary portrait. From street photography to exquisitely naturalistic renderings in oil to expressive representations of humanity, this show will fill our Main Gallery with more than 35 Paintings and photographs in a variety of sizes and media.

Artists showing: Derrick Benitz, Kwanza Humphrey, Jim Lawrence, Giovanni McGlothan, Benjamin Parks, Michelle Robin, Emily Areti Shackelford, Slater Sousley, and Yvette Wilkins.

Out With Friends by Tara Karaim

Artist Statement: I am a painter focused on capturing the beauty of everyday life through detailed, colorful portraits. My latest series, “Out with Friends,” explores modern friendship by depicting intimate moments influenced by snapshots of those close to me. These works are meditations on contemporary connection. While the moments depicted are deeply personal to me, they transcend individual experiences by encouraging any viewer to take a seat and savor the moment.

My process involves actively seeking out moments of joy and beauty, transforming them into tokens of appreciation for those who make life meaningful. Influenced by ordinary yet vulnerable snapshots, my aim is for them to resonate with viewers, sparking reflections on the richness of human relationships in today’s world.

These candid portraits capture a range of personal interactions that reflect on friendship and ‘going out’ in a post-pandemic reality. From eating a quiet brunch to watching friends play on their phones - connecting today can mean having pizza and a great conversation, or it can mean disconnecting from the world entirely at a club. These works celebrate the joy of face-to-face connections while also reflecting on the distances that separate us.

Bio: Tara Karaim was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. She attended the University of Kansas where she earned her BFA in Art History in 2013. In 2016, she graduated with her MA in Art History from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Since then, Karaim has taught Art History at various Higher Ed Institutions across the Kansas City Metro, she has shown works regularly at multiple galleries, volunteered in an arts capacity at nonprofits and at the board level, and currently works as the Senior Grants Manager at ArtsKC, the metropolitan regional arts council. Her first solo show, “Pandemic Pets,” took place at Vulpes Bastille Gallery in January of 2024. This year she was also one of the artists chosen to participate in Parade of Hearts, a public art experience that celebrates diversity, unites communities and supports nonprofits by placing beautifully designed hearts by local artists throughout the Kansas City region.