The SHOUT

After four years, Vivian Zavataro is leaving the Ulrich Museum of Art for the Riverside Art Museum in the Los Angeles metro area.

Plans for a new vault, increased attendance, and a capable staff leave the Wichita State Museum “better than I found it,” she said in an interview with The SHOUT.

Click through to read more 👇

Vivian Zavataro to depart the Ulrich Museum of Art for a new job in California Plans for a new vault, increased attendance, and a capable staff leave the Wichita State Museum ‘better than I found it,’ she said.

The third iteration of Somewhere Fest kicks off in less than two weeks. Learn about the changes to the festival from this story by Kevin Kinder. 👇

Something different: Music festival returns with new partners, new approach Chase Koch's Somewhere Fest ended its relationship with Midtopia earlier this year, moved its festival from June to September, and added country acts to the lineup.

As arts writers, we believe reading is a cultural bedrock. We're excited to join the Wichita Journalism Collaborative as it embarks on a series about adult literacy. If you're free Thursday, September 17, join us for a kickoff event from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Advanced Learning Library.

And click through to learn more about the initiative from this story by Lauren Amelunke 👇

Nearly 1 in 5 Wichita adults struggle with literacy. New initiative seeks solutions. The Wichita Journalism Collaborative's new 'Beyond Words: Wichita’s Reading Crisis' initiative aims to raise awareness about literacy struggles.

We share a roundup of Wichita, Kansas, and regional culture news in our newsletter the Weekly SHOUT every Sunday. The most-clicked-through story this week is by Kaitlynn Alatidd for the Wichita Eagle.

Kansas museum is once again named one of the best in America by USA Today The museum has been recognized by USA Today for six years in a row.

For its 2026-27 season, Wichita Grand Opera is highlighting works that deploy beautiful music to tell intensely dramatic stories.

The season's two main-stage opera productions will help the company live up to the “grand” promise of its name, with large casts and choruses on the Century II Concert Hall stage supported by a full symphony orchestra in the pit. Puccini’s “Tosca” opens on October 30, with a second performance November 1. The traditional double bill of Mascagni’s “Cavalleria rusticana” and Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” will follow next spring, April 10-11.

Other 2026-27 offerings include 'Amahl and the Night Visitors,' 'The Light in the Piazza,' and a concert by Wiener Sängerknaben / The Vienna Boys Choir. Click through to review the preview by Sam Jack 👇

‘Tosca,’ ‘Cav/Pag’ anchor Wichita Grand Opera’s new season Other 2026-27 offerings include 'Amahl and the Night Visitors,' 'The Light in the Piazza,' the Vienna Boys Choir

Minor quibbles aside, a masterful cast and crew deliver a spectacular season closer for Music Theatre Wichita.

Click through to read the review by Leslie Alan Coates. 👇

Stay for the spectacle: Music Theatre Wichita's 'Les Misérables' Despite minor quibbles, a masterful cast and crew deliver a spectacular season closer for MTW.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 $𝟭𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗱-𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙮𝙘𝙡𝙚, 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙.

Individual artists and nonprofit arts organizations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and the Native Nations that share this geography can now apply for grants of up to $15,000 to create and present new artistic work through the Mid-America Arts Alliance Artistic Innovations grant program.

Applications are open now through 5 p.m. Central Time Thursday, September 24.

New this year, individual artists are not required to provide matching funds, making the full grant amount available without the need to secure additional support. Artistic Innovations Grants for Individual Artists are made possible through M-AAA’s strategic reinvestment of a gift from Yield Giving.

Nonprofit arts organizations may also apply for grants of up to $15,000. Nonprofit arts organization grants continue with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Individual artists and nonprofit arts organizations based in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and the Native Nations that share this geography are eligible to apply. Projects may represent any artistic discipline.

Funded projects must take place during the eligible grant period, January 1, 2027, through June 30, 2027, and meet program requirements, including applicable requirements for in-region artist engagement and public events.

Learn more about Artistic Innovations, how to apply, and explore previously funded projects on the Mid-America Arts Alliance website.

Artistic Innovations Artistic Innovations encourages the spirit of experimentation and exploration, exclusively engaging in-region artists and organizations.

𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 ‘𝗙𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵’
By asking artists to respond to the theme “Figure of Speech,” a curator acknowledges two things: that metaphor-making is a discipline, and that language, text, and visual art are closely allied as forms of expressive communication.

That’s the prompt the Lincoln Art Center sent to its circle of artists for the venue’s 10th invitational exhibition, and the result is a collection of 24 works by Kansas-based artists.

"Figure of Speech" is on view in Lincoln Center, Kansas, through October 17. Read Lori Brack's review 👉 https://www.shoutwichita.com/lincoln-art-center-figure-of-speech/

Maximum James doesn’t work for Seneca Street Liquor, nor is he a customer. Yet the improbably catchy jingle he created with childhood friend Caleb Hope has taken over TikTok.

Click through to read what James would call "the lore" behind the video. 👉 https://www.shoutwichita.com/seneca-street-liquor-jingle/

Thanks to our friends at the Wichita Eagle for reprinting David Burke's terrific story about Forum Theatre Wichita's new building.

Did you know that any media outlet in Kansas can reprint our work? It's just one of the ways we're helping to amplify the work of Kansas artists and arts organizations.

After 15 years, the nomadic Forum Theatre has a home Built from ‘good bones,’ the longtime Wichita theater opens the doors to its new space on Sept. 10.