HOURS:

We provide the following services for all artists in the Greater Kansas City area:

• Promote art education in the community
• Provide scholarships for aspiring area art students
• Provide workshops conducted by national artists
• Provide professional growth for community artists
• Promote community appreciation for the arts
• Provide a juried gallery venue for area artists
• Host an annual Children’s Art Show
• Host the annual International Children’s Peace Mural Display
• Host an annual Juried Art Show open to all area artists
• In order to provide all these wonderful community services, the gallery relies on grants and donations from people like you. All donations are fully tax-deductible and are used 100% to support these services.

 

Please consider donating to this very worthy cause.

In June, 1988, under the auspices and the contribution of start up funds from Greater Kansas City Art Association (GKCAA), Images Art Gallery was begun in Westport.

The intent of the group was multi-purpose:

• to promote local artists
• to plan classes and set up a teaching classroom
• to contribute to community services

By-laws were written and officers were elected. The Gallery operated as a co-op, with member volunteers staffing the gallery. A non-profit tax status was first attained by GKCAA and then subsequently obtained by Images Art Gallery.

Approximately five years later, due to changes in the Westport area, the gallery closed. The group stayed together with monthly meetings and began exhibiting their art in various satellites in the city.
Soon after the Westport Images Art Gallery closed, Images received a $1,000 donation from Marilyn Holland Schweder, one of Images Gallery’s original members. When Marilyn died in 1994, memorial donations were made to help Images start a new gallery.

On May 14, 1996, nineteen members met to discuss beginning a new Gallery on the 3rd floor of the historic McQueeny Lock building at 520 W. Pennway. At a later meeting, 27 members indicated their willingness to form a co-op gallery. We took possession of the gallery and held our first meeting as a co-op there on June 15, 1996. We opened for business on Thursday, July 11, 1996. The first Gallery reception was held on Friday, August 2, 1996 with Charles Stegner and Myrna Minnis as featured artists.

As the gallery stairs and the lack of visibility became an issue, we began looking for other space, and in the summer of 2001, we moved into new, more visible ground-level space at 1721 Westport Road.

In 2005, with more activity taking place in the Crossroads area of the city, we began looking seriously for space there. In mid-July of 2005, we moved to 1520 Walnut, in the northeast area of the Crossroads. Unfortunately, with the opening of the Sprint Center just a few blocks away, we experienced a severe shortage of parking for our patrons, so once again began looking for appropriate art space.

In September 2009 we moved to downtown Old Overland Park, just around the corner from the clock tower and beside the Farmers’ Market. We are excited to be a part of the revitalization of downtown Overland Park where we can be found in the midst of other fine art galleries.

Be sure to stop by our gallery and enjoy the fine art of our talented members.