KC Chamber adds honor for artists, creatives to its awards lineup; emphasizing arts’ impact on economy, culture
February 21, 2024 | Tommy Felts
A new award planned for the KC Chamber’s Small Business Celebration in June is expected to honor an entrepreneur who has put their artistic talent to work as a small business, said Vicky Kulikov.
Audience-goers listen to a panel on capital access during the KC Chamber’s 2023 Small Business Celebration; photo courtesy of the KC Chamber
The first-time Luminary Arts and Creative Small Business Award is set to be announced alongside four other high-profile specialty small business awards, as well as the coveted Mr. K Award/Small Business of the Year title, said Kulikov, small business director for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
“Artists don’t always see themselves as small business owners ; yet they are running small businesses just like the restaurant down the street or the tech company around the corner,” she explained. “We want to celebrate them and let them know that the KC Chamber and the greater business community supports them and appreciates them.”
Click here to learn more about applying for the award.
The KC Chamber sought guidance from ArtsKC, Regional Art Council, and other key arts and creative businesses and organizations to gain an understanding of how the chamber’s engagement can best serve for-profit arts and creative businesses in the region.
“Artists and creatives are a vital part of the KC business community and the region’s economy,” Kulikov said. “It’s very important to shine a light on them for being an integral part of our economy and deepening the culture of the region through their art.”
The award is open to:
- Artist-founded and/or artist-run businesses that produce original work and products, whose owner maintains individual ownership of their intellectual property;
- An individual artist business with exceptional talent and creativity, in any discipline, whose small business has shown outstanding growth, innovation and artistic influence; and
- A KC Chamber member with a profit-seeking business related to fine or creative art who is headquartered in the Kansas City metropolitan area and employs one to 250 people.
In addition to this specialty award, artists and creatives may also review the eligibility criteria and apply for the Mr. K/Small Business of the Year Award. Applications also are open for:
- Emerging Business Award
- Small Business Equity Award
- Weida Award for International Small Business of the Year
- Legacy of Kansas City Award
Click here to apply for any of these honors. The deadline for applications is March 20.
Direct questions about the Luminary Arts and Creative Small Business Award to Kulikov at kulikov@kcchamber.com
A one-hour virtual Small Business Application Workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 5. The event is set to feature KC Chamber officials and a panel of past winners, Top 10 recipients and judges.
Click here to register or learn more about the application workshop.
The KC Chamber Small Business Celebration has been a business community mainstay for more than 35 years and is recognized as one of the largest Chamber small business celebrations in the United States.
RELATED: IT firm honored as ‘Emerging Business of the Year’ finds inclusive welcome in Kansas City
Featured Business
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
‘Buddha was a Baller’ seeks to awaken success without overthinking, Mindsport founder says
Buddha had the mind of an athlete, said Ryan Stock. The spiritual sage on whose teachings Buddhism was founded inspired Stock, creator of the MindSport app and a former basketball coach, to put his own thoughts to paper. His book, “Buddha was a Baller,” is set for release Oct. 28, the Kansas City entrepreneur said.…
Pipeline opens applications for 2019 fellowship class, reveals three-city 1MC pitch event
An application for Pipeline’s 2019 fellowship class isn’t just about next year, said Joni Cobb — it’s an opportunity for a lifetime of support from the organization’s network of developing and top-tier entrepreneurs. “Pipeline is available for life for each entrepreneur who successfully completes the fellowship year,” said Cobb, president and CEO of Pipeline, in…
Report: Black women’s impact overlooked in KC startup community and beyond
Raise a hand if you know that black women have created more than 1 million jobs, Dell Gines challenged. A statistics-based question –– frequently answered with an expected, yet glacial silence –– acknowledges an unprecedented phenomenon in both the small business community and within the confines of the often-exclusive startup ecosystem, said Gines, Federal Reserve…
‘Class reunion’ collides with newer generation at Top VC-Backed Companies celebration (Photos)
It was a night of old school collisions, said Adam Arredondo, bringing together founders, executives, investors and a curated group of younger startup leaders for Startland’s Top VC-Backed Companies celebration. “The energy in the room was palpable. Many people said it felt like a class reunion, which in a way it was,” added Arredondo, CEO…