Call for Heartists: Sprawling sculpture project needs storytellers willing to open portal to KC’s soul
June 10, 2025 | Tommy Felts
When the Parade of Hearts returns in April 2026, as many as 150 pieces of Kansas City’s story will be scattered across the metro — offering a summer-long scavenger hunt of the region’s identity for hometown fans and World Cup revelers alike.
“The Parade of Hearts is more than public art — it’s a catalyst for exploration,” said Jay Currie Campbell, co-chair of the Parade of Hearts Design Selection Adjudication Committee. “Every heart is a story, and every story invites us to see Kansas City in a new way.”
The wildly popular, sprawling public art installation officially opened its 2026 call for artists Monday. As many as 150 “Heartists” are expected to be selected for the program, which sees local creatives turn blank canvas sculptures into expressions of Kansas City’s cultural identity and community pride.
Click here for Parade of Hearts application details. Submissions close Aug. 13.
Jay Currie Campbell, vice president of business development at Multistudio and co-chair of the 2026 Parade of Hearts Design Selection Adjudication Committee, left speaks in March at a Parade of Hearts unveiling event at nbkc bank; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“We’re looking for submissions that push creativity, craft, and story,” said Currie Campbell, who also is vice president of business development for Westport-based Multistudio. “The hearts that resonate most reflect something authentic — a piece of our shared identity, culture, or imagination.”
“Heartists” must live in or have been raised in the Kansas City region, ensuring a deeply rooted connection to the stories told through each heart, organizers said. Parade of Hearts is increasing the artist stipend to $2,500 per heart — a $375,000 investment directly into the artist community.
Organizers unveiled an all-new look for the 2026 Parade of Hearts sculpture in March. The design — now nearly a foot taller and wider than the previous iteration — also notably features a cutout, purposeful keyhole heart that is intended to add opportunity for creative expression.
Artists must keep at least 25 percent of this area visible to preserve its interactive and symbolic intent.
“By creating absence, we’ve actually created a portal,” said Currie Campbell, who helped select the new sculpture canvas, which is fabricated by Dimensional Innovations in Overland Park. “The open-heart design invites deeper creativity — not just on the surface, but through the air, light, and space around it.”
View this post on Instagram
A “design jury” — composed of an independent panel of artists, community leaders, curators, and industry professionals — are expected to review submissions for originality, visual impact, regional storytelling, and alignment with Parade of Hearts values.
Jenn Nussbeck, executive director of Parade of Hearts, right, speaks alongside Lavon Colhour, board chair for Parade of Hearts, during a March reveal event at nbkc bank; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“By using a juried process grounded in diverse perspectives, Parade of Hearts honors both artistic excellence and community representation,” said Jenn Nussbeck, executive director of Parade of Hearts. “The final designs will go beyond aesthetics. They become expressions of our collective story. It’s our moment to show the world who has the biggest hearts on the planet.”
Selected artists and designs are expected to be announced in October, with finished sculptures delivered back to Parade of Hearts between Jan. 21 and Feb. 7, 2026.
Hearts then go on display from April to August across Kansas City, spanning the entirety of the 2026 FIFA World Cup run next summer and elevating the regional initiative to new heights.
“Through community pride, cultural richness, and shared purpose, Parade of Hearts unites cities and counties in a powerful artistic experience that celebrates unity, diversity, and the unmatched generosity of the heartland,” Nussbeck said.
Click here to check out pieces featured in the 2024 Parade of Hearts.
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Free office space at nbkc bank awaits one Kansas City area small business
Editor’s note: The following is sponsored by nbkc bank, which has locations in Leawood and Overland Kark in Kansas, and Liberty and Kansas City in Missouri. Many small businesses struggle to find ample attractive office space at a low cost. Thanks to nbkc bank, one business will secure such space at the best rate possible…
KC gun violence ‘hurts all of us,’ shop owner along Chiefs parade route says
A shooting at the end of the Chiefs’ victory rally at Union Station brought a rolling celebration of citywide pride to an abrupt stop, said Kinley Strickland, taking fans and business owners from an all-time high to a low with which many are all-too familiar. “It’s just tragic that someone would take an opportunity where…
Chicken N Pickle serves a no-tech, backyard vibe; Here’s why it’s paying off with Texas, national expansion
North Kansas City-founded Chicken N Pickle now has 10 locations — with six more in the works — but the award-winning entertainment destination remains committed to fostering human connection through simple spaces where everyone can play, said Kelli Alldredge. And disconnect. “We don’t have computers on the property. You don’t order from an iPad,” said…
University launching effort for Native small biz, focused on ‘Indianpreneurship,’ resilience
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. LAWRENCE, Kansas — A Kansas university is looking forward to developing indigenous and minority entrepreneurs through a new program funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Haskell Indian Nations University…