Kristen ‘Kiki’ Bush is an actor from Sterling who has appeared in over 50 professional stage and film/TV productions during the last 20 years in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and London.
A graduate of KU, she went on to be the only American in her class at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Career highlights include playing Cordelia alongside Kevin Kline in King Lear at NYC’s Public Theater, starring in the thrice-extended City of Conversation at The Lincoln Center, shaving her head as an eco-terrorist on Law & Order: SVU, acting in a Jeff-award nominated performance in The Goodman’s Uncle Vanya, being directed by Oscar winner Barry Levinson in HBO’s Paterno, and giving what the Washington Post called a ‘“buzz-worthy performance” in People, Places, and Things at D.C.’s Studio Theatre.
When COVID-19 propelled Bush back to rural Kansas, she co-wrote, co-executive produced and starred in the short film, The Game Camera, marking her first foray into making her own films on the Kansas prairie. The Game Camera showcases two things she is passionate about: featuring more women in front of and behind the camera and giving rural Kansas a leading role in movies.
Bob McWilliams, who earned his BA and MA in history at the University of Kansas and his JD from Harvard Law School, far prefers radio to law.
He has hosted jazz programs on KANU and KPR since 1983 and became jazz director and Jazz in the Night’s host in 1996. He also did graduate work in jazz history with the late Dick Wright.
He co-hosted the Flint Hills Special for many years, and has produced and hosted Trail Mix since it began in 1994.
Bob taught U.S. History for 25 years as an adjunct professor at Johnson County Community College and is a passionate Royals baseball fan and Kansas Jayhawks basketball fan.
Somehow, he also finds time to be an avid reader of fiction and non-fiction, and indulges his news habit with four daily newspapers and numerous magazines. Bob also founded the non-profit West Side Folk concert series in Lawrence and booked concerts for that series for 25 years.
Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Shin-hee Chin earned her BFA and MFA from Hongik University before immigrating to the United States, where she obtained an MA in Fiber Arts from California State University, Long Beach.
For two decades, she has been an educator in Kansas, teaching drawing, painting, color theory and mixed media. Recognized for her excellence in teaching, she was honored as Distinguished Faculty in 2008 and received the Clarence R. Hiebert Excellence in Teaching Award in 2020. In recognition of her contributions to fiber arts, she was nominated for the Master of the Medium for Fiber award by the James Renwick Alliance for Craft, affiliated with the Smithsonian American Art Museum Renwick Gallery.
Chin’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Textile Museum (Washington, D.C.), the Metropolitan Art Museum (Tokyo), the Palais des Nations (Geneva), and the Uijeongbu Arts Center (Seoul). In 2018, she was selected as a research fellow by the Nagel Institute for the Study of World Christianity, participating in a seminar on Contemporary Chinese Art and Society in Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing.
A keynote speaker at the 2020 SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) conference, she also will speak at the 2025 SAQA conference in Florida.
Influenced by feminist traditions, Christian spirituality and Eastern philosophy, Chin’s work explores themes of motherhood, mother tongue, cultural identity, hybridity and a sense of belonging.
Since 1990, Brenda Meder has served as the Executive Director of the Hays Arts Council, marking her 35th anniversary with the HAC this fall. Personally, Meder has been involved in the arts for 50 years, acting in or directing more than 60 theatre productions for Fort Hays State University, area high school, and community theatre.
As director of the Hays Arts Council, Meder produces and presents performing arts for both adult and youth audiences. Being particularly passionate about youth programming, the HAC reach has grown to include 12 elementary schools in five towns across three counties, impacting thousands of kindergarten through sixth grade students each year. Other arts programs are brought into those schools, including a K-12 creative writing project.
She believes it has been an honor to oversee 35 years of the 56-year history of the Smoky Hill Art Exhibition and the 41-year history of the Five State Photography Exhibition. Aside from those projects, she’s curated and installed over 300 other exhibitions, working with hundreds of artists throughout the region.
Being committed to arts connections across broader communities, Meder served as the host and associate producer of Smoky Hills Public Television’s award-winning series “Kansas Arts Today” during which, over the course of 13 years and 105 episodes, she interviewed over 150 individuals in the visual, performing and literary arts. She was honored to serve as a community coordinator for the “Names Project” AIDS Memorial Quilt when the national project came to Hays.
In 2017, when politics and budgets were forcing profound decreases in funding for the arts, The New York Times featured the HAC and Meder in an article highlighting challenges and innovation in spite of the hurdles. She was quoted as saying: “When what you’re about is important to you, you will find a way.” Meder believes for the arts and her community, that will always be true for her.
Paul Dorrell, a native Kansan, founded Leopold Gallery in Kansas City in 1991. As an art consultant, his clients include Marvel Studios, the Kansas City Chiefs, the City of Boston, the Dallas Arboretum, Miami Freedom Park, the University of Kansas Hospital, and thousands of private collectors. Working with a wide range of artists — mostly Kansans — he designs art programs for corporations, hospitals and stadiums. His projects have won national praise for their innovative approach and impact. Paul’s staff manages the gallery, waiting on clients and handling their needs, whether in person or remotely. Leopold Gallery has 10,000 clients in the U.S., with others in Europe and Asia.
Paul founded the Leopold Gallery Educational Foundation in 2006 to provide opportunities for teenage artists from impoverished areas of Kansas City, KS, and Kansas City, MO. Thus far he has guided roughly 900 deserving students into college. He is the author of the acclaimed guidebook for artists, Living the Artist’s Life, which took him on a tour of 50 cities where he spoke at venues such as the Art Students League of New York and the Los Angeles Art Association. Paul and his wife, Annie, raised their family in Prairie Village, where he was a youth baseball coach. He has spent decades roaming America by motorcycle. Paul has lived in Alaska, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Italy and England. He loves surfing, mountain-biking, and hiking — and is very proud to be a Kansan.
Tyler Dallis was born and raised in the capital city of the Cherokee Nation of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. They have always had an interest in the fine and performing arts whether it be visual art, music, or theatre. Dallis began their ceramic journey in August 2013 with Casey TZ Smith at Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri. It was the first ceramic course they had ever taken and immediately fell in love.
Upon leaving Crowder College, Dallis decided on Fort Hays State University to obtain their Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics. Studying under Professor Linda Ganstrom for four years, they refined their skills, concepts and professionalism. Dallis started graduate school at Fort Hays State University in the summer of 2020 and graduated with their Master of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art, Ceramics with certifications in Art History and Digital Photography in May 2023.
Dallis is currently the art instructor at Pratt Community College. Coming from a Cherokee background, Dallis speaks about the importance of being an Indigenous artist in a contemporary world. Their work has been published seven times in literary and art magazines. They continue to apply for publications today.
They would like to be known for their unique ceramic sculptures, collages and photographic works that confront difficult and often personal experiences.
The Artificers is a vibrant art gallery and teaching studio located in the heart of historic downtown Fort Scott. Housed within a beautifully restored 1890 Queen Anne building, the space exudes a warm and inviting atmosphere that welcomes art enthusiasts and collectors alike. The gallery showcases a diverse collection of artworks from local, regional and national artists, offering visitors a unique selection of pieces to enhance their homes and offices.
Beyond its role as a gallery, The Artificers is dedicated to art education and community engagement. The Teaching Studio provides a variety of art classes and workshops suitable for all ages and skill levels. These sessions are led by in-house artists and visiting experts from across the nation, covering disciplines such as pottery, painting, weaving, pastels, sculpture and more. This commitment to fostering creativity makes The Artificers a hub for artistic growth and awareness in the region.
The resident artists at The Artificers specialize in creating custom, commissioned pieces that cater to individual tastes and spaces. Utilizing materials such as natural woods, ceramics, glass and metal, they craft sculptures and paintings that make a majestic statement in any setting. Visitors are encouraged to explore the gallery, participate in classes or collaborate on unique artworks, ensuring a personalized and enriching experience with art.
The Artificers also engages with the community through events like its annual Christmas Art Show and by hosting guest artists. Its commitment extends to a new business, Bourbon County Clay LLC, which incorporates local materials such as wild clay and wood from Southeast Kansas into its creations, emphasizing a connection to the land and the local community.
This initiative not only supports local artists but also enhances Fort Scott’s cultural landscape making it a vibrant spot for both residents and visitors looking to appreciate or learn art in a cozy, inviting environment.
Lacey Connell is a performing arts educator and director based in Kansas. A Leavenworth native, she grew up immersed in the Kansas arts community before earning her degree from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. She now serves as the Performing Arts Coordinator for Johnson County Parks and Recreation, where she develops youth theatre programs, hires and mentors teaching artists, and works to expand access to performing arts education.
Her theatre production experience includes work with The White Theatre, Theatre in the Park, River City Community Players, and Shawnee Mission School District, directing and music directing productions such as The Lightning Thief, The Little Mermaid, Mean Girls Jr., Matilda Jr., and SpongeBob the Musical. In 2022, she participated in the Emerging Theatre Professional Initiative (ETPI) as an emerging music director.
Lacey previously has served on the boards of River City Community Players and LV Arts. She values the role of the arts in education and community-building and continues to support opportunities for youth and local artists.
Co-founded by “a couple of longtime local gals from Leavenworth,” Michaela Fitzgerald and Brook Bristow, LV Arts came to life during the COVID-19 pandemic in a time when everything was uncertain. The pair were certain of one thing: their community needed more opportunities to engage with the arts and humanities. Since Its incorporation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2021, LV Arts has worked to build, broaden and nurture the community’s love for the arts by providing ways for people to view, make and celebrate art together. LV Arts’ vision for Leavenworth is one in which the arts play an integral role in economic and cultural growth and an “all for art, and art for all” mentality becomes the common thread that connects people in their humanity.
This past year has been one of significant growth and achievement, and they are incredibly proud of the milestones LV Arts has reached so far, including the inception and continuation of Leavenworth’s first fully immersive arts festival, a partnership with the Leavenworth Public library to supplement Its arts programming, a yearly arts event for those affected by suicide, hosting concerts by the Kansas City Symphony Mobile Music Box., a community-effort mural, and more. LV Arts leaders have attended arts council symposiums, applied for grants, elected new officers and welcomed board members at large, and, perhaps most importantly, formed collaborative relationships with local businesses and organizations they will continue to support through arts initiatives.
The organization says it has its eyes fixed on a new horizon, one in which LV Arts becomes a leader in Art Education through the establishment of a dedicated center for the Arts in Leavenworth. Because, in being the “first city” of Kansas, LV Arts believe the arts should always be ranked No. 1.
A Mural Movement, based in Clay Center (pop. 4,000), began in 2020 as a Rotary Club project. Under then-President Brett Hubka’s leadership, seven volunteers set out to install a single mural in downtown Clay Center. Since then, the initiative has flourished. More than 30 murals now brighten the community, supported by over $320,000 in contributions from businesses, individuals, grants, a 5K race, and even memorials. Donations have poured in from 21 states, many from Clay Center Community High School alumni.
Sixteen professional artists have lent their talents to the project, representing both local Kansas creatives and artists from Florida to California. The murals vary widely in size, style and theme, offering something for everyone to enjoy, from abstract to stunning realism.
The murals also have become an economic benefit for Clay Center. They’ve been featured on local brewery cans, billboards, Christmas ornaments, shirts, coffee cups, library cards, and more. This branding not only enhances community pride but also drives tourism and supports local businesses. Visitors to Clay Center can pick up a map of the murals at map stations downtown or view the map online. The murals are showcased on Facebook and Instagram, where posts have garnered hundreds of thousands of views.
In 2024, A Mural Movement unveiled the 3,800-square-foot “Prairie Thunder” mural on a grain bin. Created by artist Christian Stanley, the mural features Kansas’ state animal — the American Buffalo, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Flint Hills. This was named a finalist for the international 2024 Street Art Cities Mural of the Year. In January 2025, over 330,000 votes were cast globally, and Prairie Thunder earned 10th place. This achievement placed both the mural and Clay Center among an elite group of international artworks and highlights the town’s emergence as a destination for public art.
The NOTO Arts District, located in the historic North Topeka area, is a dynamic and thriving cultural destination that celebrates art, creativity and community. Established as a commercial revitalization effort, NOTO has transformed into a hub for artists, entrepreneurs and visitors seeking a unique and immersive experience.
At the heart of NOTO are its galleries, studios and locally owned businesses that showcase a diverse range of artistic expression. From striking murals and public art installations to live performances and interactive workshops, the district is a place where creativity knows no bounds. The monthly First Friday Art Walk draws crowds from across the region, offering a chance to engage with local artists, discover handcrafted goods, and enjoy live entertainment.
Beyond the arts, NOTO is an economic and cultural driver for Topeka. The district fosters small business growth, supports cultural programming, and collaborates with organizations to enhance the city’s creative landscape. With ongoing development projects and a strong commitment to community engagement, NOTO continues to evolve, ensuring that it remains a space where people can gather, create and be inspired.
Whether you’re an artist, a supporter of the arts, or a visitor looking for a one-of-a-kind experience, the NOTO Arts District invites you to explore its vibrant streets, connect with its creative community, and be a part of Topeka’s growing cultural movement.
Katy Guthrie has served as the Executive Director of Garden City Arts, a nonprofit arts organization located in southwest Kansas, for the past 11 years.
Guthrie spent most of her childhood in small, rural communities in northwest Kansas before moving southwest to the slightly more populated town of Holcomb in high school. There she met her high school sweetheart and future husband, Logan. After attending Fort Hays State University and obtaining a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Painting and a minor in Psychology, Guthrie and her husband returned to southwest Kansas. A short time later, she became director of Garden City Arts.
During her tenure at Garden City Arts, Guthrie has significantly grown the capacity of the organization and expanded the scope of art programs offered in Garden City to include monthly classes for children, families and adults; fostered partnerships with multiple organizations to offer annual community events and expanded public art in Garden City; and developed more opportunities for art professionals to expand their careers.
After 10 years of financial stability and steady growth in patrons served, the board of directors and Guthrie have begun making plans to expand GCA’s operations. GCA has reached two of the benchmarks set by leadership in 2023 to start a capital campaign to begin the expansion project and acquire a larger building so that the organization and staff can better serve the community.
Theatre in the Park in Shawnee has been a beloved cultural institution since its inception in 1970. Nestled in the scenic Shawnee Mission Park, it offers high-quality, outdoor theatre productions each summer. Over the years, it has attracted hundreds of thousands of audience members, providing a vibrant space for community engagement through the performing arts.
This cherished venue has showcased a variety of performances, from classic plays and musicals to original works, bringing together local talent and seasoned professionals. The productions are made possible each year through the hard work and dedication of hundreds of actors, designers, crew members and musicians, all contributing their skills to create memorable experiences for theatre-goers.
Community support and involvement have been central to Theatre in the Park’s success. It relies on the passion and dedication of local volunteers, patrons and donors who ensure the continuation of this tradition. The theatre fosters a sense of unity, celebrating the arts while providing a space where people of all ages can enjoy high-quality performances in a beautiful outdoor setting.
As one of the longest-running outdoor theatres in the region, Theatre in the Park has become an integral part of Shawnee’s cultural landscape, providing entertainment, education and a sense of shared community.
Theatre in the Park is proudly part of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District (JCPRD), an agency dedicated to providing recreational opportunities and enriching the quality of life for residents of the area. JCPRD has played an essential role in supporting the theatre’s growth, ensuring it has the resources needed to produce outstanding performances in a picturesque, outdoor setting. The Board of Commissioners of JCPRD has consistently supported the theatre’s mission, recognizing the value it brings to the community. Their ongoing commitment helps to fund productions, improve facilities, and maintain the natural beauty of the park, ensuring that Theatre in the Park continues to be an accessible and vibrant cultural venue for families, arts enthusiasts and visitors from all around the region. This strong partnership between the theatre and the park district has helped it thrive for over five decades, solidifying Theatre in the Park’s role as a treasured cultural institution within Johnson County.
Connie Bonfy has thrived within arts leadership for nearly 50 years. Today, she serves as a grant writer/project developer for Ballet Wichita and the Wichita Art Museum. Bonfy holds a BA in Art, and an MA based on community development through the arts.
Her work has focused on civic activism exploring art’s responsibility to the ecosphere, engaging the public in a deep, meaningful way. Bonfy has created her own artwork and produced three multimedia symphonies as well as smaller ensemble musical works collaborating with dance, digital media and film — all celebrating the genius of place — the Kansas prairie. To that end, Bonfy developed and produced PrairieFest from 1997-2005. Much of her other production work was created as NEA Our Town placemaking projects including “Arts AMaize” (with Chamber Music at the Barn 2014-2016), “Jump!Star” (collaborating with Harvester Arts for Symphony in the Flint Hills 2017-2019), and “Flint Hills Counterpoint” (2020-2023, with Susan Mayo and the Prairie Muses to celebrate rural Marion County). Other projects developed by Bonfy such as “Vibrant ICT” and “Chance to Dance” for Ballet Wichita were designed to engage urban underserved Wichita.
Beyond leading arts organizations such as Salina Arts & Humanities and Ballet Wichita as executive director, Bonfy served as grant writer and project creator for two colleges, rural agriculture, an arts district, an apiary, and more. She is the author of two books – Grant Writing for Creatives and Grant Writing in 5 Simple Steps, both written to share a lifetime of experience to help others succeed.
Dr. Cecil Riney is a 1953 graduate of Friends University. He earned his master’s in music from the University of Kansas and his doctorate from the University of Southern California. He served for over 35 years as Chairman of the Fine Arts Division and Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Music at Friends University. He has conducted with the Wichita Choral Society and the Wichita Symphony Chorus, including a performance in Carnegie Hall.
Dr. Riney has been actively involved teaching occasional classes at Friends University, directing the Friends University Singing Quaker Alumni Chorus, leading the choir at his church, and helping with various community fundraising projects. His Symphonic Choir, the “Singing Quakers,” have appeared at state and national music conventions, and have toured throughout the world. Riney was selected as Kansas Musician of the Year by Kansas Musical Clubs, was chairman of the committee of Choral Standards and Repertoire for the ACDA, was president of KCDA, and received the Harry Robert Wilson award from the KCDA.
NedRa Bonds is an American quilter, activist, and retired teacher, born and raised in the historic Quindaro neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas. Bonds creates quilts and mixed media fiber dolls using fabric, beads and symbolism to explore issues dealing with human rights, race, women, politics and the environment.
She is best known for her Quindaro Quilt, a quilt measuring 4 by 6 feet, detailing the important history of the Quindaro neighborhood and its role as part of the National Underground Railroad System of Historic Trails. As a community activist and educator, Bonds advocated for legislation, taught workshops locally and internationally, and attended the Earth Summit Conference on Environment and Development of the United Nations as a delegate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. Bonds is a practicing artist and retired teacher in Kansas City, Kansas. Her recent projects include her Common Threads quilt, commissioned by the Kansas City Chiefs for their Arrowhead Arts Collection, the Wak’ó Mujeres Phu nũ Women Mural collaboration, sponsored by the Charlotte Street Foundation’s Rocket Grant Program in Lawrence, and her recent cancer project. Bonds is a former Kansas Arts Commission member, appointed by Kansas Governor Joan Finney in 1992.
A Leavenworth native, Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which led to an appearance on the 1989 Grammy Awards show. For several years, her popularity grew around such memorable originals as “Bring Me Some Water,” “No Souvenirs” and “Ain’t It Heavy,” for which she won a Grammy in 1992. Etheridge hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, “Yes I Am” (1993). The collection featured the massive hits, “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window,” a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Performance. In 1995, Etheridge issued her highest charting album, “Your Little Secret”, which was distinguished by the hit single, “I Want to Come Over.” Her astounding success that year led to Etheridge receiving the Songwriter of the Year honor at the ASCAP Pop Awards
in 1996.
Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America’s favorite female singers for more than two decades. In February 2007, Melissa Etheridge celebrated a career milestone with a victory in the “Best Song” category at the Academy Awards for “I Need to Wake Up,” written for the Al Gore documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. As a performer and songwriter, Etheridge has shown herself to be an artist who has never allowed “inconvenient truths” to keep her down. Earlier in her recording career, Etheridge acknowledged her sexual orientation when it was considered less than prudent to do so. In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer, a health battle that, with her typical tenacity, she won. Despite losing her hair from chemotherapy, Etheridge appeared on the 2005 Grammy telecast to sing “Piece of My Heart” in tribute to Janis Joplin. By doing so she gave hope to many women afflicted with the disease.
On October 7, 2016, Melissa Etheridge released “Memphis Rock & Soul”, her first album since 2014’s critically lauded “This Is M.E.” Recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis, the album received stellar reviews from the likes of Entertainment Weekly, Parade, Rolling Stone, American Songwriter and more. She followed that up with the release of “The Medicine Show” in April 2019. For “The Medicine Show”, Melissa reunited with celebrated producer John Shanks and sounds as rousing as ever, bringing a new level of artistry to her 15th studio recording.
In June of 2020, Etheridge launched The Etheridge Foundation to support groundbreaking scientific research into effective new treatments for opioid use disorder. The foundation works towards advancing treatment approaches that address the root causes of opioid abuse and make available better, more effective solutions for people to truly heal their opioid use disorder.
In 2021, Melissa returned with the album “One Way Out”. The nine-track album is a collection of songs Etheridge wrote in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s that never made the cut … until now! The time was finally right, and fans finally got a deeper glimpse to who Melissa was then.
October 2022 saw Melissa’s return to the theatre with her one woman show, “My Window – A Journey Through Life”. The critically acclaimed, sold-out run premiered at New World Stages on October 13 and opened at Circle In the Square Theatre on Broadway in September 2023.
2024 saw Melissa release “Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken”, a two-part docuseries (Paramount+) and accompanying live album. Recorded live within the grounds of the Topeka Correctional Facility, the album and two-part docuseries follows her journey both penning and performing an original song inspired by her correspondence with residents of the TCF and features raw and rousing versions of specially curated fan favorites and original songs.
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