leaved crossroads

Crossroads, Kansas City

The Crossroads Arts District is an historic neighborhood near downtown Kansas City, Missouri, USA, centered at approximately 19th Street and Baltimore Avenue, between Downtown's Central Business District and Crown Center. It is the city's main art gallery district and center for the visual arts. Dozens of galleries are located in its renovated warehouses and industrial buildings. It is also home to numerous restaurants (including one operated by Lidia Bastianich), housewares shops, architects, designers, and other visual artists. As well, the district has several live music venues.

Numerous buildings in the neighborhood are on the National Register of Historic Places including the TWA Corporate Headquarters' Building and the Western Auto Building.

First Fridays

Art galleries generally open new shows on the first Friday of each month from 6 to 9 pm. This has become one of the region's most popular regular events as thousands of people flock to the Crossroads for gallery "open houses" amidst the Crossroads's unique atmosphere.

There are over 60 galleries in the Crossroad's district, making it one of the five largest arts districts in the US.

Crossroads Music Festival

First held in late August 2005, the Crossroads Music Festival is an annual event organized by Spice of Life Productions, which features local music artists. The 2005 event was held at Grinder's Sculpture Park, located at 18th Street and Locust Street. In addition to concert performances, offerings included short films by local independent filmmakers, and booths offering apparel by local designers, local independent print media, and carnival games.

Tax Abatements

In 2007, one of Kansas City's development agencies began a program to allow property tax abatements for art-related business who would otherwise be priced out of the neighborhood by fast-rising property values. Neighborhood leaders lobbied for the program to prevent the "Soho Effect" of gentrification. Tax abatements had previously been granted to developers to attract new residents to the neighborhood with high-end condominiums and lofts adjacent to the galleries.