Final Bread KC, for now….

Dear Friends, Supporters, Chefs, Farmers, Presenters, Recipients and the KC community at large,

BREAD! KC started its efforts with borrowed stockpots and high hopes to be a funding source for radical, new, and intriguing art projects. Never did we imagine a day that we would have generated over $25,000 in micro-grants and selling out 100 + dinner events. And that is why with a heavy heart that we will be doing our final BREAD! KC event on June 6th at 3 PM at the Drugstore in Midtown KC.

We will be going on an indefinite hiatus to take time to reflect on the project. Like we said, we started four years ago and haven’t taken time needed to investigate our work. The project has always been volunteer run and we are not getting in applications. We think it may have run its course but can’t be for certain unless we take some time to reflect, re-imagine or even better, maybe a younger generation of artist will do a better job than we could have ever imagined.

It’s becoming more and more evident that fundraising efforts are being more targeted to individuals. We’ve lost track of the number of online crowd-sourced funding models that are around these days. The fact is, funding for the arts really isn’t on the radar anymore when it comes to the government. And as a nation, we’re being confronted with all sorts of issues: with a limited budget, if it comes down to funding the public school system or a women’s shelter or an art organization, the arts are likely going to be considered a lower priority. That being said, we think we’ve taught the value of local support and the potential of getting a lot of people willing to donate a little rather than one person to donate a lot. The bottom line is, if you want to make your city an interesting place, you should do whatever you can to help support people that are doing interesting things.

There are so many individuals we would like to thank for the support over the years and it would be impossible to list them all. To all supporters, diners, chefs, helpers, presenters, recipients, food and beverage providers, and Farm to Market Bread Co., Thank you for all love and what a wild ride.

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1634081

BREAD! KC New Year’s FEAST!

Please consider joining us for a New Year celebration, BREAD! KC style. This special BREAD! KC is in cahoots with The Talk Shop, a new alternative space in midtown and will be hosted in the historic Morton Hall event space. Save the date and start purchasing your tickets – Click HERE

January 22nd at 7 PM
3936 Main Street.
Kansas City, MO 64111

Purchase your tickets (sooner rather than later – a limited number is available), spread the word, grab your friends and family, and help us keep the momentum going for another great year of supporting the Kansas City creative community!

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BREAD! IS A PUBLIC DINNER DESIGNED TO USE COMMUNITY-DRIVEN FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO DEMOCRATICALLY FUND NEW AND EMERGING PROJECTS.

AT EACH BREAD! KC EVENT, PARTICIPANTS PAY AN ENTRANCE FEE  FOR WHICH THEY RECEIVE SUPPER AND A BALLOT. DINERS WILL VOTE ON A VARIETY OF PROPOSED CREATIVE PROJECTS THROUGH A MENU AND PRESENTATIONS. AT THE END OF DINNER, THE ARTIST WHOSE PROPOSAL RECEIVES THE MOST VOTES WILL BE AWARDED FUNDS COLLECTED THROUGH THE ENTRANCE FEE TO PRODUCE THE PROJECT. WORK PROGRESS WILL THEN BE PRESENTED DURING A FUTURE BREAD! KC EVENT.

SINCE OCTOBER 2010, WE’VE AWARDED OVER $23,000 IN MICRO-GRANTS TO FUND ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR INQUIRIES, PLEASE EMAIL BREADKC@GMAIL.COM

Grantee Follow-up: Pendleton Heights Community Table

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Back in March of this year, along with an amazing turnout, we had an epic tie (first time in Bread history) between two great community projects. One of those grantees who walked away with some crucial project cash flow was Dianna Sinni representing the Pendleton Heights Community Garden. When June rolled around Dianna invited us out to a community feast hosted at that very table, and we graciously accepted.

Pulling up to the community garden for the first time, it was obvious to see that the Bread! KC grant had found its way into very deserving hands. My first impression was exactly how this table acted like gravity for bringing this community together. As soon as we set foot on the amazingly re-imagined lot, now a growing community garden, we were warmly welcomed by a number of neighbors who had no idea who we were.

A beverage was placed in a koozie then positioned in my hand as we were led to the table where a spread of homemade delicacies were duteously offered. Upon explaining that we weren’t actual neighbors but attending as delegates from Bread! we were nearly overwhelmed by the positivity they garnished upon us. So, feeling like true neighbors, we loaded up our plates and bounced around meeting some of the folks whom made this community project go from prospective to reality.

Community determination, creativity, and sweat. (and of course food!)

When we caught up with Dianna she explained some of the details how this table became the magnetic centerpiece of their community garden. For starters this gorgeous 11 ft. long by nearly four ft. wide table was built with legs of Osage orange for sturdy long lasting support and a tabletop of ultra-strength, rot-resistant white oak milled into 3” thick slabs – all locally procured and processed. The end result of which harmonized as a natural focal point of their burgeoning communal haunt.

Dianna introduced us to and graciously lauded the amazingly creative and hardworking individuals whom helped bring the table to a tangible construction. Among the hands we shook were Brian Volz and Vanessa Eickhoff, inspired arborists in the group, who designed, obtained and constructed the fantastical table along with the sweat and determination of Greg Dillon, Brek Douglas, Jessica Bossert, Russell Gardner, Larry Becker, and Andrew Ray.

Lastly, Bread! KC was acknowledged as a significant team member and we humbly accepted this in the form of food remuneration.

But, that’s what we do, right? Bring people together in the name of art and community with the persuasive effusion of delicious food and the positive charge being a part of something that makes ideas reality. Now is the time to move your concept from paper to substance, so get started by filling out a Bread! KC Grant Application and keep an eye out here for our next event!

IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK!

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WOW! What an inspiring way to kick off the bread-breaking season, KC! We anticipated about 60 people for our last event. We’re not sure if it was the beautiful weather that drew people out of hibernation, the nice pre-event press we received from Recommended Daily and Chow Town , or the fact that we shamelessly lured foodies by touting our collaboration with Todd Schulte of Uncommon Stock, but we were pleasantly surprised when almost 100 people showed up at our last event! Needless to say, it was a packed house as we returned to Farm to Market Bread Co. for our 26th BREAD! KC dinner on Sunday, March 9th.

Christian Hankel of Moneywolf Music kicked off the evening by sharing with the group how he used his BREAD! KC grant to help sponsor young Kansas City musicians at the 26th Annual International Folk Alliance Conference . It was impossible not to be moved by the excitement and enthusiasm in Ethan Riding’s voice as he spoke about his experience and how it inspired him to continue pursuing his passion for songwriting. It sure does feel good to do good!

After everyone loaded up with rustic farmhouse bread (courtesy of
Farm to Market Bread Co.), colorful spring spinach salad (featuring produce graciously donated by Door to Door Organics), and French-style potato soup topped with roasted kale, asparagus, and wheat berries, they sat down, cracked open their Tallgrass Brewing Company beers, and heard  from our Bread Chasers.

Matt Kleinmann and a group of architecture students from the University of Kansas spoke about their Better Block Lawrence initiative and its goal to create a more sustainable community. Don’t miss their upcoming event during April 25th’s Final Friday art walk! More information can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/457080101092570/

Dayna McDaniel of Seed Savers KC talked about the organization’s goal to promote and propagate heirloom (non-gmo / non-terminator) seeds and plants for our local community of gardeners, while Dianna Sinni of Pendleton Heights Community Garden talked about all the wonderful ways they’re transforming a formerly vacant urban lot in the Historic Northeast. For the second time in BREAD! KC history, the votes were tied up, so we split the $850 evenly between these two inspiring projects. Seed Savers hopes to invest their funds into building and maintaining their seed library, while Pendleton Heights Community Garden will use the funds to create a community farm table on site that members of the neighborhood can gather around for meetings, healthy-eating workshops, and meals.

Lemon bars were the sweet finale to the event, and everyone seemed to leave happy. Another one in the books, Kansas City!

We couldn’t have pulled this one off without help from Matt Vanberg and Kevin Kinsella – you guys are the best! Special thanks again to Uncommon Stock, Door to Door Organics, Farm to Market Bread Co., Tallgrass Brewing Company, Christian Hankel and Ethan Riding, all of our amazing presenters, and each and every one of you that came out and supported the event.

Stay tuned for details on our next event in June. Details to follow.

Happy Three Years to BREAD! KC

Yes, we know it’s been a few months since our last BREAD! KC event, but when we said we were taking a break until 2014, we meant it!  And come on…better late than never, right?

Over 70 people joined us for our pizza party at Farm to Market Co.

October 17, 2013 marked three years for BREAD! KC.  While Andy, Erin and Sean celebrated that night by consuming painful amounts of food (washed down by equally painful amounts of Old Overholt), the party and final micro-granting event of the year took place on October 20^th at Farm to Market Bread Company, which has been one of the program’s biggest supporters since the very beginning.

Since everybody loves a good pizza party, we took that theme and gave it a good ol’ BREAD! KC twist.  Andy and Sean created a pizza stew that would have straight up blown Chuck E. Cheese’s mind: a tomato base with ground sausage, lots of cheese, and a tasty dumpling-ish crust.   It was good.  Real good.  Our good pal Craig Howard of Howard’s Organic Fare & Vegetable Patch whipped up a nice mixed-green salad, and Farm to Market supplied rounds of garlic cheesy bread.  A selection of beer was provided by Tall Grass Brewing Company, and Erin whipped up a birthday cake, complete with confetti sprinkles.

Birthday cake!

 It was a full-house with over 70 attendees, which generated a $600 grant for one lucky presenter.

Charlie, Danica, and Lindsey

Charlie Mylie, Danica Wilson, and Lindsey Griffith enlivened the space with an inflatable, bubble-like stage, in which they plan to perform a traveling choose-your-own-adventure play that they’ve written.   The Minister of Information (aka Don Wilkison) and his daughter, Sarah Wilkison, pitched their proposal to pop-up in various food deserts and use their edible creations as a means to redistribute the wealth, so to speak.

Don and Sarah Wilkison

Ultimately, the funds were awarded to Christian Hankel of Moneywolf Music, a local musicians collective.  Christian will use the funds to sponsor elements of Moneywolf’s Young Songwriters Contest, namely awarding free admission to The International Folk Conference, which is one of the largest music conferences in North America and is taking place in Kansas City this year.  Graham Nash is the keynote speaker.  It’s a big deal.  Expect to hear an update from Christian in the coming months!

Our October BREAD! KC grantee, Christian Hankel of Moneywolf Music

Speaking of updates, one of our February 2012 BREAD! KC grant recipients,  Chris Cook, attended the event and updated the crowd on the We Are Superman documentary project.  To learn more about the film and what the producers have been up to, visit http://wearesuperman-themovie.com/ .

Words cannot express our gratitude, Kansas City.  Special thanks to all those that donated for this event, and Kevin Kinsella for once again being our trusty doorman.   We couldn’t do this without you, folks!

It’s been an incredible journey these last three years, and we’re looking forward to 2014!

On that topic…mark your calendars for Sunday, March 9^th; it’s our first event of the year and we want to see you there.  We’ve missed you so!  Details will follow, so keep an eye out.

Join us for our three-year anniversary BREAD! KC event at Farm to Market Bread Company!

This October marks three years since the Bread Crew hosted their very first BREAD! KC event! Since then, we’ve helped generate almost $15,000 in micro-grants for creative projects taking place in our local community.

Since it’s our anniversary and the final BREAD! KC micro-granting dining event of the year, let’s go out with a bang! Join us at 5:00 pm on Sunday, October 20th at Farm to Market (100 E. 20th St, KCMO) for a good ol’ fashioned pizza party…with a twist, of course!

Tallgrass Brewing Company beer and fine wine by Charles Shaw will be provided, as well as some non-alcoholic options, of course.

Although walk-ups are welcome, we ask that you purchase tickets in advance through Brown Paper Tickets (http://breadatftm.brownpapertickets.com/) so that we know how much food to prepare.

Get your tickets to come party with us and help support the development of cool projects in Kansas City!

 

BREAD! KC Interview with Red Balloon

Red Balloon is Kansas City’s newest independent arts & culture blog.  Earlier this month, the Bread Crew had the pleasure of speaking with blog producer Eric Loffland.

Check out our interview here: http://redballoonkc.wordpress.com/

Want to suggest a cool local artist or organization to be featured on the blog? Email  kc.redballoon@gmail.com.

Communicate, Collaborate, Commemorate, Celebrate!

Founded in December  2012, the Ryan Beye Foundation was formed in honor of the late Ryan Nathaniel Beye, who lived his life with a clear vision of interconnected and self-sustaining community.  The Foundation’s inaugural C4 Fest  block party is taking place during First Friday on September 6, 2013 and we want YOU to come help us celebrate Kansas City by bringing people together in a creative and positive space, bringing awareness to the arts and to those doing good in our community.  

Stop by the BREAD! KC booth between 18th/19th and Locust in KCMO, where we’ll be set up with CartWheel, founders of LaCucaracha Press, members of Maker Village KC, and the director of acclaimed documentary We Are Superman.
Four new murals by regional artists will be unveiled at the corner of 19th and Locust, and the evening will also feature an incredible line-up of free concerts at Crossroads KC, readings by members of Kansas City Voices, plenty of food, and cold brews from Boulevard Brewing Company.

We hope to see you there!

I-70 Series at BANK Projects

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Sports are not only about brawn and brain, but culture and community. Without a doubt, contemporary society owes much to the sports gods: Sunday game-watching rituals; superstitions ranging from lucky t-shirts (and other unwashed articles of clothing) to untrimmed facial hair and bizarre eating habits; and of course, the pre-party tailgate. In the history of organized sports, there are also countless instances of great triumph: 2004, the year the Boston Red Sox finally shook the “Curse of the Bambino” and won their first World Series Championship since trading Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1918; “The Catch” in 1982 where Joe Montana and Dwight Clark’s surprise touchdown resulted in the 49’ers NFC Championship win against the Dallas Cowboys; the 1980 Winter Olympics in which the ragtag US hockey team miraculously defeated the Soviets 4 to 3. In powerful moments such as these players seem to transcend their sport, and in the resulting aftermath, one cannot help but feel as though they just witnessed something much more profound than a simple game.

Game 6 of the World Series: Oct. 26, 1984 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MO

Saturday, August 10, 2013, marked the first I-70 Series “games” since the historic 1985 MLB World Championship competition between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals. Drawing inspiration from this historical event, BREAD! KC co-organized the series with BANK Projects in St. Louis with the intent to educate and activate the creative communities residing along this corridor by creating a cultural exchange between the two cities.

BANK Projects is a small, alternative, artist run project space located just off South St. Louis’ hip and funky Cherokee Street. The space was founded in 2012 by Marianne Laury, a St. Louis native and KCAI grad who is currently an MFA candidate at Washington University, and Mitch Kirkwood, a KC native as well as a KCAI graduate.

Photo courtesy of Erin Olm-Shipman

In order to successfully pull off the I-70 Series with each city equally represented, it took a lot of planning and organization on both sides of the state. BREAD! KC turned to former 2011 Bread grant recipient, CartWheel (a roving alternative social/retail space in the form of a baby blue short bus), to haul a dedicated group of creative KC peeps to STL. The team included Michael Pollock, a baker; Tyler Fox, a personal chef; Matthew Hayden, a musician; Elvis Achelpohl, an architect; Kimberly Carlson, a sex educator, and of course, Jessica Rogers, whose day job is that of a non-profit administrator. Talk about a colorful crew!

Potluck!

In terms of representing the KC food scene, BREAD! KC took this job very seriously.  Craig Howard offered his famous sweet potato biscuits (which you can now find every Friday evening at the BADSEED Market), chewy cowboy cookies were offered by morsel, The Local Pig provided beer brats and pork shank, Howard Hanna and The Rieger donated cured and sliced smoked pig’s head, Farm To Market Bread Co. loaded us up with pretzel rolls, hot dog buns and sliced white bread, Oddly Correct kept everyone caffeinated with Hop! Toddy, Boulevard Brewing Company provided a selection of beers, and we were proud to feature Boys Grow bbq sauce and agave ketchup. In St. Louis, BANK Projects received donations from Local Harvest, coffee from MELT, and a plethora of fresh produce from neighborhood gardeners.   The wonderful roster of St. Louis attendees also provided an amazing spread of regional dishes, including bread pudding bars and Cardinal cookies.

In the main gallery, the “Show Me Taste” competition featured Vess’ Whistle Orange Soda, Imo’s Provel cheese, a sampling of delicious Kakao chocolate, Boulevard beer, and Gates BBQ sauce.  Participants were asked to taste each product and vote for the city they thought each product hailed from.  Surprisingly enough, the majority of participants guessed correctly for each product.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Kinsella

In an effort to utilize the former bank’s drive-through teller windows, Erin Olm-Shipman organized Drive-thru Poetry, which featured works by three St. Louis poets (Jazzy Danziger, Richard Newman, and Stephanie Schlaifer) and three Kansas City poets (Jose Faus, Jordan Stempleman, and Lesley Ann Wheeler).  As event attendees approached the window, the poems were read over the microphone, and then a copy of the poem designed by James Walker and printed by Lindquist Press was delivered through the transaction drawer.

A trivia battle MC’ed by Andrew Erdrich rounded out the day’s activities, featuring questions about each city’s cultural identity.  Randy Vines of STL-Style was the victor by a single point, and was awarded a gift certificate to fellow Cherokee Street merchants, MELT.

Tunes spun by DJ Miscela kept the people moving until late night, when we were joined by a freestyle rapper that kept the crowd entertained for a solid two hours.  What a way to cap off the day!

I-70 Series team photo!

An enormous round of thank you’s to all our generous donors and collaborators, Jessica Rogers and Matt Hayden for hauling the KC crew (and lots of equipment) over, St. Louis’ ReTrailer for keeping us hydrated with that tasty tea, PBR for their generous donation to the beer fishing supply, Tyler Fox for his incredible culinary creations, Andrew Pollock for the amazing carved watermelon, Richard Finneran for his trivia expertise and PA system, Kevin Kinsella for his man hands and moral support, and Marianne and Mitch for hosting us all weekend…and introducing us to Summer Jam.

Stay tuned for the return of the I-70 Series, next time on Kansas City turf!

Join us at BANK Projects in St. Louis this Saturday, August 10th for the I-70 Series Cultural Exchange!

We could not be more excited for this event!  Don your finest Kansas City / St. Louis gear and join us at BANK Projects (3420 Iowa Ave., St. Louis, MO) from 4:00 – 9:00 pm for this collaborative project of epic proportions, which aims to educate and activate the creative communities that reside along this central corridor.

4:00 – 6:30 pm :

• ·         Tailgating in the parking lot, with beer fishing (bring a 6-pack of cans if you’d like to participate), grilling, and various games and activities.  KC’s roving retail store, CartWheel, and St. Louis’ ReTrailer will both be set up with all sorts of goodies available for purchase.

• ·         Drive-thru poetry readings, featuring works by St. Louisan’s Jazzy Danziger, Richard Newman, and Stephanie Schlaifer and Kansas City poets Jose Faus, Jordan Stempleman, and Lesley Wheeler, screenprinted onto designs created by James Walker and Eric Lindquist.  A limited supply of prints are available on a first come, first served basis.

• ·         Stop by the gallery to view STUDIO MIST, with artwork by former KC resident Aaron Storck.

5:00 – 6:00 pm:

• ·         Blind taste testing of various KC and STL products.  Think you can tell the difference between Nelly’s energy drink and Tech N9ne’s?  Give it a shot!

6:30 pm:

•       Help us stage a KC vs. STL photograph from the event!  We’ll congregate in the parking lot of BANK Projects.  Make sure you’re wearing your city pride gear!

7:00 – 8:30 pm:

• ·         Join us for some trivia, discussion, and a potluck dinner in collaboration with our friends at Sloup. We’ll be serving a variety of dishes from KC’s Boulevard Brewing Company, Farm to Market Bread Co., The Local Pig, Howard’s Organic Fare & Vegetable Patch, The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange, morsel, and more!

• Please bring a dish that’s representative of your city to add to the pot.

8:30 – Close:     

• ·         Stick around and bust a move to jams spun by DJ Miscela.

Any questions?  Feel free to drop us a line at breadkc@gmail.com.  See you there!