M-AAA Celebrates 50th Anniversary with 'Shutter and Sound' by Bob Willoughby

The Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) recently commemorated its 50th Anniversary with the remarkable "Shutter and Sound" exhibition by our renowned artist Bob Willoughby.

In its 50 years, Mid-America Arts Alliance has awarded more than $51 million in grants to more than 18,000 artists and cultural organisations, and engaged nearly 83 million children and adults in meaningful art experiences—enriching the cultural and creative life in its region.

To celebrate the Arts and Artists served during these past 50 years, M-AAA invited the public to attend the free 50th Anniversary Block Party earlier this month in Kansas City. The Block Party featured performances by past M-AAA grantees—artists Kalyn Fay Barnoski, interdisciplinary artist and musician from Oklahoma, and Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster, songwriter from Arkansas—with DJ sets by Kansas City’s DJ Ice Kole.

The exhibition space of M-AAA, the Culture Lab, hosted the ‘Shutter and Sound’ exhibition by Bob Willoughby, before it starts its nationwide tour.

The exhibition explores the compelling world of the 1950s California Jazz scene, giving the viewer a sense of vibrant jazz club intimacy. The photographs feature enthusiastic audiences, wistful singers, and jamming musicians including such greats as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and Dave Brubeck.

photos: © M-AAA and M. Steinback