Commission previews cultural plan, addresses public art funding concerns

YMCA summer campers create clay tiles for spring public art installation

Commission approves new museum strategic plan

Smoky Hill Museum Street Fair to feature 'Old West' theme and Wichita War Dancer

Arts Infusion program expands middle and high school offerings

Collaborative arts and healing project to feature cancer survivor stories

Local musicians and venues urged to complete statewide music census

Local documentary '4 Days in June' accepted into Hutchinson film festival

Community mourns passing of local artist and professor Harley Elliott

Commission previews cultural plan, addresses public art funding concerns

SALINA, Kan. — The Salina Arts & Humanities Commission expects to unveil the findings of a new cultural plan to the Salina City Commission on Oct. 26, following a community survey that garnered roughly 800 responses. During the meeting, staff addressed ongoing community discourse and online criticism regarding taxpayer funding for public art. Preliminary survey data showed mid-80 percent support for public arts funding among participants. Staff emphasized the economic impact of the arts in retaining the local workforce and attracting new residents, urging supporters to focus on the data while acknowledging a need to close the accessibility gap for lower-income residents.

YMCA summer campers create clay tiles for spring public art installation

SALINA, Kan. — Approximately 75 children from kindergarten through seventh grade participated in a weeklong clay camp at the Salina Family YMCA, creating hundreds of custom tiles for a future public art project. Local artists guided the students in sculpting and decorating 2-by-2-inch and 4-by-4-inch tiles, with some designs incorporating fire-related themes. The tiles will undergo drying and firing processes over the next several months, with a final installation and public dedication anticipated for March or April.

Commission approves new museum strategic plan

SALINA, Kan. — The commission unanimously approved a new strategic plan for the Smoky Hill Museum, developed in partnership with the Community Engagement Institute at Wichita State University. The plan outlines five focus areas, including increasing visibility, proceeding with expansion and renovation plans and cultivating a robust donor base. Notably, the plan aims to diversify the museum's storytelling to ensure all Salina residents can see themselves represented in the city's history, a move designed to reach historically marginalized groups.

Smoky Hill Museum Street Fair to feature 'Old West' theme and Wichita War Dancer

SALINA, Kan. — The annual Smoky Hill Museum Street Fair will take place Sept. 26, adopting an "America's 250th Old West Style" theme to align with the nation's 2026 celebrations. The event will feature a parade, a chili cookoff, historical demonstrators and live music headlined by country artist Jake Gill. A highlight of this year's festival will be a performance by the Wichita War Dancer, Greg Victors, a world champion fancy war dancer, who will perform the Ponca fancy dance and roam the crowd to answer questions about his Native American culture.

Arts Infusion program expands middle and high school offerings

SALINE COUNTY, Kan. — The Arts Infusion program, which integrates arts education into prekindergarten through 12th grade classrooms across Saline County public and private schools, is preparing to launch its digital request form for the new school year. Following a successful expansion of early childhood options last year, staff announced a renewed focus on middle and high school programming this year. New offerings will emphasize career development and life skills derived from arts careers, allowing local and regional artists to deliver specialized, curriculum-aligned presentations directly in classrooms.

Collaborative arts and healing project to feature cancer survivor stories

SALINA, Kan. — A new Arts and Healing Collective will present a two-day residency and 60-minute performance titled "Our Shared Stories of Cancer" this October at Theatre Salina. The project is a collaboration involving Salina Arts & Humanities, Theatre Salina, Salina Regional Health Foundation and the Tammy Walker Cancer Center. Funded entirely through grants, foundations and earned revenue, the initiative aims to explore how creative expression — including music, dance and poetry — can aid physical and emotional healing for individuals facing cancer and other challenges.

Local musicians and venues urged to complete statewide music census

SALINA, Kan. — Salina is joining 12 other Kansas communities in a statewide music census aimed at capturing the economic and social impact of the local music ecosystem. The survey, managed by Sound Music Cities, targets anyone working in the industry, including paid and unpaid musicians, venue owners, sound engineers and music store vendors. Local organizers hope to gather at least 100 responses by the end of August to better understand the needs of Salina's music scene and potentially secure a $5,000 matching grant for a pilot project.

Local documentary '4 Days in June' accepted into Hutchinson film festival

SALINA, Kan. — The locally produced documentary "4 Days in June" has been officially accepted into its first film festival. The film will be screened at the Salt City Film Festival, which will hold its upcoming event at the historic Fox Theater in Hutchinson in late September. The commission encouraged residents to visit the film's website and consider carpooling to Hutchinson to support the local filmmakers at their inaugural festival screening.

Community mourns passing of local artist and professor Harley Elliott

SALINA, Kan. — The commission took a moment to recognize the passing of Harley Elliott, who died Aug. 11 at age 86. A highly influential local poet, novelist, visual artist and former Marymount College art professor, Elliott also previously served as the coordinator of education at the Salina Art Center. He was remembered as a pivotal figure in the local arts community and the Smoky Hill River Festival, leaving behind his children and a lasting artistic legacy. A gathering to share memories and celebrate his life is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

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