“Dylan Mortimer, Jaimie Warren and Andrzej Zielinski, all 30ish give or take a few years, spent some or all of their formative years as artists in Kansas City, and they all emit a certain and increasingly recognizable generational attitude,” said Raechell Smith, director of the Artspace.

“They are more confident than a previous decade’s generation ever was about the viability of launching and sustaining a credible art career in Kansas City. It’s likely that each of these artists has benefited from the pioneering, DIY spirit that Kansas City has become known for, taking full advantage of the opportunities that exist and creating others along the way.”

The Charlotte Street Foundation has now recognized 68 Kansas City-based visual artists with Charlotte Street Visual Artist Awards, with a total of $422,500 in unrestricted case grants distributed directly to the artists over 12 years.