KCAI’s Artspace Unveils Bold New Era with Renaming to The Emily & Todd Voth Artspace
05.27.2025
Emily and Todd Voth’s support marks a transformative moment for the Kansas City Art Institute’s Artspace, with a vision to support and foster artists, exhibitions, and community-driven experiential connections.
As newlyweds, Emily and Todd Voth attended an art auction at the Kansas City Art Institute, where they carefully chose their very first piece of student artwork.
“It cost $30, and honestly, we could barely afford it at the time,” Todd Voth recalled. “But that started a tradition for us.” Over the years, they continued attending student shows and sales, building a diverse collection. “Now, we have things like a life-sized felted buffalo from a student—it’s in our living room.”
“These are pieces that evoke emotion and excitement,” Emily Voth said, noting that these feelings are key to her professional practice. “Getting a pulse on what’s happening in the art world is so important—fashion and fragrance often follow art trends. The energy these young creatives have is contagious.”
That energy fueled the couple’s strengthened commitment to the school and its connection to the broader community. During a rededication event on April 18, 2025, the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) marked a new chapter in its history by renaming its acclaimed contemporary art venue the Emily & Todd Voth Artspace at KCAI.
Historic Rededication
Founded in 1999 as the H&R Block Artspace, this cherished venue has been a cornerstone of contemporary art in Kansas City, fostering meaningful connections between artists, students, and the community. The rededication celebrates Artspace’s rich history while embracing an exciting future, driven by visionary leadership from its Board of Trustees and new support from community advocates Emily and Todd Voth.
Emily Voth
Emily Voth is the founder and former owner of Indigo Wild and its iconic brand, Zum Bar Soap, which seamlessly blended a cheeky ethos with a sincere business model. With over 200 aromatherapy products, Indigo Wild introduced the magic of raw, natural scents to a wide audience in an unconventional way.
Her latest venture, The House of Cade Black, distills her expertise in botanical scents into a more refined, luxurious experience. Recently, Cade Black was honored by the International Perfume Foundation as the "Best New Luxury Brand," and its debut fragrance, "Cade Black 9," was featured in the Minimalist Scents exhibition at the Olfactory Art Keller in New York. Known for her bold, rule-defying spirit, Emily approaches fragrance with a deep respect and fascination for the plant world.
“For me, creating a brand is art. Scent is art,” Emily said. “If you look back through history, so much art has centered around flowers, trees, scent, and food. We’ve really built our brands around that. With Cade Black, we’re also focusing on artists. We're rehabbing the front of our building and creating a space to feature KCAI artists on a rotating basis. It’ll be a little wild, a little luxe—very on brand.”
Todd Voth
Todd Voth, a distinguished architect and co-founder of the global design firm Populous, has been instrumental in shaping projects around the world. His work, often in the public spotlight, frequently involved collaborating with commissioned artists to create impactful installations tailored to each space. Throughout his career, Todd’s designs have become integral to the fabric of cities and communities, leaving a lasting mark on the built environment and transforming the way people interact with and experience their surroundings.
After decades of travel and global projects, Todd transitioned out of that professional role and committed to focus more deeply on Kansas City. He soon joined the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) Board of Trustees, bringing with him not only his extensive design experience but also a renewed enthusiasm for the arts and cultural engagement.
“I want the college to be more visible and more engaged with the community,” Todd said. “I don’t think KCAI has been intentionally quiet, but maybe we haven’t fully realized our potential impact publicly. That’s starting to change. The Artspace is a vibrant center of creativity, innovation, and community and Emily and I are honored to support its future.”
Bold New Era
Raechell Smith, Director and Curator of the Emily & Todd Voth Artspace, said, "We are deeply grateful for the visionary generosity of Emily and Todd Voth, whose support marks a thrilling new era for the Artspace and reaffirms KCAI’s commitment to art, education, and community engagement.”
Located within Kansas City's vibrant cultural district at 16 East 43rd Street, the Emily & Todd Voth Artspace continues its commitment to providing free and accessible arts programming, fostering dialogue, learning, and artistic innovation.
“This rededication honors our legacy supporters while positioning the Artspace to thrive as a dynamic hub for contemporary art in Kansas City for decades to come,” Smith said.
About the Kansas City Art Institute
Founded in 1885, the Kansas City Art Institute is one of the oldest and most respected art and design colleges in the United States. KCAI is a premier private, fully accredited four-year college of art and design awarding the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 13 majors. The mission of KCAI is to prepare students to transform the world creatively through art and design.
About the Emily & Todd Voth Artspace
Since 1999, the Artspace has championed emerging and established contemporary artists through exhibitions, public programming, and educational initiatives. As an integral part of KCAI, the Artspace is a bridge that connects campus and the wider Kansas City community, promoting engagement with contemporary art and fostering future generations of artists and creative professionals.
Media Contact: Marcus Cain, Assistant Director, Artspace, 816.802.3571, mdcain@kcai.edu