LEEDYVILLE
Where Art, Community, and Legacy Live On
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For more than four decades, Leedyville has been a place where artists can create, exhibit, connect, and contribute to Kansas City’s cultural landscape.
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Founded in 1985 by artist, mentor, and visionary Jim Leedy, the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center grew from his vision of an artist-centered community where artists could affordably live, work, and flourish. Jim transformed abandoned warehouses into studios and galleries, creating a place where artists could work alongside one another, exchange ideas, exhibit their work, and build lasting connections.
The Leedy-Voulkos Art Center was named in honor of Peter Voulkos, Jim’s friend and fellow artist, whose influence and friendship were an important part of the Center’s early history.
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What began as Leedyville became an important part of the development of Kansas City’s Crossroads arts community. Today, the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center continues that tradition as a living arts center where artists work, exhibitions are presented, and the public can experience the creative community firsthand.
WE ARE ENOUGH” a Group Exhibition curated by Harold Smith, February 2 - April 26, 2024 Front Gallery
Leedyville Today
For more than four decades, artists from across disciplines have called Leedyville home. Painters, sculptors, ceramicists, photographers, designers, printmakers, craftspeople, and makers have created work within these walls.
The studios and galleries remain central to LVAC's identity. They provide a place for artists to create new work, share ideas, participate in exhibitions, and connect with the broader Kansas City community.
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Today, the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center includes seven gallery spaces totaling more than 10,000 square feet: the Main Gallery, Front Gallery, Opie Gallery, Back Gallery, Leedy Underground Gallery I, Leedy Underground Gallery II, and the Vault Gallery.
Together, these spaces present a dynamic range of exhibitions throughout the year, featuring local, regional, and nationally recognized artists.
Leedyville Studio Artist: Lori Raye Erickson Open for First Friday August 2025 on the 3rd Floor
Legacy Artists
Every artist who has been part of Leedyville or the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center has contributed to its history.
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Through Legacy Artists, LVAC recognizes artists who have lived, worked, exhibited, or otherwise been an important part of the Leedyville and LVAC community. The program recognizes the artists who have helped shape the Center over more than four decades and ensures their contributions remain part of its continuing story.
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Legacy Artists may be living or deceased. Family members, friends, and others with knowledge of an artist’s connection to Leedyville or LVAC are encouraged to help document their history.
The program will grow over time through artist profiles, photographs, interviews, publications, exhibitions, and other forms of documentation.
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“I wish every artist would know how important they are to the world.”
— Jim Leedy
Leedyville Artwork: Marn Jensen, vintage art box and brush, ceramic box
Quote by Jim Leedy, artist, visionary, teacher and mentor
The Foundation is also working to preserve and document the center's exhibition history for future generations. Every artist who has shown here has contributed to Leedyville's living story.
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Leedyville Artist Legacy Submission – Leedy Foundation
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“I wish every artist would know how important they are to the world.” – Jim Leedy
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Whether you have had a studio within Leedyville or exhibited your work at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, you are part of Jim Leedy’s original vision. Every artist who has created, shown, or shared work here has helped build the legacy that defines Kansas City’s arts community.
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The LeedyVille Artist Legacy Submission is the Leedy Foundation’s initiative to collect and preserve the stories, artwork, and contributions of both studio and exhibiting artists. By submitting your history, you become part of a permanent archive, future publications and exhibitions, and an online collection that will help lay the foundation for a future museum. This museum will be dedicated to Jim Leedy and his vision, his personal collection, the Leedy Foundation Legacy Artist Collection, and the history of Leedyville and the Crossroads Arts District.
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If an artist has passed away, family members or friends are encouraged to submit on their behalf. This ensures that the contributions of all artists, living and deceased, are recognized and preserved as part of Leedyville’s enduring legacy.
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Preserving Our History
The history of Leedyville is also the history of the artists who have passed through its doors.
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The Leedy Foundation preserves and documents the legacy of Jim Leedy and the history of Leedyville, including artwork, archives, photographs, documents, and other historical materials.
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LVAC and the Leedy Foundation work together to ensure that the history of this artist community is not lost while continuing to provide a place for artists and audiences today.
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A future Leedy Foundation Gallery, currently in development within the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, will provide a dedicated space for Jim Leedy’s artwork and the history of Leedyville, connecting Kansas City’s artistic past with its continuing creative future.
Legacy Resources
LVAC is also developing Legacy Resources to provide artists with practical information and connections that can help them care for, document, and plan for the future of their artwork and creative legacy.
These resources may include information about artwork inventories, documentation, archival practices, estate planning, conservation, collections, and other professional resources.
Our goal is to help artists understand that preserving their work and story is part of their artistic legacy.
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Support Leedyville
Leedyville has always been more than a collection of studios and galleries. It is an artist-centered community built on the belief that artists need places where they can create, connect, exhibit, and thrive.
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Today, keeping that community active requires continued support.
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Your support of LVAC helps provide opportunities for artists, exhibitions, education, public programs, artist resources, and the spaces where Kansas City’s creative community comes together.
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You can support Leedyville by:
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Making a donation to LVAC
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Supporting exhibitions and artist programs
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Becoming a member or recurring donor
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Attending exhibitions, workshops, talks, and events
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Purchasing artwork from LVAC artists
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Supporting our studio artists
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Volunteering
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Sharing LVAC with your community
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Every contribution helps keep Leedyville alive and ensures that artists continue to have a place to create, exhibit, connect, and thrive.
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Help Build the Future
Leedyville has a remarkable history. Our responsibility is not only to honor that history, but to continue building upon it.
With the support of artists, audiences, donors, foundations, and the Kansas City community, LVAC can continue Jim Leedy’s vision of an active, accessible, artist-centered community for generations to come.
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Support LVAC and help carry Leedyville forward.
BECOME A MONTHLY SUPPORTER TODAY
~ Support Leedyville with a One-Time or Monthly Donation ~
Your commitment preserves the Kansas City Crossroads
artistic legacy and helps bring the future museum to life.