Kansas City is, historically, a place with a lot of open spaces. But there has never been anything like the Open Spaces events scheduled through the metro from August 25 through October 28, featuring contemporary visual and performing artists in spaces around town, including installations in specially designed pavillions—Swope Park will be the hub for the multi-media presentations—by prominent local architects. Forty-two renowned and emerging local, national and international artists have been selected for the exhibition component of the event, including Nick Cave, Shawn Bitters, Rina Banerjee, and Kathy Butterly. Spearheaded by longtime arts advocates Scott Francis and Susan Gordon and Mayor Sly James, Open Spaces will highlight Kansas City’s expanding footprint on the cultural life of the Midwest. openspaceskc.com