August 23, 2021 | Stories
With the Knight Foundation Fund at WF, we’re continually reimagining public spaces to unlock downtown revitalization. Gallery Alley and the Chainlink Gallery Place are two funded projects that were enhanced and activated this summer. These placemaking sites embrace art, transforming an underutilized alley and an empty site into energetic places. But the projects are more than that – both Gallery Alley and the Chainlink Gallery Place contribute to the character and culture of Wichita’s downtown core by serving as an activator for growth, exploration, and experimentation:
Gallery Alley
Developed as part of an ongoing effort to enrich downtown Wichita, Gallery Alley transformed a once-forgotten alleyway into a vibrant destination with local art.
In July, Gallery Alley was reimagined. Downtown Wichita worked with Envision, a group focused on improving the quality of life for those who are visually impaired, to create intersensory art experiences in the space. Five sculptures were crafted by local artists to fill the alley with sensory elements for the public to hear and touch. The colorful enhancements produced a playground that is inclusive and accessible to all.
Location: 616 E Douglas Ave
Hours: Open 24 hours
More info: downtownwichita.org/galleryalley
Chainlink Gallery Place
The new Chainlink Gallery Place is an oasis for creative activity, providing an interactive art space for the community to experiment within the heart of downtown. Before Chainlink Gallery Place officially opened in late July, artwork by local artists were displayed on the chainlink fence between February and April. At Chainlink Gallery Place, people can view or create art — even if they’ve never wielded a paintbrush or spray can before. The Gallery offers an ever-changing community mural wall, allowing visitors of all ages to paint on plywood panels.
Chainlink Gallery Place community mural wall
Facilitated by Harvester Arts with support from Bokeh Development and Lifeboat Creative, Chainlink Gallery Place provides an interactive art space for the community to experiment within the heart of downtown.
Location: 121 E Douglas Ave
Hours: 5 p.m. to sundown on Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays
More info: chainlinkict.com, Facebook or Instagram
Supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Knight Foundation Fund at WF invests in civic innovators and ideas that help our city keep and attract talent, expand economic opportunity and create a culture of civic engagement. These placemaking projects are one of the many ways in which the Knight Foundation Fund at WF is leading the charge to create a vibrant downtown Wichita.
“Our partnership with Knight Foundation is helping to transform areas in our urban core,” said WF President and CEO Shelly Prichard. “Each of the funded projects reflect ways our community can come together to experiment and activate underutilized spaces.”
