Bringing Flamenco to Rural Kansas: How a $3,000 Grant Inspired a Community
By Sarah Mote
Each year, M-AAA distributes millions of grant dollars across our six-state region to support artists and arts organizations. Through our Regional Touring Program, M-AAA supports touring artists and presenting venues, helping bring new voices and performances to our communities, urban and rural.
But one grant—of just $3,000—made a big impact on a small town in Kansas.
The Regional Touring Program (RTP) supports projects by organizations that showcase artists from outside their immediate area but still within the Mid-America Arts Alliance six-state region of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. Organizations that book an in-region artist may be awarded as much as 50% of the artist’s fee. Those located in rural communities may receive an additional 10% of the artist’s fee.
One recent recipient of an RTP grant was the Western Plains Arts Association in Colby, Kansas, which serves nine counties in northwest Kansas with just one part-time staff member, Pat Zieglemeier.
Flamenco guitarist Ronald Radford. Photo courtesy of Western Plains Art Association.
Pat applied for funding to bring flamenco guitarist Ronald Radford, an internationally touring artist on the Missouri Arts Council’s Artist Roster, to the community. In November, Radford spent two days in Oberlin, Kansas (population 1,593), delivering performances and workshops to 70 adults and 215 children.
In her report, Pat shared an inspiring story about one student who attended the performance. That student, who had recently begun guitar lessons, was captivated by Ronald’s skills and variety of styles. After the show, Ronald took time to meet with her, gave her a CD and instructional video, and encouraged her to pursue her passion.
His message—find something you love and work hard to be the best at it—resonated with both students and adults alike.
The impact of this project stretched beyond the performance itself, giving students and community members in rural Kansas a unique cultural experience.
“The music he shared gave us all a glimpse of flamenco style and Gypsy life, something we certainly do not have here in northwest Kansas,” says Pat.
This story is just one example of how M-AAA’s grants support meaningful engagement in communities across the region. It’s these moments—whether through arts education or connecting rural areas with new cultural experiences—that make our work so fulfilling.
Explore the Region’s Touring Rosters
Each state’s touring roster includes artists working in conjunction with our state arts agency partners to bring arts experiences to wider audiences.
- Arkansas Arts Council
- Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission
- Missouri Arts Council
- Nebraska Arts Council
- Oklahoma Arts Council
- Texas Commission on the Arts
Learn more about M-AAA’s Regional Touring Program. Applications are accepted on a rolling deadline at any point during M-AAA’s fiscal year, which is July 1–June 30. Grants are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, until the allocation for each state is gone. New allocations begin each year on July 1.