Officials at the University of Missouri-Kansas City recently announced their intention to relocate many of their fine arts efforts to downtown. Planners envision an urban ecosystem of cafes, restaurants, bookstores, and shops — as well as private studios and recital rooms, additional housing and even small hotels.

A panel of arts experts – among them Jacqueline Chanda, president of the Kansas City Art Institute, and Peter Witte, dean of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance discuss the possibilities and challenges of a downtown arts campus. The panel will be moderated by Mike Burke, chairman of the mayor’s Task Force on the Arts.