Creative Cafe

Kristen sits down with local artist Sara Slaughter and programs director Kim Shaw to talk about the September Art Hop happening on September 5, 2025, from 5 -8 pm in Kalamazoo, MI. Originally aired on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at 8 am on WKZO 590 AM and 106.9 FM

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org

Kristen sits down with Cara Lieurance, Sandra Bremer, and Bryan Zocher to discuss the Community Arts Awards. Each person has been awarded the Community Medal of Arts in the past and has also nominated others for various awards presented by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo.  Listen to their perspectives as you think about who you might nominate. Originally aired on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 8 am on WKZO 590 AM and 106.9 FM in Kalamazoo, MI.

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org

In the final installment of a three-part series exploring the Brush the Block Mural Festival, Kristen and Kim talk with local artists Patrick Hershberger and Ellen Vandermyde about their respective murals, their work, and what draws them to large outdoor canvases as an outlet for their creativity. Originally aired on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 8 am on WKZO 590 AM and 106.9 FM in Kalamazoo, MI.

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org

In part two of this three-part series on the Brush the Block Mural Festival, Kristen and Kim Shaw visit with Heidi Weiss and Chafe Hensley about the mural they will be creating and their local partnership to bring creativity to Kalamazoo.

Originally aired on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 8 am, on WKZO 590 AM and 106.9 FM.

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org

In the first of this three-part series, Kristen learns more about the artists selected to paint the public murals for the inaugural Brush the Block mural festival. In part one, she speaks with Kim Shaw, the Festival Director, and Dania Grevengoed, a muralist from Grand Rapids. Originally aired on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 8 am, on WKZO 590 AM and 106.9 FM.

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org

Kristen interviews Jeremy Koch, the Managing Artistic Director, about Season 18 of the Farmers Alley Theatre.  Originally aired on Saturday, July 26, 2025 on WKZO 590 Am and 106.9 FM in Kalamazoo, MI.   

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org

Kristen finishes her conversation with Shonda Buchanan about her career, and most recent publications. Originally aired on July 19, 2025 at 8 am on WKZO 590 Am and 106.9 FM in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org

Kristen and Kim Shaw sit down with Amy O'Donnell-Lueth and Maya James, two of the seven artists slated to complete murals for the inaugural mural festival in Kalamazoo, called Brush the Block. The festival will take place from September 2-7, 2025.  Originally aired on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 8 AM on WKZO 590 AM and 106.9 FM in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org

Kristen sits down with Kim Shaw to detail the artists and activities that will comprise the July Art Hop, as well as a sneak peek at the artist reveal set to take place during the Bronson Hop as part of Art Hop! Visit KalamazooArtHop.org to see all the stops planned for Friday.  Originally aired on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 8 am on WKZO 590 AM and 106.9 FM in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org

Kristen sits down with Eltine DeYoung, executive director of Vicksburg Arts to talk about her new appointment and the current programs of the organization. Originally aired on Saturday, June 28, 2025 on WKZO 590 AM and 106.9 FM in Kalamazoo, MI.

Creative Cafe is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Home - KalamazooArts.org