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A City Worn on Its Sleeve
Challenge: In the wake of the pandemic, Kansas City needed a way to bring people back together while supporting the communities and industries hit hardest, including healthcare, the arts, tourism, education and small and minority-owned businesses. Parade of Hearts was created to meet that moment by using a symbol tied to Kansas City’s identity to inspire connection, encourage exploration across the metro and generate funding for local causes. The inaugural exhibition featured 156 heart sculptures designed by 124 artists, with proceeds benefiting organizations including The University of Kansas Health System, Mid-America Regional Council, AltCap and Visit KC Foundation.
Solution: DI created Parade of Hearts from an idea hand drawn on a napkin into a public art experience with lasting civic impact. As a sponsor and contributor, DI played a hands-on role in preparing the hearts for public display — serving as a pickup and drop-off point for artists, consulting on execution and helping ensure each piece was ready for installation and eventual auction. Since launch, the initiative has continued to evolve, and in 2026 Parade of Hearts introduced a new sculpture design, the “Hearts of Unity,” marking a fresh chapter for the program.
That design shift also brought a larger canvas for artists. Earlier Parade of Hearts sculptures were 5-foot hearts, while the new 2026 Hearts of Unity sculptures are 6 feet tall — making them 1 foot taller, or about 20% larger in height, than the original format. The increased scale gives artists more room to tell stories and makes each installation even more visible across the region.
Parade of Hearts has produced 447 heart sculptures
Since its launch across its 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2026 exhibitions.
App-powered exploration
The Parade of Hearts app includes GPS locations for every heart, artist bios and check-in badges.
DI helped protect the long-term quality of the sculptures by applying a weather-resistant, automotive-grade clear coat. Designed for gloss retention, scratch resistance and durability, the coating helps preserve each artist’s work through months of outdoor display across the Kansas City metro. That fabrication support has been essential to ensuring the hearts remain visually striking and structurally resilient in all-weather environments.
Beyond fabrication support, Parade of Hearts became a platform for broader civic and economic impact. The project drew residents and visitors into neighborhoods across the city, introduced new audiences to local businesses and created paid opportunities for artists. It also generated major charitable giving, turning public art into a catalyst for tourism and community pride across Kansas City.
Some of the project’s strongest outcomes came from the stories it created. Families found a reason to get outside together, teachers built lessons around the installations and artists gained new visibility that changed the trajectory of their careers. By intentionally placing hearts throughout the metro, not just at major landmarks, Parade of Hearts encourages people to explore new neighborhoods and engage with businesses and communities they may not have otherwise visited. In that way, it became more than an exhibition — it’s a shared experience that brings optimism to the region.
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