Bouncing through Downtown: Art & Basketball Brings Creativity to Heart of Wichita
Downtown Wichita is embracing the excitement of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship with a unique public art experience.
“Bouncing through Downtown: Art & Basketball” (“Bouncing through Downtown”) has transformed vacant downtown storefronts into basketball-inspired art displays, inviting residents and visitors to explore downtown in a new and creative way.
This innovative project, funded by a City of Wichita grant, features three local artists/groups who have used recycled basketballs as the foundation of their temporary art installations. Their works celebrate Wichita’s role as a host city for the First and Second Rounds of the Tournament while showcasing the vibrant arts scene that continues to shape downtown.
Experience Basketball throughArt
Following a public call for artists in December 2024, a selection committee chose three unique concepts to bring this project to life. Each installation offers a fresh perspective on the intersection of sports, community and creativity.
“A Game of Growth” – Taylor McQueary(509 E. Douglas Ave.)
Blending basketball with nature, this vibrant installation features bold paintings of players in action. Surrounding them, oversized paper mâché plants and flowers—incorporating recycled basketballs—symbolize growth and transformation. McQueary, an art teacher at Wichita West High School, collaborated with her students to bring this vision to life.
“Ballin’ Wichita Flag” and “Hooping in the Dub” – Mike Glasscock(102 N. St. Francis St.)
This striking reimagining of the Wichita flag uses painted basketballs as individual pixels to form the city’s iconic red, white and blue design. A second piece at this corner property deploys metal basketball rims to create our city’s iconic “W.”
“Braille in the Paint” – Envision Arts Gallery an initiative of Envision(801 E. Douglas Ave.)
Recycled basketballs, painted white, form the words "WICHITA KS" in Braille on a sleek white basketball court. Smaller basketballs spell out basketball-themed messages. Vinyl-mounted Braille decoders are positioned at an accessible height, ensuring that everyone, including children and those in wheelchairs, can engage with and decode the messages.
Explore Downtown & Celebrate the Tournament
The installations will be completed by 5 p.m. on March 15. They will remain on display through April 7, giving locals and tournament-goers plenty of time to explore downtown Wichita through this artistic lens. The installations are within a six-block stretch of Douglas Avenue, creating a walkable gallery along Wichita’s main street.
On March 21, Downtown Wichita and the artists will lead a crafting workshop during the city’s Fan Fest in Naftzger Park. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., stop by to craft your own Kansas sunflower out of recycled basketball material. This activity is free and open to the public, while supplies last.
A public walking tour will be available at 7 p.m. on March 21 for those looking to dive deeper into the project. The tour will begin at 509 E. Douglas Ave.
