Artist Explores the Spirit of Kansas City with Heartland Rising as the FIFA World Cup Comes to Town

As a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kansas City is stepping into the international spotlight. During this historic time, visitors will stroll through an authentic city with deep roots and a rhythm filled with jazz, barbecue, art, and culture. K.C. has long been an open secret for its Midwest livability and affordability, but it’s growing, and artists, entrepreneurs, creatives, and businesses are moving here. The skyline is changing as new buildings go up, the streetcar barrels down ever more winding tracks, the riverfront grows with apartments and entertainment, and the sports scene is expanding. Residents and visitors can dive into the culture and the action of the Kansas City Chiefs, Sporting K.C., and now the Kansas City Current, which has the world’s only purpose-built women’s soccer stadium.

To capture this moment and inspire reflection and dialogue about where the Kansas City culture is heading, Jeremy Bell has created Heartland Rising, a commemorative artwork honoring Kansas City’s role as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Question: Let’s go back a bit before diving into your latest work. How did you get your start as an artist?

Answer: I have always been creative. As a kid, I spent hours drawing and tracing my favorite characters. I started painting in high school just for fun, but it wasn’t until my undergraduate studies in 2011 that I began to take it seriously.

One day, I was working on a large portrait when my professor, Chris Valle, walked up behind me and said, “That’s powerful.” His words hit me with a physical force. In that instant, something shifted. I realized that art could carry real weight and it could hold power, a force that I could wield. That realization changed the course of my life.

Question: What is your favorite medium to work with?

Answer: Short answer: today, it’s acrylic. It used to be charcoal. Charcoal is a medium with a wide range, capable of soft fades, deep blacks, and a tactile, forgiving surface. The vast majority of my earlier works were built on an acrylic and charcoal base, but over time, I’ve shifted toward acrylic. With enough manipulation, acrylic can be both expedient and richly layered.

I almost always incorporate aerosol as well, using it to produce unique abstractions. Each spatter makes the work impossible to recreate. No two marks ever land the same. That unpredictability creates a kind of conversation between myself and the piece as it develops.

Question: What inspired you to create Heartland Rising?

Answer: As a military veteran born and raised between Seattle and California, I’ve traveled extensively across the United States. I’ve lived in every region [in the United States] from the coasts to the South, the Northeast, and the Midwest. I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Tampa in Florida and my Master of Fine Arts from Montclair State University in New Jersey, just outside New York City. I’ve experienced both large cities and small towns, each offering something distinct.

When I first moved to Kansas City during the pandemic, I was searching for something more grounded. A place where I could plant roots. About a year later, my mother, who lives in Seattle, came to visit. As we drove around the city, she kept saying, “This place is the next big thing.” At the time, I didn’t fully grasp what she meant. But now, after living here for nearly five years, I see it clearly.

Kansas City, the Paris of the Plains, is rising. It has always had a deep and rich cultural identity, but I began to notice a more intentional shift taking place. With so many major events converging in a short period of time, the rise of the Heartland feels inevitable. Multiple Super Bowl wins by the Kansas City Chiefs, major investments in entertainment, infrastructure expansion through development and the streetcar, and now the arrival of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, all of which are signals of transformation.

Kansas City is no longer just a city in the middle of the country. It is becoming an anchor city. As the cost of living rises in other major metros, people are seeking community, affordability, and cultural energy, myself included. Cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, and Chicago serve as defining markers of their regions. They are distinct, vibrant, and globally recognized. Kansas City is stepping into that conversation.
It stands at the threshold of becoming one of the nation’s next great cities. Not only for its residents, but in the eyes of the country and the world. Even with its challenges, seen and unseen, the potential is undeniable. There is a sense that something larger is unfolding. It is calling both the people and the place toward a greater future.

That is why I created Heartland Rising. I see that greatness taking shape, and I wanted to create a piece that speaks directly to this moment.

Question: Heartland Rising seems to capture the Midwest, Kansas City’s skyline, the spirit of freedom, and football (soccer) with bold, vivid colors. What can you tell us about the work and its elements? Is it available for purchase by readers?

Answer: I wanted to create a piece that was symbolic and representative without being overly saturated with visual cues. I aimed to hint at its rich history and cultural legacy. The various animals speak to the land and the people’s relationship to it, whether through the bend of the river or the indigenous plant life. The color scheme pays homage to the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, and Kansas City Current. The moon, rendered as an illuminated soccer ball, situates the painting within this historic moment.

Question: As a transplant to Kansas City, what was your initial perception of the metro, and how has that changed as you’ve experienced the culture firsthand?

Answer: I lived and worked in Omaha for five years, and it was during that time that the Midwest became a special place to me. When the opportunity came to return, I knew it would be a meaningful move.
My initial impression of Kansas City was fairly neutral; however, since living here, I’ve come to deeply appreciate its character and charm. There are so many pockets of activity. With so much to explore, there truly is something for everyone, from quiet lake or river walks to nightlife and sports.

Every few miles, the personality of each area begins to emerge. Sometimes the traits arise subtly, while others present dramatically. In each case, they offer something both familiar and distinct at the same time.

Question: Where do you see Kansas City in two, five, and 10 years?

Answer: Ideally, Kansas City will become a true anchor city. A place that people think of when considering great places to live or visit in the United States.

Realistically, it’s hard to say. That outcome depends on a series of intentional choices made over time. Missteps are part of the process, but it’s how a city responds, how it corrects course, that ultimately defines its greatness.

I’d like to pose that question to your readers. It’s part of why I created this piece. I wanted to mark the moment, spark conversation, and activate thought. While I created the work, it ultimately belongs to the people.

The Heartland is rising. What happens next, and where we choose to go as a region, is up to us.
And so, dear reader, Mother, Father, Sons, and daughters, where do you see Kansas City in the future, and how do we get there?

Question: Where can readers find this and your other works?

Answer: To stay informed about this and future updates, readers can learn more at www.jeremygbell.com. Heartland Rising: Golden Goal 2026 will be the featured painting in the exhibition Heart of the Nation, presented by IKEA and African American Artists Collective, on view from May 15 through July 19, 2026, at IKEA in Merriam, Kansas. I can also be found on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube @jeremygbell.