- Education: ETSU, Johnson City (Washington County)
- Active: Kansas
- Region: East
- Mediums: Painting, Installation
Shai Perry
Shai Perry is a Kansas-based, black bi-racial woman, artist, mother, curator, and consultant. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from East Tennessee State University, where she studied sculpture and cultural anthropology. She is the Gallery Coordinator and Adjunct Art Instructor at Kansas City Kansas Community College, while pursuing a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Arts Management and Leadership for Wichita State University. She teaches art appreciation, curates on many platforms, manages the Art Gallery, facilitates the campus collection, and manages artistic visions for public spaces.
In the community, Perry serves as an advocate for the arts on many platforms, this includes being the Wyandotte County Captain for the Arts and Economic Prosperity study six (AEP6), Arts KC Regional Arts Council Mission Support Grant Committee member, and the KCKCC Representative for the Mayor’s UG Local Arts Governance Committee. Perry’s involvement in the community reaches beyond art organizations. She was Outreach Officer for the steering committee of the Young Professionals Forward, an initiative of the Kansas City, KS Chamber of Commerce. In addition, she was also an ambassador for the KCK Chamber. Perry served as the Marketing Chair for the Friends of the Grinter Museum Board for three years. She also performs these duties on the board of the Wyandotte County Ethnic Festival.
Her leadership in the community transferred to the creation of the Historical Mural Project. Through networking, collaboration, and building rapport, Perry was able to establish an Advisory Committee that held over 60 consultants. This mural is now a tourist attraction with the KCK Visitor Bureau and Freedom Frontier National Heritage Area.
Innovative themes of diversity, social justice, and identities have led to many accomplishments as a curator. In 2020, her curated exhibit ‘Silenced Narratives’, received the Award of Excellence for Diverse & Empowered Exhibition services and the Award of Commendation for its accompanying catalogues from the Tennessee Association of Museums, a product of the diversity exhibitions initiative of ETSU Tipton & Slocomb Galleries. Perry has presented as a guest speaker at multiple venues. She was the guest speaker for the 2023 Annual Winter Luncheon, for the American Association of University Women Parkville Branch.
Perry’s creative innovation and passion to lift others along the way in her journey continues to reach new heights. She is a member of the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), American Association of University Women (AAUW), Kansas Museums Association (KMA), Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG), Kansas City Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Asian Chamber of Commerce, United Nations Association of Greater Kansas City (UNAKC), and Women in the Arts Networking Group KC.
CRAFTING BLACKNESS 
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