Keeping Heritage Alive
The campaign for new life at the St Cyril Church building.
Sugar Creek was home to Slavic immigrants who came to America in the 1890s and early 1900s. In 1914, families joined together to build St. Cyril Church, supplying labor and funding. From its opening, the church was a central part of life in the community. Slavic culture and heritage was preserved through church celebrations, including the St. Cyril Folk Festival in the 1970s - a precursor to the Sugar Creek Slavic Festival. The Catholic diocese closed St. Cyril Parish in April 2024, and a group has formed to purchase the building for a cultural, heritage and arts center.
The Campaign
A group of former members of St. Cyril Parish, community leaders in Sugar Creek, and members of the Slavic community in Kansas City are working to acquire the building and focus its future on:
Preserving the history of the church building and its Slavic roots
Providing a collaborative space for arts, education and cultural experiences
Offering an inspiring place to celebrate major moments in life
Fostering creativity and spirituality to help community thrive
A Reimagined Experience
The former church building will evolve into a dynamic place to gather, share, experience and grow with three unique spaces:
Concert Hall. Amazing natural acoustics and artful stained glass windows in an intimate setting, with with modern technology to host education and cultural arts experiences, and more.
Community Garden. Modeled after traditional European gardens, with plants and trees native to Slavic countries, and pathways and benches to compliment indoor spaces.
Social Hall. Set amidst the hand-dug walls of a more than century old building, with a full kitchen and flexible seating, this is the perfect space for event gatherings, meetings and and other activities.
Filled With Opportunity
To fulfill the vision for the center a programming committee will curate an inspiring set of activities.
Workshops and classes. From food and music, to language, art and dance promoting Slavic culture and more.
Exhibits and presentations. Slavic heritage, history, visual arts, and cultural education experiences.
Concerts, film and performing arts. Folk arts, storytelling, spiritual music and more in an intimate setting.
Themed popups. Culinary experiences celebrating ethnic heritage, seasonal popup markets and more.
Digital archive projects. Multimedia projects to document and share family stories and cultural traditions.
Private rentals. Weddings, family gatherings, celebrations of life, charity events and more.
Community service. Faith exploration and dialogue, community service projects and gatherings.
Building Momentum
The organizing group is forming a nonprofit to own and operate the building and is finalizing the sales agreement with the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, with the goal of completing in Summer 2024. The group has experience in areas needed for the project to succeed - including: nonprofit management, facility operations, arts and entertainment programming, Slavic culture and heritage promotion, fundraising and marketing, and more. Supporters of the project include the Sugar Creek Fair & Festival Board (organizers of the Sugar Creek Slavic Festival) and others to be announced soon.
How You Can Help
While we are in the final stages of nonprofit formation and purchase of the former St. Cyril Church property, we’re lining up support for the project and securing funding. You can get involved by letting us know you’re interested in Keeping Heritage Alive, the campaign to bring this project to life. Just fill out the form below and we’ll reach out with more information. Thank you!