Filming in Wichita
Film In and Around Wichita!
Planning a film, television, commercial, documentary or other production in Wichita? Visit Wichita can help point you in the right direction. We can help answer questions, provide destination information and connect you with local organizations, businesses and resources as you plan your production. For questions about filming in Wichita, contact Visit Wichita at 316.265.2800 or info@visitwichita.com.
Why Film in Wichita?
Wichita offers a wide range of settings within an easy-to-navigate city, making it possible to capture distinctly different looks without spending hours moving between locations. Production possibilities include:
- An urban downtown skyline and city streets
- Historic neighborhoods and architecture
- The Arkansas River and downtown riverfront
- Museums, cultural attractions and public art
- Parks, trails and natural settings
- Aviation facilities and aviation-related locations
- Historic Old Cowtown Museum, with its collection of 19th-century buildings and streetscapes
- Agricultural landscapes and small communities within a short drive
- The Flint Hills northeast of Wichita, offering expansive prairie landscapes
Filming Permits and Requirements
Kansas does not require a statewide film permit. However, individual cities, counties, property owners and government agencies may have requirements depending on where and how a production plans to film. Productions in Wichita should verify requirements in advance, particularly when filming involves:
- City parks or other public property
- Street or lane closures
- Public rights of way
- Traffic control
- Privately owned locations
- Large crews, equipment or temporary structures
Film activity affecting state highways should be coordinated with the appropriate state agencies. Productions filming on private property should receive permission directly from the property owner. Because requirements vary by location and scope, Visit Wichita can help identify the appropriate local contact for questions about a potential filming location.
Filming in Kansas
The Kansas Department of Commerce provides statewide resources for film and media productions, including assistance with location scouting, production services, state and local agency connections and information about laws, approvals and permitting processes. The state also maintains a Kansas Locations Database for productions searching for potential filming sites throughout Kansas. Additional considerations for filming in Kansas include:
- Kansas is a right-to-work state.
- There is no statewide filming permit, though local permits or approvals may apply.
- Traffic control involving state and interstate highways falls under the Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Department of Transportation.
- Film activity on city streets and county roads should be coordinated with the appropriate local authorities.
- Productions employing minors should review applicable Kansas and federal child labor requirements.
- Kansas provides a hotel occupancy tax exemption for qualifying stays of more than 28 days.
Wichita Film Festival
Wichita is also home to the Tallgrass Film Festival, an annual celebration of independent cinema held in downtown Wichita. Presented by the Tallgrass Film Association, the festival showcases independent feature and short films and brings filmmakers and audiences together for screenings, panels and special events. The 24th annual Tallgrass Film Festival is scheduled for Oct. 15-18, 2026. Tallgrass also supports Wichita's film community year-round through programming and events at the Emily Bonavia Tallgrass Film Center in downtown Wichita.
Filming Resources
For productions considering Wichita and Kansas, these resources can help with planning:
- Visit Wichita – Local destination information and connections
- Kansas Department of Commerce – Filming in Kansas
- Kansas Locations Database – Statewide filming location search
- City of Wichita – Permits, public property, street use and special event information
- Kansas Department of Labor – Child labor information
- Kansas Department of Transportation – State highway and transportation information
- KanDrive – Current Kansas road conditions and traveler information
- Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport – Air service and airport information
- Tallgrass Film Association – Wichita film community, festival and year-round programming
- National Weather Service Wichita – Weather forecasts and severe weather information
