People make the place, and St. Louis is full of artists, entrepreneurs and advocates who share their creativity and passion to make this a fantastic place to live and play. Go behind the scenes and get the inside scoop on the people and places that help elevate STL. We’re proud to celebrate them by sharing their stories with you.
Community in Different Forms: Meet St. Louis Artist Mee Jey
St. Louis artist Mee Jey uses an array of mediums and approaches in her art, all centering around one main theme: community.
Wrapping Stones and Uplifting Local Artists: Sit Down with Entrepreneur Ras Tree
Entrepreneur and wire and stone wrapping St. Louis native artist Ras Tree has been creating jewelry for over two decades.
The Banana Bike Brigade – The Legacy Institution of the STL Art Scene You’ve Never Heard Of
The Banana Bike Brigade, headquartered in St. Louis, is the nation’s oldest art bike organization with one sole mission: spreading joy.
Perseverance in the Age of Pleasure: How a St. Louis Mom Photographed Janelle Monáe in Rome
At the request of performing artist and icon Janelle Monáe’s team, Myrina Renaissance traveled around 5,000 miles from St. Louis, Missouri to Rome, Italy to document that leg of the tour at the Stadio Olimpico.
Annie Finan Wins Evolution Festival Call for Art Contest
Congratulations to St. Louis-based designer, Annie Finan, who submitted the winning design for the Evolution Festival call for art contest.
Frizz Fest to Bring St. Louis Artists and Performers Together for the 7th Year of the Festival
Frizz Fest is in its seventh year of celebrating natural beauty, art, and self-expression in St. Louis on Sept. 21 in Tower Grove Park. The theme for this year’s festival is 70s, featuring more artists and performers than in previous years.
How to Explore St. Louis Art Like a Local
By Kallie Cox St. Louis is a vibrant, bustling, hub for talented artists beginning and thriving in their careers. While the most well-known places in the city’s art scene tend to be the St. Louis...
STLFringe FEST: Uncensored Creativity You Simply Can’t Miss
The STL Fringe Festival is a unique chance to see new uncensored and innovative art from local St. Louis artists and performers.
City Winery St. Louis Joins MUSIC FOR A CAUSE to Help Support Local Artists
The MUSIC FOR A CAUSE initiative will use donations and ticket surcharges to directly support the St. Louis arts and culture sector. Check out the full lineup of shows!
Off Broadway — Enjoy The St. Louis Music Scene Like a Local
Since the 1980s, Off Broadway has provided St. Louis with an intimate venue for local and regional musicians to perform. The venue cultivates a unique sense of community, occasionally even inspiring locals who meet at a show to return and get married.
St. Louis Rapper Mixes Psychology with Music to Create New Album
St. Louis native rapper chandler discusses using music and psychology to dissect his feelings in his new album, Freudian Thoughts Volume 1.
WerQfest is a Beacon for Black Queer Art in the Midwest
WerQfest, founded by Tre’von (Tre) Griffith, is an arts and culture festival dedicated to amplifying voices in the Black queer, trans and non-binary community.
Juneteenth Celebrations in St. Louis
If you are looking for ways to celebrate Juneteenth, St. Louis has some sensational events. From festivals and block parties to bike rides and musical performances, you can find an event to join in...
Summer Guide to Arts and Music Events in St. Louis: June
Find must-attend summer events in St. Louis with the official StLouisArts.org June guide to arts, live music, theater and more.
Dive Deep with Local St. Louis Band The Winks
Meet local pop-punk, modern alternative, classic rock inspired St. Louis band, The Winks. StLouisArts.org sat down and talked to two out of three members, Dillon Dunnagan and Alex Ward, about it all, from busking Lady Gaga at the Delmar Loop to an early peek into the new sound of their next album.
StLouisArts.org Partners with City Musuem for Art-Centered City Nights Events
StLouisArts.org is partnering with City Museum to bring two special, art-focused City Nights events. Grab your tickets now for City Nights: Crafts and Cocktails or City Nights: Paint the Night Away...
The Grove Neighborhood in St. Louis Featured as a Missouri Creative District, Celebrating Art and Community
The Grove, a thriving and eclectic district nestled along Manchester Avenue between Kingshighway and Vandeventer, has been featured by the Missouri Arts Council as a Creative District. This...
Using Empathy, Understanding and Community to Build Better Improv – How The Improv Shop is Changing the Game in St. Louis
When you think of improv, you likely think of Whose Line is it Anyway?. Though the show was immensely popular, it doesn’t even come close to covering the depth in which improv is used, especially...
St. Louis Creative Who Photographed Kamala Harris and Janelle Monáe Honors the Stories of BIPOC Women Who Paved the Way
Professional photographer Myrina Renaissance, creator and organizer of the ambitious and meaningful multimedia exhibition series, Her Eminent Reign, is equal parts hustle and humble. And she’s hungry to nurture a network of Black women creatives.
Live from the Boom Room: Showcasing St. Louis Musicians
Through his series, Live from the Boom Room, filmmaker and longtime musician, Brian McClelland, is on a mission to promote St. Louis’ magnetic local music scene, which is bursting at the seams with expert singers, songwriters, instrumentalists and producers.
Enter a New World with St. Louis Multidisciplinary Artist Jasmine Raskas
St. Louis artist Jasmine Raskas wants to take you on a journey into another world. Using a combination of painting, sculpture and installation Raskas’ art creates an experience that blends science and the natural world to create work that feels new, yet familiar.
From Violinist to Filmmaker, St. Louis Artist’s Film Lands on Major Streaming Platforms
Catherine Dudley-Rose is a Swiss Army Knife artist. She’s an actor, director, writer, musician, and teacher. While it’s difficult to separate any of those roles from the other, they all inform and...
Ryan Beck Returns to St. Louis
Comedian Ryan Beck wants you to know St. Louis is for you, specifically. There’s something incredibly endearing about a hometown talent whose gone on to do big things but remains appreciative of their roots. This is the case with Beck, a Lebanese American comedian and filmmaker who’s based in New York City but born and raised in St. Louis. A regular at New York’s iconic Comedy Cellar, Beck’s stand-up comedy has been featured on Comedy Central. Now, Beck is coming home for a special engagement at the Funny Bone in St. Charles, MO from Jan. 25-28, 2024.
Artist Q&A: Samantha Clemons
As she prepares for her first show of 2024 with more performances on the horizon, St. Louis-based musician, Samantha Clemons, carved out some time to speak with us about where she finds inspiration in a city with such deep musical roots, the importance of experiencing live music, and what’s next for her in the new year. Hot off the heels of a new single, “Colored”, Clemons has some surprises on deck for eager fans.
Circus Harmony Presents: NOCTURNE
Circus Harmony’s 2024 annual show, “Nocturne” is a dreamlike show about overcoming your fears and finding your strengths! The show features Circus Harmony’s fantastic flying children and will be presented in their home ring at City Museum for six shows only the last weekend of January and the first weekend of February.
History Repeating Itself
Once again, St. Louis, steeped in music lore, is emerging as a vibrant new music scene. An alluring place deeply respectful of its musical heritage, and now with some very fresh blood taking its music scene into the future.
Behind Mvstermind’s Mission to Give Homegrown Talent a National Stage
St. Louis is a place that’s known for homegrown music icons, including artists Chuck Berry, Nelly, and Smino. So many of them leave the gateway to the west to seek success on a national stage. But what about the artists who stay? Local artist, entrepreneur, producer (the list goes on and on) is helping put St. Louis on the map as a music town.
Cuéntame (Tell Me) Amplifies Latinx Stories
Cuéntame is a unique initiative by Latinx Arts Network STL and EncoreSTL that places the voices and experiences of St. Louis’ Latinx community at center stage. The organizations have collaborated to collect and curate Latinx stories and provide the space and means to tell them in a captivating way.
Music at the Intersection: Celebrate STL’s Musical, Cultural and Artistic Heritage
September 9 and 10, the Music at the Intersection festival returns to Grand Center Arts District, in the heart of St. Louis. More than 50 artists are scheduled to perform across four stages, giving the audience so many ways to celebrate St. Louis’ musical, cultural and artistic heritage.
Welcome to Loutopia
Artist Jayvn Solomon, the creator of Loutopia, has a creative, thoughtful vision for community development in St. Louis. Now, the project is leveling up with Loutopia: Exhibit A, a temporary, interactive wonderland that merges beautiful exhibits with gamification, community events, and augmented reality to inspire visitors to embrace art, nature, and sustainable systems in their daily lives. The experience kicks off October 5, 2023.
Bringing the Spotlight Back to the St. Louis Sound
St. Louis based, Kansas City born performer and producer Ryan Marquez is a seasoned multi-instrumentalist focused primarily on a mixture of jazz, pop, and hip hop. He’s also a fiery advocate for...
Faeded Brings a High Fantasy Dance Party to St. Louis
Faeded, the fourth edition of a costumed high fantasy dance party and music spectacular, will take place on Saturday, May 13 at Delmar Hall. Creating mythological play places for femmes, queers, and...
Rocket Supernova & the Dawn of Solaria
Native St. Louisan Rocket Supernova defines himself as a creator, being mindful not to limit himself to any one form of self-expression. He slides seamlessly between fashion, painting, and music. Rocket’s upcoming exhibition, Dawn of Solaria, which takes place on Saturday, April 22 at 1441 North 2nd Street St. Louis, MO 63102, seeks to push the boundaries between fashion, art, and audience.
Open Highway Music Festival 2023
The 12th annual Open Highway Music Festival, taking place Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17, 2023, features Americana heavyweights Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Blackberry Smoke, S.G. Goodman,...
Murals of St. Louis
Like peanut butter to jelly or a late night to a slinger (what's a slinger?), St. Louis and stunning murals go hand-in-hand. Some are displayed prominently, elevating the atmosphere of a...
Where Will You Encounter Counterpublic?
Counterpublic 2023 is one of the nation's largest public art platforms, bringing 30+ new artist commissions to life in public parks, gardens, historic houses and museums around the city. Free art...