Stories

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.

How to Explore St. Louis Art Like a Local

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...

Off Broadway — Enjoy The St. Louis Music Scene Like a Local

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.

Juneteenth Celebrations in St. Louis

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...

Dive Deep with Local St. Louis Band The Winks

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.

Live from the Boom Room: Showcasing St. Louis Musicians

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.

Ryan Beck Returns to St. Louis

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

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 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

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

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 (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.

Welcome to Loutopia

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

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...

Rocket Supernova & the Dawn of Solaria

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

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

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?

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...