ST. LOUIS — Artists and art organizations saw major success in 2024 thanks to record-breaking financial support from St. Louis' largest arts and culture funder.
The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RACSTL) dispersed $9.69 million between the city's federal pandemic funding and dollars from hotel-motel taxes when visitors stay in town.
This year, 146 artists, 37 programs and 96 organizations got the help they needed to create. Hundreds more applied.
RACSTL's work is also reflected in 28 murals spread out across 14 wards, all created by St. Louis artists to showcase the historical significance of the area in which each mural is located.
"We give money to musicians," RACSTL Communications Senior Manager Jay Scherder said. "We give money to visual artists. We give money to performers. We also give money to organizations like the Contemporary Arts Museum, The Muny, but also some folks that you may not know, like Stray Dog Theater or The Grio Museum."
Creatives can apply for grant funds through a competitive review process.
According to RACSTL, arts tourism brings about 8 million people to St. Louis annually, contributes almost $900 million to the local economy and provides 12,000 jobs.
"St. Louis is at a pivotal moment. That we have an opportunity to completely redefine who we are and who we want to be. Why wouldn't we include the arts in that?"
Singer and performer Paige Alyssa, who has been on the scene for 10 years, is a two-time recipient of the artist support grant and American Rescue Plan Act funds RACSTL received from the pandemic.
"Having that direct funding come to me has allowed me to pour into projects that I wouldn't be able to do without it and it's also allowed me to employ other musicians in St. Louis," the singer said.
SMU DataArts, the National Center for Arts Research, released its 8th Arts Vibrancy Index in October of 2023 and listed the city as a top 20 arts-vibrant community across the country. The ranking was based on the level of supply, demand, and government support for the arts in more than 900 communities across the country.
Scherder noted many of the city's art hubs have continued to climb after losing attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Audiences left," Sherder said. "They didn't go out to theatre shows. They didn't go out to music venues so it's been a hard road. It's been a hard road since the pandemic. But in the last year. You're seeing a lot of life come back to these places."
RACSTL plans to post new information at the beginning of 2025 for local artists and organizations to apply. They have nearly $3.6 million to grant to creatives.