All posts by Kranzberg Arts Foundation

Construction is currently underway on KAF’s latest development, The Key Burger Bar and Boogie, set to officially open in October 2025. Designed to be a new favorite neighborhood hang, the fast-casual burger bar will offer an affordable menu of delicious smashburgers and specialty toasted ravs, along with a great selection of cocktails and craft beers, while the adjoining venue will feature the region’s favorite party and dance bands, as well as line and salsa dancing. KAF’s art/mural program will be prominently featured inside and around the exterior of the building.  

Daily progress is being made inside the adjacent historic buildings, located at 3221-3223 and 3225 Olive Street, rescued from demolition by KAF through an agreement with Saint Louis University and support from the Landmarks Association of St. Louis. An original tin ceiling in the restaurant has been restored and given a fresh coat of silver paint and the soaring original wood trusses in the venue are being carefully preserved and restored. 

Built in 1887, the buildings are among the few remaining historical structures in Midtown,and adjacent to the former and historic Mill Creek neighborhood, providing a rare glimpse into St. Louis’ past and showcasing the enduring architectural beauty of a previous century, while being reimagined for the modern day. 

“We can’t wait to share this space with our neighbors in Grand Center East and all of St. Louis and hope The Key becomes a regular gathering spot for fans of our local sports teams and people who want to have a relaxing good time with live music and dancing,” says KAF Executive Director Chris Hansen. 

Stay tuned for more updates and grand opening information in the coming weeks.

Every Thursday at noon, a group of loyal patrons and newcomers gathers in the intimate Listening Room at High Low to hear from St. Louis thought leaders from across the arts, cultural, and educational spectrum at the High Noon speakers series. Some bring lunches, others just come for the dynamic presentations and performances in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Karen Lucas, the program’s curator, says the crowd averages around 30 people weekly, but some programs are more popular. A recent lunchtime performance of “Plays for the Planet,” produced by Joan Lipkin of That Uppity Theatre Company with the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, drew in around 80 audience members.

Though High Noon has only been taking place at High Low under KAF leadership since 2022, the program has a deep history in the St. Louis community and origins at University of Missouri, St. Louis (UMSL), where Lucas spent 27 years working and serving as Associate director of the Center for Humanities. When she first came to UMSL, the school had a series in place they called the Monday Noon Series featuring various programming from poetry readings to musicians. They asked Lucas to lead and expand the free program.

After a successful 25 year run, the program was forced to shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was eventually discontinued completely. Fortunately, the Center for Humanities had a board of community leaders who met every couple of months to brainstorm about programs that would be helpful to the community and Nancy Kranzberg was the President of that board. 

“Nancy was very enthusiastic and she knows everybody in the art and music world, so when I had to come up with a presenter or group of presenters every week, I could just call Nancy,” Lucas recalls.

After the program at UMSL shut down, Nancy Kranzberg reached out and invited Lucas to lunch with her and husband, Ken. She informed Lucas that they would like her to start a series at KAF similar to the shuttered Monday Noon series, but make it bigger and better. Thus, High Noon was born.

“We’re there every Thursday. The only time we cancel is if a major holiday falls on that Thursday. We are trying hard because this is something that KAF focuses on—not only the local residents who get to come to something and enjoy it, but the local artists and arts community professionals who get a chance to be presenters and show off what they can do or what they have done,” Lucas says. “We’re trying to provide more exposure for local artists who may not have a high profile yet, but show a lot of promise.”

High Noon topics and presentations range from music and art to drama and literature and each session includes a question and answer period for the audience. In addition to KAF-connected artists, the series has welcomed speakers from most of St. Louis’ major cultural institutions including the Saint Louis Art Museum, The Sheldon, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, and Laumeier Sculpture Park, among others.  

“We have some people who come with a friend or partner who just make it their weekly outing and people have gotten to know other regulars in the audience, so small groups will go out to lunch afterwards together—people who never knew each other until they met there,” Lucas says. 

High Noon is free and open to the public each week. To view the upcoming schedule of speakers, please visit https://kranzbergartsfoundation.org/highnoon/.

Set to open in September 2025, The Sovereign is St. Louis’ newest independent concert venue, created in partnership with and operated by Old Rock House. The 1,200-capacity venue created in a fully renovated historic building on Washington Avenue, will make its debut as one of the three main stages for MATI 2025. The Sovereign’s 40′ x 32′ stage is currently being built—its wood framing now in place and ready for poured concrete. 

Two dedicated backstage green rooms with bathrooms/showers will provide a highly accommodating space for performers and a hospitality suite will host meet and greets and other VIP events. 

“My singular goal with The Sovereign is to embody the independent spirit of musical artists through a physical venue. This place has been an absolute labor of love and I am thrilled to finally introduce it to the great music community in St. Louis,” says Managing Partner Tim Weber.

Beyond MATI, The Sovereign already has several shows lined up on its calendar for the fall including:

• The Damned on September 16 
• Gary Numan on October 3
• The Reverend Horton Heat on October 18 
• Josh Ritter on November 6 

Visit oldrockhouse.com/the-sovereign for ticket info and regular updates.

Those who have attended KAF’s  Wednesday Night Jazz Jam at The Dark Room know just how special this free weekly community event can be. July marks the 13th Anniversary of Jazz Jam bringing the art of jazz within reach for people of all ages and backgrounds and helping to preserve and cultivate jazz music in St. Louis. 

Musician, composer and educator Bob DeBoo leads the Jazz Jam each week, using connections from his long music career to individually select rising-stars and St. Louis jazz legends, as well as Nationally-recognized artists touring through the region, to provide the opening performance. The diverse audience is then invited to participate, resulting in everyone from an eight-year-old budding pianist all the way up to a well-seasoned octogenarian tenor sax player joining in the fun. 

The lack of age restriction allows elementary, high-school and college-aged musicians a safe and inviting place to practice their craft—an opportunity that may not exist in typical jazz settings. Some of the younger musicians that have joined through the years have grown, gone off to school or new cities, and come back to join occasionally as now professional musicians. 

“The Jazz Jam was, from its inception, meant to be an inclusive and safe space for musicians of all stripes to enjoy fellowship and sharpen their skills. The dynamic between young and old artists is very important to the jazz community because the mentorship aspect of learning the craft is essential. We’ve been blessed to have a great ‘family’ of audience members join us regularly over the years as well,” DeBoo says.

In 2022, KAF formed a partnership with the St. Louis County Library to bring free arts-based programming and cultural enrichment to County Library branches. Part of that initiative included extending the weekly Jazz Jam into the community for a monthly Jazz Jam held the first Thursday of every month at the Lewis and Clark Branch of the Library. Hosted by musician and educator Harvey Lockhart, this vibrant monthly gathering furthers the original mission of Jazz Jam, bringing jazz to even more people in the greater St. Louis community. The monthly Jazz Jam continues to grow and thrive, becoming a beloved staple of the library’s programming.

“For years, the Wednesday Night Jazz Jam has been a staple destination within the St. Louis music community, reaching performers and attendees from surrounding cities throughout the country. More than just a weekly jam, it’s a family and a breeding ground for young, upcoming musicians and artists. The Wednesday Night Jazz Jam is a fellowship and a space for improvisation that sustains the rich legacy of St. Louis Jazz.” – Arica Foster

Jazz Jam takes place each Wednesday evening from 6-9 pm live inside The Dark Room at The Grandel. Food and drink are available for purchase and limited seating is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Bring your instrument or just yourself and come join the jam!

Sophie’s Artist Lounge is thrilled to announce the new DJ Residents for its 2025–2026 season—a dynamic class of 10 artists whose energy, creativity, and range will elevate the sound and soul of the space. In response to an overwhelming number of applications, Sophie’s has expanded the residency to make more room for more emerging and established voices to share their gifts. Starting in July, these DJs will join the weekly and monthly rotation at Sophie’s, curating vibes on both weekends and weeknights.

Meet the 2025–2026 DJ Residents:

DJ PBNJEFFY
Blending hip-hop, house, and funk with precision and play, PBNJEFFY commands the room with sets that are both technical and full of heart.

DJ KC Mackey
A connoisseur of house and disco, KC Mackey spins joyful, high-vibe sets that celebrate rhythm and liberation on the dancefloor.

DJ MAHF
Returning with his beloved Motown Throwdown, DJ MAHF brings decades of experience and deep crates of soul, funk, and scratch-heavy storytelling.

DJ Sinamin
With a style rooted in intimacy, Sinamin layers R&B, neo-soul, and dreamlike beats to create a sonic space that’s soft, warm, and deeply felt.

DJ Nune is Lamar Harris
Known for his fusion of live instrumentation and vinyl culture, Lamar Harris crafts immersive sets that speak to heritage, innovation, and groove.

TreHitz
Bold, boundary-pushing, and full of bounce—TreHitz brings fearless flair and sharp curation to every performance.

DJ Rico Steez
Rico Steez delivers effortless blends of soul, R&B, and heavy low-end, wrapping each set in nostalgia, finesse, and fresh energy.

Anansi Spins
Inspired by Afrofuturism and gaming culture, Anansi Spins designs genre-defying sonic journeys steeped in mythology, movement, and meaning.

Enoch Raavi
Through global percussion and ancestral rhythm, Enoch Raavi turns every set into a spiritual and physical release—a groove guided by legacy.

James Yeo
Cutting-edge and curious, James Yeo explores new textures in electronic and experimental sound. Expect the unexpected—and the unforgettable.

“I left St. Louis in 2012 to go to college and it’s been a wild and beautiful ride. I have lived all over the South. Each place has shaped me as a creative, but St. Louis raised me and it has welcomed me back with open arms,” says TreHitz. “You can really find your people here, your collaborators, and your own lane and build something real here. The creatives I’m surrounded by here push me. I’m super honored to be in a circle where we root for each other out loud.”

While this new class brings fresh vibrations, you can still catch the resident DJs who’ve been holding it down and shaping the sonic identity of Sophie’s for nearly four years. Agile One and Biko FKA Needles continue to be pillars in the booth, bringing unmatched style, musicality, and leadership.

The calendar will also be filled with rotating favorites and creative series including:

• 18andCounting, a sonic shapeshifter whose deep crates and experimental flair remain a staple of our space.
• Umami, a selector of moods and moments through genre-blending mixes.
• Monthly Burlesque by Hoopsie Dee, a seductive and smart showcase of movement, empowerment, and visual storytelling.
• Cassette, featuring DJ Charlie Chan and Rashad La’Rocka, serving up timeless classics with turntable finesse.
• Florionals: A Tag the Floor Cypher, powered by DJ Domo Fresh, where movement artists meet beats in a vibrant open-style dance jam.

More than just a nightclub, Sophie’s is an innovative space where artists, curators and DJs play an integral role in shaping St. Louis’ cultural landscape. Stay tuned for future collaborations, creative activations and community-curated magic and check the monthly calendar for details, debuts, and new soundscapes.

“We’re excited to welcome new talent into our Residency Program and offer more opportunities for St. Louis DJs to grow and thrive,” says KAF Executive Director Chris Hansen. “All of our residencies are designed to help artists define, pursue and achieve their goals by providing the tools and space to improve their skills, develop new professional relationships, and increase their knowledge.”

Juneteenth National Independence Day is the national holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. This year, KAF will join The Griot Museum of Black History for a powerful Juneteenth Celebration taking place next to The Griot (2505 St. Louis Ave) on Thursday, June 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This free event will highlight Black history, culture, and community through music, dance, storytelling, food, and local vendors.

Hosted by Tee Parks, the day will feature a land blessing by writer, multi-medium storyteller, and public speaker Cheeraz Gormon; artistic and cultural presentations including spoken word, dance, and monologue; and a vibrant Jazz Jam with saxophonist Kendrick Smith. Legendary St. Louis DJ G.Wiz will provide a high-energy atmosphere throughout the day. The celebration will also include arts and crafts led by Gundia Lock Clay and a variety of local food, retail and resource vendors.

The day concludes with a Freedom Parade to the Whitaker Foundation Summer Concert Series at St. Louis Place Park at 5:30 p.m.

KAF is proud to be a sponsor and supporter of this important cultural event, presented in partnership with the St. Louis Place Community Association and The Griot Museum. We invite our community to come out and honor the spirit of freedom, resilience and collective joy. 

“Where there is unity, there is strength. Where there is hope, there is perseverance. Where there is faith, there is liberation,” says KAF Community Engagement Director Arica Foster.

Volunteers are still needed for this event. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Trica at triciaw.griotmuseum@yahoo.com for more details.