All posts by Kranzberg Arts Foundation

KAF is proud to be STL Made and celebrate our region-wide holiday, 314 Day, on Saturday, March 14. Every day, in everything we do, KAF works to lift our local artists and provide the necessary infrastructure for the arts to thrive in St. Louis. Our artists are an integral part of what makes St. Louis so special and unique. 

This year marks the 20th anniversary of 314 Day in St. Louis and we’re celebrating all throughout the district. From markets and pop ups to art exhibits, food, music, and a late night dance floor, this is a full takeover rooted in love for the Lou. Show your civic pride and join us for these exciting 314 Day events:

314 Day City Market at Sophie’s Artist Lounge: 5-9 p.m. 

Hosted by DSmoovee, Sophie’s Annual 314 Day City Market is a celebration of St. Louis creativity, culture, and community highlighting local makers, artists, nonprofits and small businesses. Enjoy food by Chef Bailey & Co. and music by DJ Domo Fresh. This curated experience stretches through The Walls Off Washington and Sophie’s with vendors, artists, and organizations representing the depth and diversity of STL culture.

Kris Blackmon Presents the “To STL With Love” Closing Reception at Sophie’s Gallery Spaces: 5-9 p.m.
We are celebrating and closing the highly respected and adored “To STL With Love with Love” Exhibition with an intentional reception honoring the artists and the spirit of the city. Expect soulful sounds, community connection, and a celebratory atmosphere that reflects everything we love about St. Louis. Featuring DJ Prospect and Cook Crvk. 

Brock Seals Presents “Whole Order”, A 314 Day Pop-Up Exhibition, 5-9 p.m. at Legends’ Gallery

Renowned St. Louis artist Brock Seals is celebrating 314 Day with a special, one-night-only St. Louis-focused pop-up exhibition titled “Whole Order,” featuring his own works and those of fellow local artists including: A-Ron Johnson, Erica Green, Malik Fabian-Mahmud, Jaidah Michelle Kirksey, Kenneth Randle and Jeru Battle. The name “Whole Order” is inspired by St. Louis Chop Suey. The multi-medium exhibition includes photography, paintings, sculptural installations and video and the evening will also feature music, light refreshments and an opportunity to interact with the artists. 

314 Day Showcase at The Sovereign, 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.) 

Celebrate 314 Day in St. Louis’ newest independent music venue, The Sovereign. With Jesus Christ Supercar, Mattie Schell, and Atomic Junction, the fuzz-pop dance beats, soulful Americana, and gritty roots-rock will have you rocking out in The Lou with a full night of the original music and local pride we are known for. Tickets available here.

314 Day Specials at The Key 

They Key is offering the following food and drink specials for 314 Day/St. Paddy’s Day:

• The Key Reuben $13: Bolyard’s corned beef, two patties, key sauce, Buttonwood sauerkraut, Swiss cheese on marble rye bread (or sourdough)
• $4 house shots, “Get Lucky” specialty cocktail

Accounting and Administrative Associate Alyssa Wolf joined KAF in 2023. Her work in the arts started at a young age with her first passion—dance. Alyssa grew up performing at The Muny each summer in the mainstage shows and all across St. Louis as a Muny Kid and Muny Teen. Those experiences led her to pursue theatre and dance at the Conservatory of Theatre & Dance at Southeast Missouri State University, where she not only honed her craft, but learned other aspects of the arts as well. Working in the administrative department at the conservatory, she quickly realized that she enjoyed the production and operational side of the industry. With her combined passion for performing and her education in the business, she was eager to work with KAF.

What is your favorite part of your job at KAF?

My favorite part of my job at KAF is working with each department to help make the magic happen. My colleagues in the Foundation work throughout our ecosystem, rather than everyone being together in one office. Because of this, some departments don’t get to interact with or work with other departments as often. I’m fortunate because I get to work with each department on their specific projects/programs in both administrative and financial tasks. It helps me feel connected to all of my colleagues. 

How do you feel your role directly supports the KAF mission?

My role supports the KAF mission by coordinating venue administration, billing, and collaborative programming across departments in order to provide the best resources for local artists and organizations.

What do you love most about the St. Louis arts community?

I love that the St. Louis arts community is always growing and evolving.

What do you personally do (outside of work) to engage in the arts?

I teach dance at a studio in Wildwood called Devine Performing Arts and coach show choir at Marquette High School.

Who are some of your favorite St. Louis artists/musicians/creators that people should check out?

The Mighty Pines

In addition to its regular juried and resident exhibitions, KAF maintains the Kranzbergs’ private collection, built over decades and heavily focused on St. Louis artists. These works are displayed in regular rotation across KAF’s venues and spaces.. Portions of The Collection, some never before publicly displayed, are now part of a special exhibition, A Story Unfolding, on view through April 5 at The Kranzberg Gallery. Bringing them to this location represents a full-circle moment in the first physical space occupied by KAF in the Grand Center Arts District. 

Female identifying artists are central this installation, which balances large-scale, room-defining work with pieces that reward close looking by artists including: Carol Carter, Sabina Ott, Tina Mion, Melody Evans, Diana Guerrero-Macia, Ginny Ruffner, Lola Ayisha Ogbara, and Bunny Burson. Across media, scale, and approach, these works carry equal presence. A Story Unfolding marks a return to origin, without nostalgia, shaped by clarity and care and informed by a deeper understanding of how stories grow through ongoing relationships with artists, place, and time. 

As St. Louis natives, Nancy and Ken Kranzberg show their pride for the culturally rich city through their immense and ongoing support of its artistic community. This exhibition focuses on chronicling a timeline of the region’s conceptual and stylistic trends, the selections representing not only artists who spent considerable time in St. Louis, but also recognizing established and well-known artists working nationally and internationally. 

“When we collect work, we try to focus on artists who are living and working here, or in support of galleries and arts organizations dedicated to giving artists opportunities to show their work in St. Louis,” says Nancy Kranzberg.

The pieces in The Collection are portraits of the Kranzbergs’ relationship with the artists and/or their work—a time capsule of their ongoing and lasting commitment to the St. Louis artist community. However, the value of the Kranzberg Collection far exceeds its prescribed material and emotional value. Their sustained interest in collecting illustrates the importance of cultural preservation in connecting the broader population through art. 

Selected works from The Collection were previously displayed in an inaugural exhibition at The Kranzberg Arts Foundation Gallery at the St. Louis County Library Clark Family Branch. This new iteration continues KAF’s commitment to providing broad community access to The Collection. 

“Accessibility to this work is important. ​​I’m hoping that we have this as a biennial exhibition at the very minimum so that the public can come and really engage with these works for the first time,” says Gina Grafos, KAF Director and Chief Curator- Visual and Literary Arts.

Part of creating that access is the KAF Visual and Literary Arts Department’s ongoing maintenance and stewardship of The Collection, including restoration and digitizing of the full catalogue through Omeka, an open source web-publishing platform for the display of collections and exhibitions. 

“Everything was previously in binders and paper files, so getting it digitized has been a big effort over the past five years because, ultimately, we would like it to be available as an educational resource,” Grafos says. 

Stop by The Kranzberg Gallery during regular hours on Saturdays from 12 to 4 p.m. to see A Story Unfolding and visit other KAF venues to experience other pieces from The Collection.

In addition to great food and entertainment, The Key Burger Bar & Boogie offers a glimpse into the past, present and future of sports in St. Louis. In order to create the perfect atmosphere for game day viewing as well as pre and post-game celebrations, KAF partnered with art consultant and St. Louis sports superfan B.J. Vogt to curate a collection of sports memorabilia and artwork—primarily St. Louis Blues and St. Louis CITY SC—to adorn the space.

“I grew up here in St. Louis. I play sports and I’ve been a hockey fan my entire life. I’m also a huge CITY SC fan and a member of the Saint Louis City Punks, which is one of the supporter groups,” Vogt says. He and his family have been collecting sports memorabilia for decades.

Vogt consulted with Gina Grafos, KAF Director and Chief Curator of Visual and Literary Arts, on what could be displayed in the space, both from his personal collection and from various CITY supporter groups. These include revived and reframed tifos from St. Louis CITY SC’s inaugural season, displayed on the side of the building at Olive and Compton, and the interior walls of The Boogie, acting as Polaroid portraits of players in action and expanding the definition of what constitutes civic art. 

In addition, Vogt was able to secure flags designed by the Punks and other supporter groups, as well as handmade banners. “We make this stuff and then, if it doesn’t get used, it’s in a garage somewhere or in a storage space, so I got it back into life, into society,” he says. 

Also on display are denim vests from the Punks and a costume belonging to Super Santo, a CITY SC superfan. Having worked in art handling and installation for over 20 years, Vogt was also instrumental in coming up with ideas on how to display and hang the various artifacts. 

An item that came from Vogt’s personal collection is a large St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup banner, hung prominently on a wall in the Burger Bar. The banner and other artifacts honor his late father, a huge Blues fan, along with the rest of the family. 

“I’m grateful to Gina and The Key for helping me honor my dad by sharing these objects. It means a lot to me to be able to honor his legacy and how much he meant to our family,” Vogt says. “Everyone has these things tucked away—sports fans have these nice pieces here and there— and they have memories with those. For us, it’s about being able to put our family’s passion on display, to share our passion and build on it with others.” 

MATI (Music at the Intersection) is moving! Beginning in 2026, the festival and conference will take place the third weekend in July, exiting St. Louis’ increasingly crowded September events calendar, as well as avoiding future Rosh Hashanah and high holiday conflicts. 

Save the date as MATI returns July 17-19, 2026, with five main stages, including The Fabulous Fox Theatre (new), The Sovereign, The Big Top, Jazz St. Louis, and Sophie’s Artist Lounge. MATI is taking full advantage of Grand Center Arts District’s world-class music and art infrastructure to deliver a fully walkable indoor-outdoor summer festival experience.

MATI is now offering $99 (all fees included) weekend GA passes as a blind pre-sale at MATIstl.org or direct through MetroTix. With the new indoor main stages format (The Fabulous Fox Stage replacing the Field Stage), weekend pass sales are capped at a lower capacity for 2026, meaning those who purchase early – before the artist lineup drops and fans rush to buy – are guaranteed access to the full three-day experience. Buying blind in February also earns MATI fans insider status, with first access to upgrades and add-ons that will be announced in the spring. 

One of the to-be-announced add-ons is a special “MATI presents” concert hosted by The Fabulous Fox on Thursday, July 16. The event will serve as a kickoff to MATI weekend. 

“Grand Center is a top arts district in the nation,” says KAF Executive Director Chris Hansen. “As MATI continues to grow and evolve, we’re thrilled to welcome The Fabulous Fox Theatre and Jazz St. Louis as official festival main stages. Utilizing the existing infrastructure of world-class venues allows us to deliver a high caliber, fully walkable indoor-outdoor festival experience at an affordable price. And for those without a festival pass, the District is still for you. We’re going even bigger with the free community block party this year. Washington Avenue is coming alive, with rides, roller skating, art, music and more. MATI has something for everyone.”

MATI Weekend Pass + Free Community Block Party

MATI’s weekend GA pass, priced at just $99, includes select orchestra or balcony seating at The Fabulous Fox on Sunday, July 19 for festival headliner performances. Fans get to choose their seats at The Fabulous Fox, meaning blind pre-sale purchasers get dibs on best available. At purchase, festival goers can also upgrade to premium orchestra seating. A special MATI Weekend Deluxe Pass, as well as a limited number of MATI single-day passes are expected to go on sale after the artist lineup drops in the spring.

With a continued focus on accessibility and inclusivity, MATI’s outdoor community block party – connecting its five main stages down Washington Avenue – will be free and bigger than ever in 2026. MATI is activating Grand Center Arts District with live music (including national DJs), a performance art stage, a roller skating rink, carnival rides, pop-up fashion shows, mural and art exhibits, the blooming business market, tastes of St. Louis’ favorite culinary dishes and incentives to visit Midtown’s many bars, restaurants and retailers.

Additionally, MATI Places, which include The Key, Urban Chestnut and High Low, will feature performances, clinics and workshops throughout the weekend. MATI’s annual thought leadership conference returns to .ZACK, providing panels, keynote discussions and networking opportunities targeted at artists, creatives and entrepreneurs. The conference and MATI Places are also free.

Join the MATI Movement

At checkout, MATI pass buyers will be prompted to donate and join the MATI Movement. The MATI Members program asks attendees to become patrons, helping ensure that the festival – created and funded by St. Louis non-profit and civic organizations – grows and thrives for generations to come.  

As part of a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, MATI is about more than entertainment. The festival and conference is about accessibility, community and ensuring the arts remain central to St. Louis’ identity, tourism and growth. MATI Member contributions go to fund:

• Access for all. Last year, MATI provided more than 3,000 free festival tickets to community members who may not have otherwise afforded to attend. 
• Supporting artists. MATI fuels the work of musicians, visual artists and thought leaders. The event also creates job opportunities within the arts and entertainment sector of St. Louis, from performance to production.
• Building community. The festival and conference ensures a space where ideas, creativity and connections thrive, establishing St. Louis as a premier arts and entertainment destination while building civic pride.

Fans can join the MATI Movement at a variety of levels, making them not only a generous patron of the St. Louis arts, but also a MATI Member with insider access to festival weekend and year-round programming, special perks, and more. Learn more at www.MATIstl.org. 

In addition to the MATI festival weekend in July, fans can look forward to music, art, and conference programming year-round, including the return of Free 4 All music showcase. Additional programming partners include The Fabulous Fox, The Sovereign, Atomic by Jamo, The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, Delux Magazine, Evntiv, and The Recording Academy.

Since its inception in 2021, MATI has grown in size and ambition year-over-year, garnering rave reviews from attendees, as well as attention from The Recording Academy and national press outlets – including PEOPLE, The Source, Billboard, Essence, VIBE, Ebony, Live for Live Music, SPIN and Forbes.

 MATI is presented by KAF in partnership with Steward Family Foundation and The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) of St. Louis. 

 Photo Credit: Tyler Small

Programs and Partnerships Coordinator Shantalle Ruiz joined KAF in April 2024 as an intern and was promoted to her full-time role in June 2025. She was introduced to the Foundation and Music at the Intersection (MATI) by a friend. She began exploring the website and previous festival lineups and was inspired to see something so vibrant and community-centered happening right in the middle of the city.

While keeping an eye out for the next MATI announcement, Ruiz came across the opportunity for a Community Engagement and Impact Internship with KAF that immediately resonated with her. She’s thrilled to have grown that role into a full-time position and to be part of an organization that continues to evolve—expanding access to the arts, supporting artists at every level, and creating spaces where culture and community truly intersect. Ruiz holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Mass. and a Master of Social Work degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

What is your favorite part of your job at KAF?

My favorite part of my job is being able to combine my love for research, investigation, and creativity to find meaningful ways to measure social impact within the arts sector. That work takes me into communities across St. Louis and the surrounding region, where I have the opportunity to listen, learn and understand what art means to people in their everyday lives, and why the arts are such a vital pillar of this city’s history, culture and identity.

I also love the versatility of the Foundation. No two days look the same. From music festival programming to visual and literary arts, artist residencies, and workforce development, KAF supports artists and the broader arts ecosystem in so many ways. Being able to engage across these programs capturing impact through storytelling, surveys and community conversations makes the work both challenging and deeply rewarding. Each day invites new, creative ways to measure and honor the value of arts, culture and entertainment.

How do you feel your role directly supports the KAF mission?

My role directly supports KAF’s mission by helping ensure that our programs and spaces remain deeply aligned with community needs, accessibility and long-term impact. Through surveys and direct engagement with community members, festival-goers and everyday patrons, I gather data that helps us understand what is working well and where we can grow. 

I also help KAF stay accountable to its values by looking closely at how our programs operate and evolve using evaluation, internal check-ins and data storytelling to connect community feedback with decision-making. This work often shows up in grant writing and reporting, where numbers and lived experiences come together to tell a fuller story of impact.

Bringing a social work perspective to this role allows me to keep people at the center of everything we do, ensuring that equity, access and community voice remain foundational as KAF continues to strengthen the arts ecosystem across St. Louis.

What do you love most about the St. Louis arts community?

As a Boston native and East Coaster, there really is no place like St. Louis—a true hidden gem. The arts community here is incredibly tight-knit and deeply rooted in culture, it genuinely feels like one big family. Whether someone works directly in the arts or not, creativity shows up everywhere, and people are deeply connected to how art shapes their lives and neighborhoods.

What I love most is the resilience and originality of this city. The creativity coming out of St. Louis is unmatched. I often find myself reminding friends and family back home just how many influential artists have roots here. St. Louis continues to create, evolve, and inspire in ways that deserve far more recognition.

What do you personally do (outside of work) to engage in the arts?

Outside of work, I stay deeply engaged with the arts in St. Louis as a proud board member of the Latinx Arts Network, where I support and advocate for the city’s growing Latinx creative community. As a Dominican-American, this work is especially meaningful to me and allows me to stay connected to my culture while uplifting artists whose voices and stories are often underrepresented.

I also stay connected to the arts by following artists and creatives across St. Louis, the broader region, and back home in Boston and New York. Staying engaged with these creative communities keeps me inspired, informed, and thinking creatively about how arts programming can continue to evolve, especially for younger and emerging audiences.

Who are some of your favorite St. Louis artists/musicians/creators that people should check out?

I don’t really have favorites, but I do love spotting artists we work with out in the world, like stumbling across Cbabi Bayoc’s and Brock Seals’ work along Delmar or catching a DJ at any given event in the city.

The High Low Gallery presents a new exhibition, “MAIN STREET: The Lost Dream of Route 66,” featuring photographs by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Edward Keating, on view through Sunday, March 15. The exhibition is accompanied by Keating’s eponymous book of 84 photographs (Damiani, 2018).

MAIN STREET is the result of 11 years of travels along Route 66 — the 2,400 mile stretch between Chicago and Santa Monica. Called the “mother road” in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Route 66 has inspired countless artists and writers, including Andy Warhol and Jack Kerouac. Following the path of migrant farmers and others, Keating has ventured westward and back along Route 66, documenting the lives of Americans along the way.

Keating approaches the route as both a journalist and memoirist. His photographs bring attention to the lives and myths scattered along the stretch of Route 66, and serve as a metaphor for the deterioration of middle-class America. This book is also personal mythology, constructed from the artist’s own recollections of the road: Keating’s mother grew up in St. Louis along Route 66 where her father owned the city’s first Ford dealership. In his early 20s, he embarked on a cross-country trip on Route 66, but found himself, rock-bottom, in a broken-down motel in Flagstaff, Arizona. In 2000, he returned to Route 66 as a New York Times staff photographer, traversing all 2,400 miles in three weeks. The book is a milestone for an artist who has spent a life wandering along the main streets and back roads of America’s most mythic highway.

Edward Keating had served as a photojournalist for nearly 40 years for such publications as The New York Times, Forbes and Business Week. In 2001, Keating received the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography, as well as the John Faber Award for International Reporting, Overseas Press Club, for his series of photographs on the September 11 attacks. He additionally shared the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting with The New York Times staff for the series, “How Race is Lived in America,” and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for the 1997 series “Vows,” co-authored with Lois Smith Brady. In 2003, Keating joined Contact Press Images photography agency. MAIN STREET was Keating’s sixth monograph. Tragically, Keating died of cancer in Sept 2021contracted as a result of his long exposure to toxic materials at Ground Zero in the days after 9/11. He was 65 years of age.

The Gallery at The High Low is open to the public during café hours with no appointment necessary, every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Grand Center Arts District is officially a finalist for Best Arts District in the country in the USA Today “10 Best” Readers’ Choice Awards. This flagship awards program highlights the nation’s best of the best in various travel and lifestyle categories, including destinations, food and drink, and attractions. A panel of experts nominates in each award category, with the final set of nominees selected via editorial review by USA TODAY 10BEST editors. Once the nominees are announced, the public is invited to vote for their favorites over a period of four weeks.

In addition to the Grand Center Arts District, the following St. Louis cultural institutions have also been named as finalists:

Pulitzer Arts Foundation
Best Art Museum

Laumeier Sculpture Park
Best Sculpture Park

City Museum
Best Immersive Art Experience & Best Children’s Museum

National Blues Museum
Best Music Museum

Saint Louis Science Center
Best Science Museum & Best Free Museum

James S. McDonnell Planetarium at the Saint Louis Science Center
Best Planetarium

National Museum of Transportation
Best Open-Air Museum

“It’s great to see so many St. Louis organizations recognized in USA Today’s 10 Best, and especially the Grand Center Arts District. This kind of national recognition furthers our goal of making Grand Center the most exciting arts district in the country,” said KAF Executive Director Chris Hansen. “I encourage everyone in St. Louis to vote for all of these finalists as often as possible.”

Public voting is open through February 16 at noon Eastern Time, and individuals can vote for one nominee per category, per calendar day. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, February 25.

The Wednesday Night Jazz Jam at The Dark Room has been a staple of KAF’s community programming for over 13 years, 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, who has led the Jazz Jam since its inception, is stepping away, and as of this month, legendary St. Louis drummer Demarius Hicks has taken the helm of this special weekly event. Hicks will head a core trio that also includes bassist Christopher Thomas and guitarist Eric Slaughter. They will be joined by select rising-stars and St. Louis jazz legends, as well as Nationally-recognized artists touring through the region, to provide the opening performance each week. The 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.

As an East St. Louis native and a part of the St. Louis music scene for over 30 years, Hicks was a natural choice to take the mantle. Though he was hesitant when first approached, he recognized the deep resonance of the Jazz Jam in the community.

“Initially when the conversation started, I didn’t see any way it was going to work for me and my family, but when you look at the mission and the purpose of the thing, you find a way to make it work, because it’s about others and especially our young people,” Hicks says.

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.

“My favorite part is always playing when I get the opportunity and knowing that, after 13 years, I can be a part of a legacy in terms of the jam being not just a place of opportunity for our young people of all ages, but also a safe haven and a space where not only do they grow musically, but they also grow socially,” says Hicks.

After his first three weeks leading the Jazz Jam, Hicks says things have been going well with standing room only audiences, and he’s excited for the year ahead, jamming with regulars of the series and drawing in new players and fans. With world-class musicians from in and out of town, such as St. Louis born trumpet phenom Keyon Harrold and East St. Louis native Russell Gunn among the sit-ins, Hicks says, “You never know who will be there, so just imagine what that can feel like to our young people—not only to see them, but be able to approach them to have conversations, questions, and then to top it all off, be able to share the stage and maybe play a song or two with them.”

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!

Director of Special Events Becky Hale celebrates 10 years with KAF in February. She came to the foundation through a longtime friendship with Executive Director Chris Hansen, who reached out to her in 2016 when he was looking for someone to manage the private events department. Hale jumped at the opportunity.

During her tenure, KAF’s event venues have grown to nine dynamic spaces that host everything from weddings to nonprofit galas to corporate events and more. Hale deftly manages these events to ensure clients focus on enjoying themselves and entertaining their guests. If you’re looking to plan an event, reach out to Becky at becky@kranzbergarts.org.

What is your favorite part of your job at KAF?

I truly love my job. I have been in the industry for 36 years, and meeting new people while helping them bring their events to life feels like magic. We host so many different types of events, which keeps things exciting. Prior to working with the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, I only ever worked in single-venue environments. Now, I manage events across nine buildings, and I love the variety—it keeps my job fresh and interesting.

How do you feel your role directly supports the KAF mission?

The revenue my department generates helps support local artists in St. Louis and contributes to the many KAF programs we offer.

What do you love most about the St. Louis arts community?

I love the St. Louis Art Museum. My family and I visit about four times a year to see new exhibits and explore the artwork on display.

What do you personally do (outside of work) to engage in the arts?

Every year, I travel to Bentonville, Arkansas with friends to visit the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. We make a whole weekend out of it, and I absolutely love it.

Who are some of your favorite St. Louis artists/musicians/creators that people should check out?

My favorite artists in St. Louis are DJs. I grew up in the late ’80s, going to nightclubs, and my first experiences were at places like 1227, Twist, Zone 8, Faces, and OZ. I grew up listening to Gary Mac, Marc Buxton, Mike Carol, Kevin Brock, and DJ Danny. It was amazing to be exposed to so many new sounds coming into St. Louis from all over the world.