Developing a World-Class Arts District to Fuel Economic Growth
Back in June 2023, arts journalist Chadd Scott penned an article for Forbes titled America’s Most Exciting Emerging Arts District Is In… St Louis? Scott ruminated about what St. Louis arts aficionados have known for some years now – The Grand Center Arts District is a world-class destination for music, theater, visual arts, dance and more. This outcome was not by accident, but rather through the dedication and collaboration of numerous individuals, artists, organizations and cultural institutions working together to create what is today a vibrant walkable neighborhood with thrilling sights and sounds at every turn.
The Kranzberg Arts Foundation is proud to be one of the leaders and partners in these efforts, working in conjunction with longstanding premiere institutions such as Grand Center Inc., The Fabulous Fox, The Sheldon, CAM St. Louis, the Pulitzer, Jazz St. Louis and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra/Powell Hall. With such respectable anchors in place, KAF has spent nearly two decades developing spaces and programs in the surrounding neighborhood to fill in the gaps and provide much-needed infrastructure for the arts and artists to thrive in St. Louis.
“We truly believe that artists are the soul of our city and that when we nurture the arts, we affect health and wealth in our region,” says KAF Executive Director Chris Hansen. “It has been proven that the arts play a critical role in St. Louis’ economic and workforce development and are a primary reason people want to live in, work in or visit our city.”
KAF creates opportunities by strategically developing properties and historic buildings in the district to offer artists, arts organizations and arts industry businesses dedicated and well-appointed spaces in which to create and work, along with the operational support and advocacy they need to thrive. This infrastructure allows independent theater companies to have their productions running alongside big Broadway touring shows a few blocks away or St. Louis-based visual artists to have their works grace the walls of a beautiful gallery in the same neighborhood as a world-renowned artist’s museum exhibition. It provides stages for the top St. Louis musicians to perform regularly and grow their fan bases, and for literary organizations to collaborate and read their works aloud in front of an audience.
“When you don’t have to worry about keeping the lights on, managing facilities, and developing your workspaces and presenting spaces, you can be free to focus on your core mission and purpose,” Hansen says. “KAF provides those sacred spaces.”
Through regular collaborations and events such as First Fridays in Grand Center, locals and visitors alike can stroll through the district and experience all the best the scene has to offer — much of it for free. KAF’s longstanding Wednesday Night Jazz Jam brings the community together for a free evening of collaborative music-making for all ages and abilities. The free weekly High Noon lunch and learn series at High Low provides an opportunity to hear from thought leaders from across St. Louis’ humanities, arts, cultural and educational spectrum. The Walls Off Washington puts art on the streets with murals by local and internationally-renowned artists to be enjoyed by all in the neighborhood.
The latest KAF developments in the district include taking nationally-recognized Music at the Intersection (now MATI) from a music festival to a full-blown movement that engages the entire neighborhood inside and outside of the festival footprint. The surrounding streets and cultural destinations activate for a full weekend of art, music and thought leadership that is 100 percent made by St. Louis for St. Louis.
The Sovereign — St. Louis’ next great concert venue — will make its debut during MATI as one of three main stages, ushering in a new era of top-tier live entertainment. A couple blocks away on Olive Street, The Key, a new burger bar and boogie joint in a pair of reimagined historic buildings, will open its doors in the fall, adding yet another community gathering space.
These developments and programs, along with the ongoing collaboration and content of the neighborhood’s great cultural institutions, have grown Grand Center into an arts district that rivals those of any major U.S. City. Looking to the future, KAF has a vision to continue using arts-based community development to grow the district further East and establish Grand Center as a globally-recognized place where all of St. Louis gathers, connecting diverse audiences to great art, momentum and opportunity.
