Last summer, KAF collaborated with Interco Charitable Trust and Rio Vista Foundation to launch an exciting initiative, PlaySTL, bringing professional St. Louis musicians out of the clubs and into the streets to be enjoyed by the public. In its second season, which wrapped last week, PlaySTL continued to celebrate the rich musical heritage of St. Louis by bringing dynamic street performances (a.k.a. busking) to various neighborhoods throughout the region.
By showcasing local talent, PlaySTL highlights the St. Louis region’s diverse musical landscape, and breathes life into the community, fostering a more vibrant and inclusive music scene. Moreover, PlaySTL supports small businesses by attracting foot traffic, helping to boost local commerce and revitalize neighborhood hubs.
In May 2026, veteran St. Louis musician Mike Aguirre came on board as a coordinator for the program. In this role, he was able to not only coordinate and curate artists, but evaluate the program to establish best practices and fine tune the process, including establishing Busking Captains who patrol the scene and step in if needed to solve issues and provide accountability.
“The PlaySTL program bridges the gap between independent ‘busking’ and curated street performances. Participating artists were given an expanded opportunity this season to showcase not only their musical talents, but also their consistent commitment to driving the program forward,” says Aguirre. “With 300 successful performances and only a handful of hiccups (inclement weather, etc.), the artists on the PlaySTL roster individually and collectively demonstrated outstanding professionalism and leadership qualities that will be instrumental in bringing music to the streets in more communities in the future.”
This season focused musicians on three separate corners in the Euclid Ave. corridor of the Central West End. As an established, walkable neighborhood, the Central West End was a perfect incubator for the PlaySTL program. In the future, Aguirre is excited to see it grow into other areas that may further benefit from street activation. He believes utilizing the regular musicians who have stepped up to help lead the charge as Busking Captains will help make this possible.
“I think the emphasis next year and moving forward will be to go into other neighborhoods and recreate that scene,” he says. “If we use this test case consolidated, evaluated model, I think it can grow at scale.”
Some of the acts that performed this season include: Ari Adams & Friends, Joe Pastor, Kasimu Taylor, Lew Winer III, Nicolette Emanuelle, Paul Keil and Sharon Foehner, and the Spiritual Uplifters Brass Band, among others.
“We have everything from cellos and symphonic instruments and members of the orchestra to folk, blues, horns and solo saxophones. Everybody has different styles that add to the atmosphere,” Aguirre says.
Local musicians wishing to participate in the PlaySTL program can fill out an application for consideration at kranzbergartsfoundation.org/playstl. The third season of PlaySTL will begin in June 2027.
