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An exciting addition to this year’s MATI is the activation of more than a dozen stages and venues throughout Grand Center and Locust Business District called MATI Places. Access to all MATI Places is included with a MATI Main Stages pass; but for those looking for a lower barrier to entry—to experience the festive atmosphere, support a favorite St. Louis-based artist or poet, attend the conference, or participate in a community workshop—MATI Places ONLY single-day passes are available for $20.

Programming at MATI Places will include a wide variety of community curations: everything from musical performances, DJ sets, poetry slams and family-friendly raves to rooftop yoga, artist workshops, industry panels and keynote speakers, offering something for everyone.

“The idea behind MATI Places is to bring the festival environment into the surrounding community and beyond the main stage footprint,” says KAF Executive Director Chris Hansen. “We want the entire neighborhood to feel fully connected, especially for those who live or work in the area, and for local artists, musicians and industry folks to benefit from the conference sessions, even if they aren’t able to attend the concerts.”

MATI Places include: Central Stage, High Low, Jazz St. Louis, Urban Chestnut Brewing Company, The Dark Room, The Key (3221-3225 Olive), Work & Leisure x Kre8 Space, and .ZACK, as well as non-ticketed, publicly-accessible spaces including CAM (Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis), Counterpublic, Golden Gems and Hidden Gem, Metro Theater, The Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Sally’s Rooftop Garden, and Strauss Park. 

“Counterpublic is moving into the Grand Center Arts District this fall and we are super excited to be part of MATI Places this year. The program will enliven the entire district and we can’t wait to welcome folks to the neighborhood,” says Kristin Fleischmann-Brewer, Deputy Director of Counterpublic. The organization plans to open the doors to its new location in a historic house on Washington Ave. for a housewarming party with lawn games, snacks, drinks and a front porch DJ set.

Other groups and organizations curating for MATI Places during the weekend include: Central VPA High School, Frizz Fest, Goodish, Grand Center Arts Academy, Laz Jazz Fest, Urban Harvest STL, APR Entertainment, HEAL, PACK Dance, Poetry in Motion, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, Harris Stowe State University, and SlumFest.

Taking place at .ZACK on Friday and Saturday, the MATI Conference for artists and others in the arts industry will offer networking events and panel discussions by industry experts on a wide range of topics, providing invaluable knowledge and best practices. Conference events and panel discussions this year include:

• Arnold Donald Unscripted: Entrepreneur Spotlight – a business leader’s bold path from idea to impact
• Arch Grants presents The Founders Lunch – lunch series with St. Louis’ top founders
• How to Make Money as a Creative Entrepreneur 
• Crash. Learn. Rise. – real talk on entrepreneurship, mistakes and bouncing back
• Content Creators Roundtable – How to leverage podcasts, TikTok and Instagram
• Watch Me Now! – The future of video content creation
• CAM Presents: The Brown Bag Art Lunch (RSVP required)
• Fight the Power – The art and voice of hip-hop protest culture
• The Recording Academy Presents: Beyond the Break – sustaining success in the music business

For a complete schedule of the weekend’s events and to purchase passes, visit matistl.org.

*Photo Credit: Phillip Hamer

From its humble beginnings in 2014 in a small storefront location on North Grand Boulevard, to its current state-of-the-art home inside The Grandel, The Dark Room has provided a unique space for St. Louis musicians and photographers to hone their craft and for patrons of the arts to experience new sights and sounds in an intimate setting while supporting the mission of KAF.

A premiere live music and art venue and a staple of the Grand Center Arts District, The Dark Room features a variety of musical performances each weekend by top local musicians and rotating photography exhibits that capture the true essence of St. Louis. Enhancing the experience, the full-service bar offers a creative cocktail menu and select shows feature a delectable menu of food by Michele C Catering. 

As the home of KAF’s Music Artist in Residence Program for over a decade, The Dark Room stage provides a safe space and opportunity for St. Louis musicians to grow, build their audience and perform without the stressors of a typical venue setup. Artists are paid a professional guarantee, offered bonus structures, provided with a backline and professional sound operators, and even fed before performances, with KAF covering all overhead and gaps — allowing them to focus solely on developing their music and performance skills.

The Dark Room is also home to the Wednesday Night Jazz Jam—a free, family-friendly weekly event hosted by Bob Deboo that brings the joy of jazz music within reach for people of all ages and backgrounds. Taking place from 6-9 p.m. each Wednesday evening, Deboo and a rotating roster of special guests kick off the evening with standards and originals, followed by a jam session open to all in attendance (even the kids!) for a true community experience.

“The Dark Room was created to be a true gathering space for musicians, artists and patrons of the arts in St. Louis, where they can be close to the action and fully immerse themselves in the work of some of the best talent our city has to offer,” says KAF Executive Director Chris Hansen. “I’m truly proud to see how it has grown and evolved over the past decade while remaining true to the values and mission of the foundation at all times.”

In addition to supporting local artists, The Dark Room employs dozens of talented staff members, helping foster their careers on the operations side, as well as generating valuable tax revenue for the City of St. Louis.

The Gallery at The Dark Room is open to the public each Wednesday from 6-10 p.m. and during events. Regular monthly programming includes:

• Lou Vibes (First Friday of the month: Enjoy fresh sounds from emerging and established artists across all genres.
• KAF Presents: Soul of the City (First Saturday of the month): A night dedicated to showcasing core local artists and rising stars who are making waves in our music scene.
•  Saturday Night Spotlight (Fourth Saturday of the month): Highlighting local heavyweights with their incredible talent and unique sounds, creating an unforgettable night of music that celebrates the artists who shape our city’s vibrant scene.

For a full calendar of events and more information, visit The Dark Room page on the KAF website and follow The Dark Room on Facebook and Instagram. 

The weekend of Sept 12-14, the Grand Center Arts District will once again transform into a fully activated artistic playground as the MATI (Music at the Intersection) Festival and Conference returns for its fifth year with a diverse, roots-inspired and decades-spanning artist lineup, a new footprint, and expanded opportunities to engage.

Headliners include 3x Grammy winning rapper Common with superproducer Pete Rock, the godmother of soul Patti LaBelle, New Orleans R&B singer-songwriter Lucky Daye, neo-soul R&B singer-producer Leon Thomas, legendary hip-hop group De La Soul, and jazz great Branford Marsalis. Headliner performances will take place across three MATI Main Stages: The Big Top, The Sovereign (set to open fall 2025 at 3300 Washington Avenue) and Field Stage. 

The former Washington Avenue stage is being removed to create a barrier free, fully-connected Grand Center walking experience for the entire community to enjoy. Washington Avenue will be lined with vendors, food trucks, buskers, pop-up performances and sponsor activations. MATI will also have a variety of family-friendly activities, including carnival-themed rides and games.

Beyond the Main Stages, MATI is also activating more than a dozen stages and venues throughout Grand Center and the Locust Business District, called MATI Places. Programming at MATI Places will include a wide variety of community curations: everything from musical performances and DJ sets to poetry slams and artist workshops. The conference portion of MATI is also part of MATI Places and spread throughout the weekend, allowing attendees (musicians, entrepreneurs, creative professionals and more) to sprinkle learning, discovery – and freely exploring Midtown – into their music festival schedule.

KAF Executive Director Chris Hansen says, “It will be everything people already love about MATI, but expanded and more accessible—allowing the neighborhood to be fully connected. We want those who live or work in the area who may not be interested in the full festival to still be able to walk down the streets and enjoy artistic experiences in the community, even if they’re just passing through.” 

Also new this year is an opportunity for MATI superfans to deepen their relationship and support by joining the MATI Movement and becoming an official MATI Member. Members will enjoy special perks like access to non-public areas in the footprint, artist meet-and-greets, exclusive merch, insider access to MATI festival weekend and year-round programming. More importantly, they help support the overall mission of MATI, including:

• 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.

Those who have been to MATI know that it’s special. It’s a microcosm of the city: all ages, races, ethnicities. No neighborhood divides. All joyous. All together in the streets of Grand Center. While KAF, along with the Steward Family Foundation and Regional Arts Commission, continue to take up the mantle of keeping MATI a true, representative community experience, the MATI Movement allows everyone to feel ownership. It provides an opportunity for everyday St. Louisans who are passionate about music and who love art and culture – to give a little bit more to achieve a whole lot more, together.

“MATI members are our true ambassadors,” Hansen says. “They are championing the effort and establishing it as something of cultural importance that they want to help sustain year over year.” 

In addition, MATI is working to support those in the St. Louis community impacted by the May 16 tornado by donating $10 from each pass that the festival sells to 4theVille to assist in their continued boots-on-the-ground efforts. MATI’s 2025 community ticket program, fueled by MATI Members and festival sponsors is also focusing on impacted residents with a goal to bring just a bit of hope and joy through music to those who have lost so much.

For all things MATI, including daily lineups, ticket information and membership, visit  MATIstl.org.

*Photo Credit: Tyler Small

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!