Whether they were on stage, leaning into the kiln or creatively advocating for justice, it was a banner year for many local artists.
The Regional Arts Commission this year began an unprecedented awarding of money
to St. Louis-area artists through its Artists Count program. Dozens of visual, performing and literary artists were given grants of between $500 and $3,000 for specific projects.
But the holy grail of RAC awards was the Artist Fellows grants. On Dec. 12, RAC handed out a hefty $20,000 to each of 10 winners, most of them artist-activists, including dancer-choreographer Alice Bloch, visual artist Juan William Chavez and actor-playwright Kathryn Bentley.
Another new program, “Soup Across the Delmar Divide” provided seed money for creatives who initiated “Wailing Wall” community-bridging and Timebank services-exchange projects. And in the local-play-makes-good category, “Falling,” the story of a family with an autistic teenager by Mustard Seed Theatre’s Deanna Jent, was nominated for three 2013 Drama Desk Awards, after it was staged Off-Broadway in 2012.
More 2013 Artist Success Stories
New African-American art gallery group seeks strength in numbers
24-hour play fest: Leaving chickens alone and collaborating on good theater
Inspired by Bob Cassilly, sculptor Noah Kirby pays it forward
