The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis will award more than $5 million in grants to 21 arts organizations, festivals and performance venues.
The organization announced the awards Monday after it and the Community Development Administration of St. Louis reviewed applications.
Continuity STL, a media-career mentorship program, and the St. Louis Dance Theater received the largest grants at $600,000 each. Eight of the award recipients received between $20,000 and $40,000.
The St. Louis Dance Theater will use the funds to improve and expand shows for the upcoming season, Executive Director Erin Prange said.
“This grant will enable our company to … expand our staff and therefore our infrastructure,” Prange said. “Amplifying our marketing and advertising… is a huge piece of making St. Louis and St. Louis Dance Theater very visible. This is a world-class arts and culture destination.”
The ARPA for the Arts Tourism grants are the third and final wave of disbursements from a $10.6 million fund from the American Rescue Plan Act, granted to RAC by St. Louis officials last year. The initial $4.5 million allocation in June 2023 aimed to support artists who lost income during the pandemic. The following set of grants gave a cumulative $1 million to muralists who contributed to the St. Louis Mural project.
The recent grant allocations are intended to fund innovative projects and business expansions that will attract more visitors to St. Louis, RAC President and CEO Vanessa Cooksey said.
“St. Louis is an arts town … but oftentimes the arts organizations had great stuff on stage and on the walls, but there weren't enough people there because there was low awareness,” Cooksey said. “Folks will hop in a car and drive four to six hours to see and experience St. Louis' arts and culture. … We've got to tell people what we have and encourage them to come and visit.”
Out-of-town tourists spend 71% more than local patrons of the arts, according to a 2022 report by Americans for the Arts. Tourism also partially funds the Regional Arts Commission through a local accommodations tax on visitors staying in St. Louis hotels/motels.
“That kind of tax dollar that comes with different requirements. This is ARPA money, federal funds designated for specific purposes,” Cooksey said. “We were very intentional about reading through all of the guidelines and making sure that RAC took on the greatest administrative burden so that these dollars could be useful.”
RAC selected grant recipients based on their project proposals, marketing strategies and event plans aimed at boosting tourism in the city.
“When the City of St. Louis entrusted RACSTL with ARPA funding, we made a promise to the community to make a tangible, positive and lasting difference that moves St. Louis forward,” Cooksey said. “Throughout this process, we stayed focused on ensuring St. Louisans could experience more joy and prosperity in their lives because of our investments in the arts and culture ecosystem. Ultimately, we are inspiring more travelers to visit us and learn what we already know. … St. Louis is an awesome arts town.”
