September-October 2018 Happenings by Arts and Education Council

SEP-OCT 2018

Letter from the President Greetings, Friends! September is here, which means a new season is upon us both literally and artistically. From the changing weather to new arts leaders and organizations to a fresh season of exhibitions and productions, change is in the air in the St. Louis arts community. Each of the last four issues of Happenings has centered on the elements of a vibrant community that are at the heart of A&E’s mission. From enriching lives and inspiring our kids to energizing communities and fostering creativity, the arts have a powerful impact on our region. This issue of Happenings is dedicated to the arts’ ability to promote cross-cultural understanding.

On the following pages, you will find stories of how St. Louis arts organizations

are presenting programming that shares different perspectives in a way that ultimately unites us as a community. From the Saint Louis Art Museum welcoming even more St. Louisans into its galleries as art and audience with the Kehinde Wiley exhibition (p. 3) to Metro Theater Company (an A&E grantee) celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) in the schools with “Frida Libre” (p. 6), I am proud of how committed our arts community is to sharing stories that connect us.

You will also meet Allena Brazier, the Arts and Education Council’s newest

Katherine Dunham Fellow (p. 4), and learn more about Catalyst Conversations (p. 5), an exciting new program we are launching this fall.

ON THE COVER: A painting by Kehinde Wiley that is representative of the type of works that will be in the artist’s exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum this fall. The exhibition will feature 11 paintings of St. Louisans inspired by artwork from the SLAM collection. Kehinde Wiley, American, born 1977; After Sir Joshua Reynolds’ “Portrait of Doctor Samuel Johnson”, 2009; archival Inkjet print on Hahnemuhle fine art paper; 30 x 24.5 inches; courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, California © Kehinde Wiley

As you are out exploring the arts this fall, grab your ARTS Card and check out

the list of events and organizations offering you great deals on the art you want to experience. Learn more at KeepArtHappening.org/calendar.

Thank you for your support for A&E. Together, we keep art happening.

Sincerely,

Cynthia A. Prost President and CEO P.S. Are your school’s teachers looking to fund classroom art projects? Check out A&E’s Maritz Arts and Education Fund grants (open through Sept. 7) and the stARTup-StL Crowdfunding platform! Eligible crowdfunding projects can double their money thanks to a match from the Arthur & Helen Baer Charitable Foundation. Learn more at KeepArtHappening.org.

Impact: Region: 6 3 Kehinde Wiley Frida Libre

in St. Louis 2

in schools

Invest: 9 7 Grantees: Edward Jones Soweto Gospel Choir at Touhill

raises $1M

REGION:

Obama portrait artist promotes diversity, representation in St. Louis

n June 2017, artist Kehinde Wiley and his team came to St. Louis in preparation for an exhibition of the artist’s work at the Saint Louis Art Museum opening this fall. Wiley interviewed and photographed St. Louis residents looking for models for what would become 11 new paintings commissioned by the museum. If Wiley’s name sounds familiar, it is because last February Wiley became the first African-American artist to paint an official portrait of a U.S. President when the National Portrait Gallery unveiled his portrait of Barack Obama. Wiley creates large-scale oil paintings of contemporary African-American subjects that address race and representation in art. Inspired by traditional European and American portraiture, Wiley depicts his models in poses and scenes adapted from historic paintings. For the St. Louis exhibition, which has been years in the making, Wiley was interested in broadening his scope. He visited the museum galleries and ultimately selected eight works to reference — including an American sculpture and an early 20th century German Expressionist painting. Wiley then led his team and museum staff to neighborhoods in North St. Louis and Ferguson to talk to community members and recruit models for his paintings. “It was an incredibly positive experience for all of us,” said Hannah Klemm, assistant curator of modern and contemporary art. “Kehinde made everyone feel very included in the process. As soon as Kehinde explained what he was doing and why we were there, the community was really excited to talk to him and be a part of it. They liked that he was an artist who wanted to portray them as people.” In all, Wiley recruited more than 20 people to come to the museum to be photographed in poses inspired by works in the collection. Not all of the models photographed will be in the

“As we do the good work of creating an America that we can all be proud of and stand by, we want to be able to say that these institutions simply and reflectively happen to look like us and not just some of us, but all of us.” — Artist Kehinde Wiley, March 2018 We Live Here podcast

exhibited paintings, but St. Louis had a higher turnout of those willing to sit as models than in other cities where similar exhibitions have occurred. Many of those who participated as models had not previously been to the museum. While the paintings that inspired Wiley will not be part of the exhibition, guests will be able to use the gallery guide to find them on view elsewhere in the museum. One inspiration painting to keep an eye out for is “Charles I” by Daniel Martensz Mytens the Elder.

The portrait inspired two of Wiley’s commissions — one with a male sitter and one with a female sitter. The exhibition is entirely free and open to the public, something that was important to the museum when planning the show. “In the end, I hope people are excited about the fact that members of their community and paintings from their museum are here together,” said Klemm. The exhibition is one example of the community-centered focus for which Brent Benjamin, the Barbara B. Taylor Director of the Saint Louis Art Museum, will be honored in January when the Arts and Education Council presents him with Excellence in the Arts at the 2019 St. Louis Arts Awards. “Kehinde Wiley” opens October 19 at the Saint Louis Art Museum. The artist will discuss the exhibition and his practice in a free talk at the museum October 19 at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit slam.org.

A painting that is representative of the 11 works in Kehinde Wiley’s exhibition at SLAM this fall. Kehinde Wiley, American, born 1977; After Sir Joshua Reynolds’ “Portrait of Doctor Samuel Johnson”, 2009; archival Inkjet print on Hahnemuhle fine art paper; 30 x 24.5 inches; courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, California © Kehinde Wiley

PROGRAMS:

Fall 2018 Katherine Dunham Fellow announced

his month, the Arts and Education

St. Louisans named TCG Rising Leaders of Color

Southern Illinois University

Edwardsville (SIUE) senior Allena Brazier as the fall 2018 Katherine Dunham Fellow. The fall 2018 Fellowship is made possible by a generous gift from Carol Corey and William Holcomb. The program, created and initially funded by Sara and Jack Burke and managed by A&E, promotes diversity in arts leadership by giving AfricanAmerican students an opportunity to explore, gain experience and be mentored in arts administration. The program is named in honor of legendary dancer, choreographer, educator and social activist, Katherine Dunham. Considered one of the most successful dancers of the 20th century, Dunham founded the Performing Arts

Allena Brazier

Training Center (PATC) at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St.

getting the costume ready for the

Louis Center. Dunham taught dance,

performance. I don’t remember the

along with foreign language, cultural

audience, just the way I felt dancing

history and anthropology at the PATC.

with others.”

Brazier is an East St. Louis native. Brazier will receive a $3,000 stipend,

Brazier was interested in the Fellowship because it provides oppor-

experience in all the critical skills needed

tunities for her to develop necessary

to manage an arts organization — includ-

arts administration skills to reach her

ing fundraising, corporate relations,

goals. The connection to Katherine

database management, fiscal and board

Dunham was also enticing.

management — and mentorship from

“Recently, I was watching a documen-

current arts administrators and leaders.

tary of Ms. Dunham and I just started

Brazier, who was introduced to the

crying. She was a beautiful soul — so

arts at an early age by her creative

dedicated to people and communities.

mother and jazz musician grandfather,

She was in awe of East St. Louis.

says she feels like she was “born with a

I am from East St. Louis and I’m in awe

connection to the arts.” In college, she

of East St. Louis. I’m in awe of her

has continued to sort out her passions,

strength because that’s something

but art has always been a part of the

I want to do — help the community,

plan. “There is no way art is not going

help people and help myself through

to be in my life.”

the process.”

From an early age, she was also

Following graduation from SIUE with

introduced to Katherine Dunham’s work

a bachelor of fine arts degree, Brazier

by her mother - watching films of the

plans on opening an art gallery in East

dancer and taking a Katherine Dunham

St. Louis.

dance class when she was seven. “I remember the class like it was yesterday — who was in it, but also

Spring 2019 applications open October 1. For more information, visit KeepArtHappening.org/KatherineDunham

The Theatre Communications Group’s (TCG) 2018-19 Rising Leaders of Color include six St. Louisans. The program seeks to diversify theatre by nurturing and supporting an intergenerational network of leaders of color at various stages in their careers. The cohort will participate in a year-long curriculum designed to provide professional development and networking opportunities. The St. Louis Rising Leaders of Color are Rosalind Early, Bryce Goodloe, Carl Overly, Jr., Anna Skidis Vargas, Gabe Taylor and Jacqueline Thompson. These artists have worked with companies across St. Louis, including many of the Arts and Education Council’s (A&E) grantees as well as tenants of A&E’s Centene Center for the Arts, such as Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Equally Represented Arts, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble and YoungLiars, among others. “The members of this new cohort bring a diverse set of experiences and a shared commitment to equity at the heart of arts leadership,” said Teresa Eyring, executive director of TCG. “We look forward to supporting their individual journeys, as well as amplifying their collective impact as part of an ever-growing intergenerational network of leaders of color.” Photos provided.

Council (A&E) welcomes

TOP L to R: Rosalind Early, Bryce Goodloe, Carl Overly, Jr. BOTTOM L to R: Anna Skidis Vargas, Gabe Taylor, Jacqueline Thompson.

PROGRAMS:

composer Adam Maness and poet Jason Vasser-Elong. Catalyst Conversations are free, but registration

Photo provided. Photo by August Jennewein.

The program will kick off Nov. 13 with An Artist Discussion featuring Hana Sharif, who will join The Rep (an A&E grantee) as artistic director when Steven Woolf retires in 2019 (p. 8). Chuck Harper, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and co-producing director at YoungLiars, will host the inaugural event. February will feature A Night of Improvised Love Songs with

Photo provided.

his fall, the Arts and Education Council (A&E) launches a new program that invites you to experience the arts through a different lens. Catalyst Conversations will take place in A&E’s Catalyst Innovation Lab, a “living room for the arts” in the organization’s Centene Center for the Arts. Catalyst Conversations brings together artists, students, patrons and the culturally curious for casual discussions – some playful, some serious, but all engaging and thought-provoking. Every month, join your host and a creative expert for a happy hour discussion unlike any other. Food, drink and networking follow, leaving guests with new friends and a new perspective.

Photo provided.

A&E launches Catalyst Conversations

Clockwise from top left: Hana Sharif, Chuck Harper, Jason VasserElong and Adam Maness.

is strongly encouraged. For more information, visit KeepArtHappening.org/CatalystLab

Black Tulip Chorale moves into A&E arts incubator

n August, a new choral group moved into the Arts and Education Council’s (A&E) arts incubator, the Centene Center for the Arts. The Black Tulip Chorale is St. Louis’s first and only free-standing LGBTQIA-friendly chorus that welcomes singers of all gender identities and sexual orientations. The Chorale is committed to promoting social consciousness through thoughtful interpretations among the finest choral repertoire. The organization’s name comes from Alexandre Dumas’s novel “The Black Tulip.” The novel’s messages about finding justice in spite of overwhelming adversity in a time of great upheaval resonated with the group. In addition to choral performances, Black Tulip Chorale plans on collaborat-

ing with other organizations for community outreach. Conductor and administrator, Robert Stumpf, brings a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion to the organization. Black Tulip Chorale tries to “challenge thoughts or give someone a new perspective.” Stumpf recognizes, though, that saying “you must believe this — you must do this” won’t create the dialogue they’re looking to have in our community. “The more you can get people who are different from each other in a room talking, the more understanding you’re going to have,” shared Stumpf. Black Tulip Chorale’s October 21 performance is free in partnership with St. Louis Community College – Meramec at their campus. For more information, find them on Facebook (@BlackTulipChorale). 5

GRANTEES:

Metro Theater Company to promote cross-cultural understanding in schools

etro Theater Company (an A&E grantee) uses theater to tell important stories that reach young people and adults alike. This fall, legendary painter Frida Kahlo will be brought back to life when the organization mounts “Frida Libre”. Metro will tour the musical to St. Louis area schools September through November. Inspired by the childhood of the legendary Mexican painter, “Frida Libre” is the uplifting story of a young girl who plans to become a doctor and her friend who secretly wishes to be a wrestler. Thrown together on a science project about metamorphosis, the two go on a journey that features original songs and explores the meaning of

transformation, bravery, understanding and acceptance. “By working together, our heroes discover strengths each never imagined they possessed and find the power of their true voice,” said Julia Flood, Metro Theater Company artistic director. “Frida Libre” brings together science, art history, inclusion and Mexican culture in this musical. The timing is apt, as the show runs through National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15), when regional celebrations will include the Greater St. Louis Hispanic Festival (Sept. 21-23) and the Missouri History Museum’s Dia De Los Meuros (The Day of the Dead) celebration (Oct. 27-28), featuring a public performance of “Frida Libre”.

For information about public productions of “Frida Libre”, visit KeepArtHappening.org/ calendar. For more information about “Frida Libre” or Metro Theater Company, visit metroplays.org.

MOSAICS Fine Art Festival raises funds with A&E platform

Artwork courtesy Metro Theater Company.

In August, the MOSAICS Fine Art Festival raised funds for the inaugural Joyce Rosen “Founders Award” on the Arts and Education Council’s stARTup-StL Crowdfunding platform. The award will be given annually at the MOSAICS Festival to one juried artist by Rosen’s family, in the spirit of the late arts leader’s contributions to artists across the St. Louis area. MOSAICS Fine Art Festival Association was established in 1992 to create and foster diversity and vitality of the arts and to broaden the availability, education, participation and appreciation of the arts throughout the community through the formulation of an art festival. From September 14-16, attendees can join 100 juried and invited artists at the 24th annual MOSAICS Fine Art Festival along scenic historic Main Street in St. Charles, Missouri. Artists will exhibit and sell original artwork across a variety of mediums, including painting, clay, sculpture, photography, printmaking, pastels, drawing, wood, jewelry, metalwork, glass, art to wear and mixed media at all price points. To start a stARTup-StL Crowdfunding Campaign visit KeepArtHappening.org/stARTup-StL. For more information about the MOSAICS festival visit stcharlesmosaics.org. 6

Photo provided.

GRANTEES:

Artica receives A&E grant for October festival

rtica is an outdoor multi-media art festival, developed to provide the St. Louis metropolitan area with the opportunity to come together as a community through creative selfexpression. In July, the organization received a $5,000 grant from the Arts and Education Council (A&E)’s Monsanto Creative Impact Fund for Artica 2018: MississipEpiphany. Artica celebrates the creative spirit of St. Louis culminating in the annual festival along the riverfront in downtown St. Louis. The organization creates the venue, makes it safe, provides artists and performers with resources and assistance

and encourages all to participate. The festival is free and accessible to all citizens. The festival grounds fill with sitespecific installation art with an emphasis on interactive participatory art that takes its inspiration from the river, its surrounding environment or its history. An overlapping schedule of events including parades, music, dance, theater, poetry, video, film, performance art, bonfires and whatever else happens will encourage the audience to move around and experience Artica from different perspectives. The interactive nature of the event will encourage the audience to create their own art

Artica 2018: MississipEpiphany is Oct. 12-14.

and become performers and artists themselves. Artica 2018: MississipEpiphany is October 12-14. For more information, visit articastl.com.

For more information about A&E’s grants,

visit KeepArtHappening.org/grant-programs.

African Heritage Association brings Soweto Gospel Choir to Touhill on November 10

Photo provided.

he African Heritage Association (AHA) (an A&E grantee) is bringing the Soweto Gospel Choir for a concert at the Touhill on November 10. The concert will bring the St. Louis community together to celebrate and experience South African culture. AHA brings awareness of global contributions of African people and people of African descent through quality cultural and educational programs. The concert is funded in part through the Arts and Education Council’s

Monsanto Creative Impact Fund, which provides grants to organizations that demonstrate immediate need for new programs or projects which show promise for creative new directions. Cynthia Cosby, president of the African Heritage Association, has been looking forward to seeing the choir back in St. Louis since they performed in St. Louis in 2012 as part of Washington University’s Ovation Series. “It’s something about South African music for me personally that moves

me,” she said. “The harmony of the choir and the background music — once you’ve been there, I think you will fall in love with them too.” The Soweto Gospel Choir formed in 2002 to celebrate the unique and inspirational power of African Gospel music. With a blend of Gospel, elements of Reggae, spirituals and American popular music, this group has a unique sound. The 43-member choir, under the direction of Beverly Bryer, draws on the best talent from the many churches in and around Soweto, a township of Johannesburg. Cosby shared that although their repertoire varies by performance, concert goers are likely to recognize songs. The choir sings in eight different languages, bringing South African culture across the globe. The concert is November 10 at 8:00 p.m. at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Tickets are on sale now at touhill.org. For more information about A&E grant programs, visit KeepArtHappening.org/grant-programs.

Soweto Gospel Choir.

GRANTEES:

Three questions with The Rep’s next artistic director

What does your next year look like in preparing to join The Rep? I have the wonderful luxury of having a year with Steve Woolf. So that’s one part of it, but one of the things I’m most excited about is actually spending time in the community talking to folks in very different neighborhoods to get a sense of the temperature of the city, a sense of what excites St. Louisans. My goal is to do a lot of deep listening about what are the most present issues and energies in St. Louis. I want to use that to help inform how we build our season and how we create art that attempts to connect, address and, at times, revels in all of the things that move the heartbeat of the city. What have been your initial impressions of St. Louis? The Theatre Communications Group had our national conference in St. Louis in June, so I got to spend a week here. I rented a car and drove across the city watching the energy, architecture and landscapes change and change again. St. Louis has such a charm and warmth to it that I think it enveloped all of us. So even though we were exploring at times separately, my husband, daughter and I all walked away from that week feeling like we’d found home. It has made my family’s transition very easy, because everyone is very excited to get back to St. Louis. How do you see theatre connecting us in St Louis? Art and great storytelling have the ability to break through walls and speak to what is essentially human in us. When 8

you can connect with that, when you can sit in a room with 500 or 600 other people having that communal experience, it’s speaking to that thing that connects us, and it has power that is transformative. It’s also the beauty that you can be in a room with 500 people having that same experience of art but everyone takes away something wholly unique. I have this fundamental belief that whether you’ve been a theater goer for 25 years or you’ve never stepped foot in the theater before, you deserve

access to the highest quality of art and the tools to tell your own stories. The Rep has the ability to bring forward the highest caliber of storytelling. The city of St. Louis is rich with opportunity and rich with so many types of people and journeys that there is learning to be had and incredible art to be made. Hear from Sharif on her creative process at Catalyst Conversations on Nov. 13 at 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit KeepArtHappening.org/CatalystLab.

Hana Sharif Photo provided.

ana Sharif of Baltimore Center Stage will succeed Steven Woolf as artistic director at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (an A&E grantee) when he retires in 2019. The Arts and Education Council sat down with Sharif to learn more about what her next year looks like, her impression of St. Louis so far and how theatre can connect us.

Photo by Jim Wolfe.

INVEST:

Edward Jones raises $1 million for Arts and Education Council for second year

dward Jones and its associates raised more than $1 million to the Arts and Education Council’s (A&E) annual campaign for the second consecutive year. Over 2,500 associates contributed more than $702,000 toward the campaign through Edward Jones’s workplace giving initiative. The firm made a corporate gift of $350,000, an 8% increase over 2017, bringing the campaign total to more than $1 million. The 2018 campaign marks the 40th anniversary of the firm’s first gift to A&E. Since 1978, Edward Jones and associates have contributed nearly $11 million to A&E in support of the arts across the St. Louis region. “Because we believe the arts enrich our lives, we support the A&E annual campaign to help ensure they remain accessible to families and schools in the St. Louis region. I’m proud that so many of our associates gave of their time and their money to help us support the incredible agencies and organizations that bring the arts to the St. Louis area.

As a firm, we value the opportunity to make a positive difference to our clients and our communities,” said Jim Weddle, Edward Jones managing partner. For two weeks in May, associates were encouraged to support the arts in St. Louis by making gifts to A&E. Associates contributed to the firm’s overall campaign goal by making gifts via payroll deduction, cash or online donation. The campaign committee, steered by partner chair Brian Donaldson and associate chair Denise Ruebsam, included nearly 300 associates who organized activities such as the second annual Lip Sync Battle, which raised more than $25,000, and performances from A&E grantees. “A&E believes a region rich with arts and cultural experiences is critical to creating and sustaining vibrant communities, so we are truly grateful to Edward Jones and all 2,500 individuals giving to A&E through this campaign,” said Cynthia A. Prost, A&E president and CEO. “Workplace giving campaigns are

Jim Weddle, Edward Jones managing partner, kicks off the firm’s 2018 workplace giving campaign for the Arts and Education Council.

increasingly powerful drivers of employee engagement that harness the strength of numbers to shape a more vibrant arts community for all.” Edward Jones will continue its fundraising efforts for A&E this fall when more than 500 financial advisors and branch office administrators across the region host workplace giving campaigns for A&E. Edward Jones’s campaign is the largest workplace giving initiative to raise funds for the Arts and Education Council’s mission to keep art happening throughout the bi-state region. For more information about hosting an A&E workplace giving campaign, visit KeepArtHappening.org/workplace-giving.

ARTS CARD:

Harold López-Nussa Trio at Jazz St. Louis Photo provided.

azz St. Louis (an A&E grantee) is bringing the Harold López-Nussa Trio to St. Louis in September. Cuban jazz pianist Harold

López-Nussa was born in 1983 in Havana. While he tours internationally and holds dual citizenship in Cuba and France, López-Nussa continues to call Havana home. López-Nussa has performed as a soloist at Cuba’s most important theaters and with the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, Holguín Symphony Orchestra, Matanzas Symphony Orchestra and Havana Lyceum Mozartiano. The Harold López-Nussa Trio performs at Jazz St. Louis (an A&E grantee) on September 13. A&E ARTS Card holders receive half-off tickets. For more information, visit KeepArtHappening.org/calendar.

Harold López-Nussa Trio 9

EVENT:

A Midsummer Night’s Drink – July 20

n July 20, more than 140

Competition, The Makers Program and

Ćosić’s films courtesy Cinema St.

guests joined the Arts and

Who Raised You? Listening Collective,

Louis (an A&E grantee).

Education Council’s (A&E)

pitched their ideas on improving St.

Food was provided by St. Louis

Young Friends of the Arts for A

Louis through the arts. Additional

Kolache, Pastaria, SweetFixx and

Midsummer Night’s Drink at the

entertainment included

Whitebox Eatery. Sophie’s + Kranzberg

Centene Center for the Arts. Guests

artwork for purchase from Mahnal

Arts Foundation crafted cocktails using

enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, drinks and a

Jewelry, Aims Moon Paperie and

StilL 630’s American Navy Strength Gin.

variety of artistic experiences.

Katrina Z’Chori, DJ Crucial on the

Urban Chestnut Brewing Company

turntables and a screening of Zlatko

provided beer.

The winners of A&E’s 2018 stARTup

Proceeds benefited the Arts and Education Council. A Midsummer Night’s Drink was generously supported by Capes Sokol, Regions Bank, The District Apartments and HOK. In-kind support was provided by GUDIED, Tom James Company, St. Louis Kolache and StilL 630. For more information about Young Friends of the Arts, visit KeepArtHappening.org/YFA.