Bringing arts and culture to the Parkland

Mineral Area Council on the Arts and the City of Farmington brought “Pete the Cat,” a children’s musical to the Farmington Centene Center in 2019. It was performed by New York City-based theater group, TheaterWorksUSA.

By Sarah Haas

The Parkland is located between the metropolitan hubs of St. Louis and Cape Girardeau, but you don’t have to travel that far to take advantage of the many cultural opportunities offered in the way of arts, live music and entertainment.

The question is: Where do you begin to look for these gems? Google, Facebook and Twitter – as well as subscriptions to the Daily Journal — are great ways to stay abreast of what’s happening, of course. But here’s what you want to look for: Arguably, one of the arbiters of the Parkland culture scene is Mineral Area Council on the Arts (MACOA), a longstanding nonprofit community arts organization. With a mission to “promote and strengthen the cultural environment in all segments of the area served by Mineral Area College,” the arts council offers many free events, but reasonably-priced tickets are discounted even further for members who take advantage of season tickets.

Housed at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, many arts council events take place in the campus theater, although for larger events – such as the internationally-renowned Beatles tribute band Liverpool Legends — crowds pack the Centene Center in Farmington. The council has even taken “shows on the road,” visiting local schools and booking venues in places like Arcadia

Bringing ARTS AND CULTURE to the Parkland Valleys, Thee Abbey and historic St. Paul Episcopal Church. The council has brought in traditional Thai dancers, plays for children, Celtic bands and offered Cajun festivals. While MACOA unveils a unique schedule of programming every fall, some recurring events include springtime favorites such as the popular K-12 Art Show and the downtown streetlight banner campaign, which in 2021 spread from light posts on the streets of downtown Farmington to Arcadia Valley, Bismarck and Potosi, too. The Mineral Area Fine Arts Academy is a newcomer to the local arts and entertainment scene, it started when the music, art and theatre programs were cut in July 2021 by Mineral Area College. Many members of the MAC Fine Arts Department faculty and community supporters quickly banded together to keep some of the department’s most popular traditions alive, such as the Carol Moore Memorial Jazz Festival that’s happened every March for the past 30 years, numerous Kicks Band and Choral Groups’ performances in the spring and fall, and annual Christmas concerts. It’s also a place for musical education of all ages.

PHOTO CREDIT: THEATERWORKSUSA

Ste. Genevieve offers a lot of arts and culture activities through various events, festivals and Fourth Friday Art Walks.

The Mineral Area Council on the Arts holds a K-12 Student Art Show each year. Performing the 1966 hit “Devil in a Blue Dress” by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels during a Baby Boomers Reunion Concert, singer Clay Copeland’s wild hippy wig, dark sunglasses and tie-dye shirt take second chair to his energetic cover of Ryder’s signature gruff, wailing singing style and his dynamic stage performances.

Since it was opened in January 1996, the Farmington Civic Center has been a venue for bands on the rise, graduations, tournaments and championships, and annual exhibitions such as the home show, healthy living showcase and the gun show.

The adjoining Centene Center, an upscale conference center and auditorium added on to the Civic Center in 2003, is where audiences of up to 725 can take in such annual shows as the Young PPAT’s Nutcracker and Merry Christmas Show, the Baby Boomer Concert, and the History of County Music Show. Weddings and receptions are often held there, as well as fund-raisers, concerts, recitals, town hall meetings and even church services.

Local Chambers of Commerce (Bonne Terre, Desloge, Park Hills/ Leadington, Farmington, Ste. Genevieve and Arcadia Valley), as well as tourism centers for Farmington and Ste. Genevieve all feature a variety of cultural offerings on an annual basis, such as live concert series, art walks, cultural speakers, singers and exhibits in addition to fun merchant-related events such as cookie-walks, scavenger hunts, parades, fairs and festivals. They’re often sponsored or organized by the chambers, or they’re using their websites to help spread the word.

Bring your friends and enjoy a leisurely stroll among the shops, restaurants, and art galleries of downtown Ste. Genevieve. During 4th Friday Art Walks, Ste. Genevieve art galleries offer visitors the opportunity to view the works of local and regional artists displaying a variety of art forms. Many businesses in the Historic District participate by extending their store hours from 6 to 9 p.m. during the Fourth Friday Art Walk.

Start your tour at the Ste. Genevieve Welcome Center where you can view two important art collections, as well as pick up a map to the galleries. The 4th Friday Art Walk is sponsored by the Gallery Association of Sainte Genevieve. Art Walks are on the fourth Friday of each month from February through November.

The local wineries and breweries … and we have a lot of those … offer scenic views and oftentimes music by local bands during the warm weather months.

Enjoy the arts in the Parkland. PL