COCA

From left: Jennifer Wintzer, Artistic Director of Theatre; Antonio Douthit-Boyd, Co-Artistic Director of Dance; Bill Carson, Board President; Kelly Pollock, Executive Director; Shereen Fischer, Board Vice President of Programs; Kim Kuehner, Board Secretary; Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Co-Artistic Director of Dance.

The Building of St. Louis’ World Class Arts and Culture Ecosystem

Written by Craig Kaminer

There are few arts nonprofits in the United States that are as successful, nimble, and adaptable as COCA -- Center of Creative Arts -- now the fourth-largest multidisciplinary community arts center in the country and a leader in innovative arts education -- anywhere. If you haven’t sent a child to a dance or music class, performance, summer camp, or a whole host of its programs that encourage creativity, you don’t know what you’re missing. Its artsbased events, training, and programming encourage people to see, think, and express themselves in new ways.

With a focus on equity and access, COCA serves as a regional hub for learning in and through the arts for all ages from all backgrounds. One of the most diverse cultural institutions in St. Louis, COCA serves over 50,000 students, audience members, artists, and families from more than 220 zip codes across the St. Louis region every year. COCA is committed to supporting the vitality and creativity of more than 200 artists at the heart of its work in schools, community centers, local businesses, cultural organizations, and on-site at its campus in University City.

Photo by Douglis Beck

COCA’s story starts in 1986 with a small group of friends united by their ideals, big dreams, and an entrepreneurial spirit: Richard D. Baron, co-founder and chairman of McCormack Baron Salazar, a leading urban real-estate development company focusing on revitalizing neighborhoods throughout the United States, along with Dorothy Dubinsky, Mark Twain Bank, Robert Orchard, the Sachs Fund, and Trivers architects. Together, they transformed the vacated historic B’nai Amoona Synagogue on Delmar Blvd., at the entrance to the University City Loop as we now know it, into a communitybased visual and performing arts center. The idea: through the arts, COCA would serve as a bridge to connect people. And connect them it has. The transition of this architectural treasure from B’nai Amoona to COCA is a rich story with a consistent theme: providing a place to nourish the soul.

Photo by Douglis Beck

COCA had the good fortune to locate in an architectural masterpiece in the heart of University City, across from city hall and a stone’s throw from Washington University. The former synagogue was designed by acclaimed mid-century architect Erich Mendelsohn, with later modifications and additions by Andy Trivers and his eponymous architectural firm, Trivers. Mendelsohn’s career followed the trajectory of many German-Jewish emigres fleeing Nazism; he worked in England, Israel, and finally, the US. B’nai Amoona was Mendelsohn’s first American project and many architectural historians believe it was one of his finest. That seems to have been the view of the architect himself, who reportedly told his wife after the groundbreaking that the building was, “one of my best and very powerful without being heavy.”

Photo by Douglis Beck

Originally opening as an arts incubator with studios, a gallery, and a theater in the synagogue’s former sanctuary, COCA was home to more than 30 small arts groups, but much of the building remained empty. Enter COCA Founding Executive Director Stephanie Riven -- known for her hard charging, nevertake-no style -- whose first task was to develop classes in the performing and visual arts. These programs would eventually become the core of the organization.

I remember getting involved in the late 1980s when a friend told us about what was going on. Soon after, my wife Debbie was asked to co-chair its signature event called COCAcabana. From the very first experience to each and every event and performance we have attended, the energy and commitment of the staff, volunteers, students, and patrons is palpable. I have never left the building without goosebumps -- feeling great about the leadership, direction, inclusion, and passion that goes into everything they do.

Mind you, we raised boys whose idea of performance was on the baseball or football field. But over the years we have known so many kids -- those on a professional track and those with two left feet -- who have been raised as COCA kids...and are better off as a result. Some went on to Julliard, some to college to major in physics and dance, some went to perform on Broadway or with some of the best-known dance companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Ballet Hispanico, and some did both and returned to teach at COCA when their performing careers ended. Others I see regularly on Instagram and TikTok performing as they always have...and getting more “likes” than most others. While COCA has a tremendous track record of nurturing talent in the performing arts, its real commitment is to ensure that generations of kids grow up to be creative, collaborative, and empathetic problem solvers... kids who have a path to be leaders and change makers.

Virtually every decade since its founding, St. Louis’ appetite for everything COCA seemed insatiable and COCA’s needs grew. Under the leadership of Executive Director Kelly Pollock since 2010 -- who possesses the rare combination of finance, development, and arts leadership -- COCA has expanded its reach and impact through innovative new programs that push boundaries, all aimed at expanding St. Louis’ creative capacity. Recently, COCA announced the successful completion of the Create Our Future Campaign, raising $49 million over four years to fund a state-of-the-art expansion: the Ferring East Wing. The campaign, led by an inspired group of leaders including Chair Cheryl Holman and COCA veteran Pam Mandelker, also provided endowment funds for scholarships, support services, and artistic and educational programming. The ambitious project ensures COCA will be able to serve St. Louisans for generations to come.

This latest expansion brought together many local and international design, architecture, and construction greats including Axi-Ome and Christner Architects, S.M. Wilson & Co. and TW Constructors, Schuler Shook for theater planning and lighting design, Kirkegaard for acoustics, and IDEO and SOSO for an interactive, digital donor recognition wall.

Photo by Douglis Beck

On my first tour of the new addition, I parked in the new parking garage (now with ample space), entered the new main entrance into an airy, mid-century modern-feeling commons with 23 ft. ceilings which connects the original synagogue with the newest addition. With generous pre-function space, design, and performance labs; the Ferring East Wing includes the incomparable 460-seat Catherine B. Berges Theatre with orchestra pit and technical grid; training kitchen, 14 studios that no facilities in New York City can boast, event space, mindblowing green rooms, dressing rooms, and elevators. There is also a set design shop and costume department. COCA’s 92,000 sq. ft. facilities and high caliber programs have attracted attention at the national level resulting in partnerships with professional companies such as Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE working with its pre-professional students, American Ballet Theatre training for COCA’s faculty and numerous local partnerships including Washington University, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, The St. Louis Repertory Theatre, The Black Rep, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis. In fact, COCA’s reach expands far beyond the walls of its campus, with program delivery in over 50 schools and community centers annually.

Make no mistake about it, growing and running an organization like COCA is no small feat. With its annual operating budget of $6.5 million, a staff of 220 full-time, part-time and artists-in-residence, managing COCA is as challenging as running any high-performing company. According to John Ferring, CEO of PLZ Aeroscience and long-time supporter of COCA, “Managing COCA is far more challenging than running most businesses -- including mine. Coca’s team is managing a multiple-ring circus with distinctly different missions that are directed by creative artists. No business I know of presents the level of complexity on so many levels inherent in managing COCA.”

Photo by Douglis Beck

COCA had the strategic foresight to partner with many of St. Louis’ most philanthropic entrepreneurs, resulting in the support of many corporations, grants, gifts, and alumni. “And as their tides rose, they helped us dream bigger,” says Pollock. The names on the walls tell the story from Ferring to Berges, Staenberg to Millstone, Hillman to Peacock. “COCA was built by entrepreneurs and risk takers. We’ve had long-term continuity from many of our supporters. Development of relationships through the years has been more than ‘fundraising.’ If you want incremental change, you get incremental investment, but our dreams were much larger and we had the patience and luck to make it a reality,” she says.

What started as the brainchild of friends has emerged into an award winning national model for excellence, inclusion, equitable participation, and alumni who are performing -- or have performed -- at the very highest levels around the world. Whether it was its bold vision, timing, luck, or ability to attract both corporate and individual support, COCA has completed three phases of physical growth over 35 years since its founding. Some of COCA’s recognition includes national accreditation (one of only 16 community schools), prestigious national grants from foundations such as Ford, Hearst, Wallace, Kresge, and numerous awards including the Coming Up Taller Award from the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities, What’s Right with the Region Award from FOCUS St. Louis, and recognition from the AntiDefamation League and Paraquad for its intentional work to be a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive organization for all.

Photo by Steve Hartmann

While I am sure there were some tense moments in the earlier years raising money and making payroll, COCA is stronger than ever, as committed and steadfast in its mission today as it was in 1986 to bring together kids and their families from all walks of life. And we are all better for it...including the broader arts community who partner with COCA, share resources, and learn from its visionary leadership.

Photo by Douglis Beck

Regardless of who you are, you are welcome here. If you can’t afford the programs, COCA will find a way to include you. And while St. Louis has been and still feels divided in many ways, the sacred spaces of COCA are evidence of what is possible when good people do great things.

Now, Richard Baron is bringing groups from Israel to St. Louis to show off what COCA has become with the hope of creating something similar there. COCA is more than the sum of its parts. It is proof that by investing big in young people, removing barriers, bringing diverse communities together, and building a tribe of believers, something truly unimaginable is possible. Because of Covid-19, few people in St. Louis have seen the new COCA. Not even our native sons and daughters who have become famous, or the other arts organizations citywide, but this is about to change. For the Sophisticated Living audience, I hope this inspires you to see the amazing work being done at COCA, to invest in its future, and to be inspired by what’s possible when St. Louisans dream and work together to execute those dreams.