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The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC) will award a total of $4,489,944 in grant funding to 350 individual artists and organizations in St. Louis City and County, one of the largest grant allocations in RAC’s history. This significant increase in grantmaking and the return of several of its programs like the Community Arts Training Institute is another milestone for RAC, the largest public funder of the arts in the St. Louis region, and a welcome boost for the local creative community following the stifling COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, June 14, Vanessa Cooksey, RAC President and CEO, and Andréa Purnell, RAC Commission Chair, led the announcement from Central Print, one of RAC’s nonprofit grant recipients based in the Old North St. Louis neighborhood.
“The last three years have felt like a roller coaster ride of ups and downs for our team,” said Cooksey. “Our board and staff made some tough decisions at the start of the pandemic to secure our long-term organizational sustainability. We consistently reduced our operating expenses and are exploring new ways to diversify our revenues. Our sacrifices and commitment to innovation is paying off! RAC is well-positioned to grow our grantmaking efforts and have even greater community impact year-over-year.”
In 2022, RAC provided $1.15 million in grants to 85 individual artists and 90 arts programs. The increased level of funding in 2023, which will be distributed to 181 individual artists, 129 arts programs, and 40 arts and culture organizations receiving general operating support, is also more than the average annual pre-pandemic award amount of $3.5 million.
“This is a significant, celebratory moment for artists, arts organizations, and all of us who embrace the artist within. St. Louis creatives have always been a major driving force for building the economy and community,” said Purnell. “We are energized by our investment in a local arts and culture sector that continues to enrich so many aspects of our daily lives and bring visitors to our uniquely artistic region.”
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