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Artist INC Live | St. Louis

by Jason Schipkowski | May 27, 2026 | In the News, Press Releases

Discover opportunities to build your art career and make art work.

Building a business or career around an art practice isn’t like building any other small business. Artists face different challenges: how to manage goals, write about art, plan a budget, speak in public and build a personal brand.

Artist INC, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance, addresses the challenges, helping artists and creatives take control of their art careers. Partnering with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, Artist INC and Mid-America Arts Alliance have brought the training to St. Louis to help artists learn business skills relevant to their work and turn their art practices into sustainable art careers.

Unlike other entrepreneur- and business-focused classes, Artist INC is tailored for the needs and challenges of working artists of any discipline. Artists learn and grow together in small groups led by peer facilitators.

Artist INC, eight-week, in-person sessions.

Artist INC is open to artists and creatives of all disciplines. AIL has a competitive application process, a substantial time commitment and requires participants to be within a specific community. Artists should reside within a 60-mile commute from these program locations. All sessions are in person.

Gathering for one evening a week for eight weeks, participants learn strategic business skills specific to their art practice and how to apply those skills cooperatively with their peers. Using a groundbreaking class design, Artist INC Live guides artists as they learn and grow together through artist facilitator mentoring, small group application activities, as well as large group discussion and multimedia lecture.

Artist INC Live St. Louis 2026

When: Sept. 15-Nov. 10, 2026, Tuesdays, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: In-person, CIC 20 South Sarah Street, St. Louis, MO 63108
Cost: Program fee for Artist INC Live is $150, with limited number of scholarships and payment plans available
Deadline to Apply: July 8

Interested in learning more before applying for the full, eight-week course? Sign up for What Works below, a short, one and a half hour-long introductory session.

Make art work. Learn what works.

What Works, a free, short workshop, immediately activates a network of artists in the community leading to additional peer-to-peer resource sharing and support, long after the workshop concludes.

What Works is open to artists and creatives of all disciplines and at all stages of their careers. In a non-competitive atmosphere, the goal of What Works is to provide an introduction to the Artist INC trainings and resources. The format includes a presentation as well as time for questions and discussions. Led by professional artist facilitators, the short workshop addresses the specific professional needs and challenges that artists of all disciplines face.

What Works (virtual) – June 2, 2026

When: Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Virtual
Presented by Artist INC Peer Facilitators: Sukanya Mani and Colin McLaughlin
Cost: Free

What Works (virtual) – June 13, 2026

When: Saturday, June 13, 2026 12:00 – 1:30 pm
Location: Virtual
Presented by Artist INC Peer Facilitators: Zenique Gardner Perry and Hannah McBroom
Cost: Free

To date, Artist INC has been completed by more than 1,500 artists. Artist INC is supported in part by grants from the Windgate Foundation, the Hallmark Corporate Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Learn more about Artist INC at www.artistinc.art.

About Mid-America Arts Alliance
Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) strengthens and supports artists, cultural organizations, and communities throughout our six-state region and beyond. Additional information can be found at www.maaa.org.

“It was everything I expected and more. I really liked how Artist INC kind of broke down the necessity and the importance of monetizing your practice.”

– Lyndsey, Artist INC attendee

“There is so little value put on being an artist, people don’t feel like they can fully embrace being a creative and this [program] allows people to feel more empowered.”

– Zenique, Artist INC facilitator

“We worked through all of the hot topics that artists need to familiar with like the artist statement, biography, resume, everything leading to entrepreneurship.”

– Kaonis, Artist INC attendee

Town Hall Recap — Let’s Keep the Arts Strong in St. Louis | March 19, 2026

by Jason Schipkowski | Mar 12, 2026 | In the News, Newsroom

Dear Friends of the Arts,

For those who were able, thank you for joining us for today’s Town Hall.

Your presence, your questions, and your support matter deeply—not just to RAC, but to the entire arts community across St. Louis. This moment is about more than one organization—it’s about protecting what makes St. Louis vibrant, connected, and alive.

As we move forward together, there are a few simple but powerful ways you can help:

Share the information
Please share relevant excerpts or the full Town Hall recording with your friends, family, and colleagues so they can stay informed and understand what’s at stake.

See the full recording of the town hall here.

Speak up
Contact your state and local elected officials and tell them to keep RAC independent and fully funded. Your voice matters—and they need to hear it!

St. Louis City | St. Louis County | State of Missouri

Show your love for the arts
Throughout the year, share photos of yourself at your favorite arts experiences—performances, exhibitions, festivals, classes—and use the support badge in your posts.Let’s make the impact of the arts visible across all social media platforms. We’ve included examples below.

Download RAC Badges

At the end of the day, this is about all of us.

The arts are the heartbeat of our St. Louis culture. Let’s protect the HeART—together.

With gratitude,
Tino Ochoa RAC Commission Board Chair
Vanessa Cooksey, RAC President & CEO

Missouri State Audit Statement

by Jason Schipkowski | Mar 3, 2026 | In the News, Newsroom

The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis has received notice from the Missouri State Auditor’s Office that it will initiate a formal audit following a preliminary review of complaints submitted through its statewide public Whistleblower Hotline. The Auditor’s letter says that it intends to examine administrative costs and our grant evaluation process. These topics involve technical compliance and documentation standards, and we are confident the findings from the state will mirror the success we have come to expect at the local level.  

Every year, RAC participates in an audit of our financial practices with an independent firm selected by the Offices of the Mayor and County Executive. Upon completion, RAC shares the audit findings with leaders in the City, County, and State, as well as the public. RAC has longstanding financial oversight structures, including monthly cash management reports and quarterly financial reports, with oversight from the Finance Committee and the full Board of Commissioners. We will cooperate fully with the State Auditor’s Office to ensure a thorough and accurate understanding of our policies, procedures, and expenditures.

We take this matter seriously. For 40 years, RAC has served the St. Louis arts and culture community by awarding grants vetted through efficient and rigorous processes and marshalling resources for public benefit. This is our purpose and why we exist, a responsibility that requires a commitment to transparency and accountability. We are proud to serve as stewards of public funds dedicated to arts and culture. We welcome the opportunity to provide documentation and context regarding our financial practices and grantmaking processes.

As always, RAC will continue to focus on serving the St. Louis region’s arts and cultural community and maintaining the public’s trust.

RAC Brings Local Artistry to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis

by Jason Schipkowski | Jan 8, 2026 | Impact Stories, In the News, RAC News

As fans excitedly flocked to St. Louis for the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC) partnered with the St. Louis Sports Commission to infuse our region’s creative energy to elevate the experience.

U.S. champions were crowned in the women’s, men’s, pairs and ice dance disciplines. The gathering of more than 180 top athletes also served as the final qualifying event prior to the selection of the U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team that will represent Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Milano-Cortina 2026.

Check out the recap video below!

RAC provided both financial and planning support and, as mentioned in this KSDK segment, local creatives contributed to this citywide celebration of arts, sports, and culture, including a special, locally designed scarf that’s “some of the best, coolest swag [they’ve] ever seen.”

“Successful cities across the country know that bringing the arts together with sports creates a more memorable experience for fans and visitors alike,” said Jay Scherder, RAC communications and partnerships director. “Through our partnership with the St. Louis Sports Commission, RAC is bringing the arts into the heart of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and showcasing St. Louis as a must-visit destination.”

Through a partnership with Gateway Arch Park Foundation, the popular Winterfest celebration in Downtown’s Kiener Plaza was extended through the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, with programming and events Jan. 9, 10, and 11. Collaborating directly with local artists, RAC curated a mix of music, live visual art, hands-on art experiences, and special athlete gifts to showcase the region’s world-class arts and culture scene, including:

Locally designed scarves by Fryd Okra for every competing athlete – visitors can see this scaled up design featured on windows at Downtown’s historic Wainwright Building.
Custom-painted ice skates by Brock Seals, who will be painting live at Enterprise Center on Friday, Jan. 9 – one pair of skates will be autographed by the 2026 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team, which will be selected in St. Louis, and raffled off to a lucky winner. You can enter the raffle here.
Hands-on arts activities by Perennial and Central Print.
Music and sounds by Ryan Marquez and D.J. She Beatz.
Art display by artist and muralist Carolyn Lewis.

RAC Announces Five-Year Strategic Roadmap During Town Hall

by Jason Schipkowski | Dec 10, 2025 | Newsroom, RAC News, Uncategorized

During a virtual town hall on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, Vanessa Cooksey, President and CEO of the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC), reflected on RAC’s impact on the St. Louis region’s arts and culture sector over the past 40 years, including progress made during her five-year tenure.

Cooksey also outlined what creatives and nonprofit organizations can expect from RAC’s 2026 grantmaking and shared an update on the Community Arts Training (CAT) Institute. The CAT Institute will begin operating as an independent nonprofit in 2026, with continued support from RAC. Learn more about the future of the CAT Institute.

She then previewed RAC’s strategic roadmap for 2026–2030 – a months-long planning effort that defines RAC’s priorities, goals, and intended outcomes for the next five years.

As the leading public investor in arts and culture experiences that add quality to life in the St. Louis region, RAC is positioning both the organization and the sector to strengthen quality of life across the region – helping establish the region as an outstanding place to live, work, and visit, and advancing St. Louis’ place as a national model of elevating arts and culture as catalyst for placemaking.

View the recorded town hall below to learn more.

Click the strategic roadmap graphic below to view or download.