St. Louis is a city brimming with artistic talent, cultural richness, and creative innovation, and much of that vibrancy is thanks to the efforts of the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis.
For four decades, RAC has shaped the city’s cultural landscape, making St. Louis a national hub for the arts while driving economic development, creating jobs, and enhancing tourism. In 2024 alone, RAC awarded more than $9.69 million in grants to the arts and culture sector.
Simply put, without RAC, this community would look very different.
The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival is just one of many examples that illustrates the impact of the nonprofit. Its free shows and locally created original music productions, supported in part by RAC grants, have made high-quality arts accessible to everyone in the region.
“Since the earliest days of the Shakespeare Festival 25 years ago, RAC has been a part of the success. Now, Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park is one of the largest outdoor theaters for Shakespeare anywhere in the world,” says Tom Ridgely, producing artistic director for St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. “And it’s foundational support like the RAC grants that allow us to focus on what really matters: bringing more exceptional, high-quality free theater to our region and its visitors.”
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