Arts & Education Council Of Greater St Louis

TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS IN THE ST. LOUIS REGION THROUGH GRANTS, FULL SERVICE COLLABORATIVE OFFICE FACILITY, AND PUBLIC AWARENESS.

ALLOCATIONS AND GRANTSOPERATING GRANTS PROVIDE UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT TO ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE PROGRAMMING SUPPORTS THE COUNCIL'S GOAL TO DRIVE COMMUNITY IMPACT BY PROMOTING THE ELEMENTS OF A VIBRANT COMMUNITY. OPERATING SUPPORT IS CATEGORIZED INTO THREE LEVELS BASED ON THE BUDGET SIZE OF AN ORGANIZATION.

THE ARTS AND HEALING INITIATIVE, A NEW PROGRAM IN 2020, AIMED AT INCREASING THE CAPACITY TO HEAL THROUGH THE ARTS. THE FIVE-YEAR INITIATIVE SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE THROUGHOUT ST. LOUIS CITY AND COUNTY IN ITS FIRST YEAR, AND IN YEAR TWO, THAT IMPACT WAS EXPANDED INTO RURAL MISSOURI COUNTIES.THE BAYER FUND RURAL COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAM IS A PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE THAT STRENGTHENS RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE ARTS. FUNDING FROM THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS ARTISTS, ENTERTAINERS, AND PERFORMANCE VENUES TO ENSURE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES LIVING IN COUNTIES SURROUNDING THE ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN AREA HAVE ACCESS TO THE ARTS, ENSURING THE ARTS REMAIN ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. THE AMERENCARES EQUITY IN THE ARTS PHILANTHROPIC GRANT PROGRAM IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN AMEREN AND THE ARTS AND EDUCATION COUNCIL (A&E), UNDERWRITTEN BY AMEREN. THIS SPECIAL GRANT OPPORTUNITY IS DESIGNED FOR AND LIMITED IN FOCUS TO HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDERFUNDED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE AT THE DECISION-MAKING LEVEL. THE EQUITY IN THE ARTS GRANT IS A ONE-YEAR GIFT THAT INCLUDES A MINIMUM AWARD OF $5,000. ONLY ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS BOTH LOCATED IN AND SERVING AMEREN'S MISSOURI SERVICE TERRITORY WILL BE CONSIDERED. THESE FUNDS ARE TO BE USED AS UNRESTRICTED OPERATING SUPPORT. ELEVATE PROGRAM, FUNDED IN COLLABORATION BY A&E AND THE PNC FOUNDATION. THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY WAS CREATED TO ASSIST NONPROFITS WHO ARE READY TO MOVE THEIR ORGANIZATIONS TO THE NEXT LEVEL BUT NEED GUIDANCE IN A PARTICULAR AREA. THE ELEVATE PROGRAM IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL HELP STRENGTHEN YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO ASSIST IN FURTHERING YOUR MISSION AND DEEPENING YOUR IMPACT. WE WILL SELECT TWO (2) ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL RECEIVE CONSULTANT SERVICES VALUED AT $10,000. WE ARE LOOKING TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS WITH OPERATING BUDGETS THAT DO NOT EXCEED ONE AND A HALF MILLION (1.5 MIL) DOLLARS ANNUALLY. THE AREAS OF FOCUS ARE: PLANNING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, FUNDRAISING, COMMUNICATIONS, AND FINANCE.CATALYST CONVERSATIONS IS A SERIES OF CASUAL DISCUSSIONS - SOME PLAYFUL, SOME SERIOUS, BUT ALL ENGAGING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING. EACH CONVERSATION FEATURES PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THEIR TALENTS AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES TO INSPIRE, CONNECT AND SHAPE NEW PERSPECTIVES. CATALYST CONVERSATIONS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLES IS A PROFESSIONALLY LED PROGRAM TARGETED TO LEADERS OF ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE GOAL IS TO SUPPORT LEADERS WITH PEER EXCHANGES AND RESOURCE SHARING THROUGH PEER LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL FACILITATION.IN 2017, THE COUNCIL OPENED THE CATALYST INNOVATION LAB, A UNIQUE FIRST FLOOR SPACE THAT INVITES COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY GATHERING. THE SPACE WAS RENOVATED THROUGH A CORPORATE GIFT AND HOSTS CONVENING AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS SUCH AS ARTS MARKETERS.

SEE SCHEDULE O.INCLUDES INDIRECT EXPENDITURES WHICH ARE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE COUNCIL'S SUPPORT OF THE ARTS AND PROVIDE ARTS-RELATED INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC. THESE INCLUDE THE COUNCIL'S QUARTERLY PRODUCED HAPPENINGS NEWSLETTER, WITH A CIRCULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 4,000. HAPPENINGS IS SENT BY MAIL AND ELECTRONICALLY TO THE COUNCIL'S MEMBERS AND IS ALSO ON THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE. THE COUNCIL ALSO SENDS A WEEKLY E-BLAST TO APPROXIMATELY 13,000 SUBSCRIBERS WHICH PROMOTES UPCOMING GRANTEE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS AS WELL AS FREE ARTS ACTIVITIES HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE REGION. ADDITIONAL PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE A BLOG THAT IS DISTRIBUTED WIDELY, IN ADDITION TO VARIOUS OTHER PUBLICATIONS. THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE PROMOTES THE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS ITS GRANTEES AND THEIR PROGRAMS. THE SITE INCLUDES A CALENDAR FUNCTION WHICH ALLOWS USERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COUNCIL'S ARTS CARD DISCOUNTED EVENTS. THIS ENHANCES THE PRESENCE OF GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE WEBSITE IS COMPLETE WITH INTERACTIVE COMPONENTS SUCH AS IMAGES, VIDEO AND SOCIAL MEDIA. THE SITE INCLUDES AN ONLINE-GIVING PORTAL THAT ALLOWS DONORS TO MAKE GIFTS SECURELY AND SEAMLESSLY TO THE COUNCIL. THE SITE ALSO INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CLASSES, LECTURES, AND ACTIVITIES THROUGH ARTS MARKETERS AND TWO COHORTS OF LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLES (BOTH ARE PROGRAMS MANAGED AND CONDUCTED BY THE COUNCIL). ARTS MARKETERS, CREATED IN 2011, PROVIDES ADDED PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR ARTS MARKETING PROFESSIONALS WORKING AT THE COUNCIL'S GRANT RECIPIENT ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS OTHER REGIONAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT ST. LOUIS. THE COUNCIL ANNUALLY PRODUCES THE ST. LOUIS ARTS AWARDS, THE AREA'S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED AND PREEMINENT EVENT HONORING INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES WHO ACHIEVE A LEGACY OF ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND ENRICH ST. LOUIS' ARTS AND CULTURAL COMMUNITY. SINCE 1992, THE ARTS AWARDS HAVE HONORED MORE THAN 190 INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE VIBRANCY OF OUR COMMUNITY. THE ANNUAL EVENT CELEBRATES AND CONNECTS OUR ARTS COMMUNITY, FURTHER STRENGTHENING AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION. THE ANNUAL EVENT TYPICALLY TAKES PLACE EACH JANUARY, BUT WAS HELD OUTDOORS IN MAY 2021 DUE TO COVID-19.

THE COUNCIL PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY ADMINISTRATIVE, REHEARSAL, COLLABORATIVE EVENT AND EXHIBITION SPACES FOR NEARLY 20 RESIDENT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CENTENE CENTER FOR THE ARTS (THE CENTER), A UNIQUE ARTS INCUBATOR LOCATED IN THE GRAND CENTER ARTS DISTRICT. THE COUNCIL PROVIDES AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY NETWORK, TELEPHONE AND INTERNET SERVICES, AND VARIOUS OTHER OCCUPANCY-RELATED COSTS TO THE TENANTS OF THE CENTER AT A RATE SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE ACTUAL COSTS INCURRED FOR SUCH ITEMS AND SERVICES BY THE COUNCIL.