The Bingham Trust will host a two-day symposium on George Caleb Bingham that honors and celebrates the 50th anniversary of Missouri Governor Christopher S. “Kit” Bond’s public subscription campaign to acquire 112 preliminary drawings for Bingham’s genre paintings. The event is free; tickets and registration are not required. A symposium schedule is below.

At The Tesseract Theatre Company, the mission is to elevate professional theatre in the St. Louis area by telling powerful, transformative stories on an intimate scale. They are committed to showcasing innovative narratives and diverse voices with creativity and precision, proving that even the smallest stage can hold a monumental impact. By fostering a supportive environment for emerging talent and prioritizing artistic integrity, they seek to enrich the cultural fabric of our community and inspire meaningful connections through the art of theatre.

Prison Performing Arts is a multi-discipline, literacy and performing arts program dedicated to enriching the lives of youth and adults in Missouri’s criminal and juvenile justice systems. They foster individual and social change by providing incarcerated adults, justice-involved youth, and returning citizens with opportunities to participate in the arts as artists, students, and audience members. Participants learn creative and constructive ways to express emotions, build trust, and work in collaboration with one another. Their programs aim to improve literacy and communication skills, instill responsibility to self and others, and to promote non-violent expression of emotion. -----

Long-time PPA collaborator, John Wolbers (he/him), steps into the role of Executive Director bringing over fifteen years of experience in the non-profit world. Most recently, he served as the Producing Associate for Metro Theater Company where he navigated many facets of company management: from development and production to COVID safety protocols and education. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Southwestern University in Texas, and is a respected director, administrator, educator, actor, and playwright. John is passionately dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and support in the St. Louis arts community. -----

Robert Ashton, Artistic Director of Albion Theatre stopped by to talk with Nacy about the company and there play "Lungs." 

Jacqueline Thompson/Artist director and Jessie Youngblood/Managing Director of Metro Theater Company stopped by to speak with Nancy about the company and its works.

Liz Crabtree and Joe Mancuso stopped by to discuss the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center and all the happenings there coming up.

Lisa Melandri, Executive Director of CAM, stopped by to discuss the happenings at the museum with Nancy.

Kelly Plunkett, Museum Curator for Jefferson Barracks, The General Daniel Bissell House, and Fort Bellefontaine... stopped by to talk with  Nancy about the various aspects of the County Parks Department.

Chris Hansen, Executive Director of the KRANZBERG ARTS FOUNDATION stopped by to speak with Nancy about the happenings at the foundation, including the Music at the Intersection Festival, happening on September 14-15th in the Grand Center Arts District and other associated events. 

Dana Turkovic, Curator of the Laumeier Sculpture Park, stopped by to speak with Nancy about the sculpture park, and her career.

Founded in 1976, Laumeier is one of the first and largest dedicated sculpture parks in the country. In 1968, Mrs. Matilda Laumeier bequeathed the first 72 acres of the future Laumeier Sculpture Park to St. Louis County in memory of her husband, Henry Laumeier. In 1976, local artist Ernest Trova gifted 40 artworks, with an estimated market value of approximately one million dollars, to St. Louis County for the formation of a sculpture park and gallery. Laumeier Sculpture Park opened as part of the St. Louis County Department of Parks and Recreation system on July 7, 1976. One year later, Laumeier Sculpture Park was officially incorporated.

Today, Laumeier is an internationally recognized, nonprofit arts organization that is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and operates in partnership with St. Louis County Parks. Projects and programs are supported by the Mark Twain Laumeier Endowment Fund, the Regional Arts Commission, Missouri Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Laumeier presents more than 70 works of large-scale outdoor sculpture in a 105-acre park located in the heart of St. Louis County. Free and open daily, Laumeier serves 350,000 visitors of all ages each year through sculpture conservation, education programs, temporary exhibitions and public events.

Matthew Kearns: President and Artistic Director of St. Lou Fringe, stopped by to talk with Nancy about this year's festival. --- 

About the festival: "It all started in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland, as an alternative festival that played concurrently with the Edinburgh International Festival. In 1948, Robert Kemp, a local journalist, gave it the name Fringe: “Round the fringe of official Festival drama, there seems to be more private enterprise than before…” ----

Since then, it has grown into an international phenomenon with more than a hundred Fringe Festivals worldwide. ---- 

This year's festival runs August 12th through August 18th. ----