About

Being an artist in St. Louis City, as with most cities in the United States, is tough.  In a slumping economy “luxuries” like art are the first to be cut from the budget, and artists are forced to cinch their belts one notch tighter.  At the same time, galleries and events can often be politically driven and cutthroat, making it very difficult for up-and-coming artists to break into key opportunities.  And even when those opportunities do materialize, it is often for the sake of the art at the expense or neglect of community or relationships.

Enter Art Underground.

Our vision is to see our urban environment revitalized by a culture of creativity emerging from and inspired by the underground art scene of St. Louis City.  Studies have shown that the attraction and retention of the creative class is vital for the health and growth of cities.  St. Louis is no different.

Our mission is to serve St. Louis as a community of artists and creative catalysts who seek to engage with the questions and values of our world that is, and a movement of creative leaders who seek to inspire the creation of a world that ought to be.

Our methods include quarterly artist showcases hosted in the lofts, apartments, houses and businesses  in our city (hence “Underground”). We produce and sponsor events in St. Louis to connect artists with other creative catalysts (curators, event planners, businesses, etc.) interested in promoting the arts culture in St. Louis.

Our services generally revolve around the following:

• The Quarterly (Quarterly Artist Exhibitions)
• Event Sponsorship (Networking and Opportunity-sharing)
• Artist Mentoring (Currently in development)
• Artist and Creative Catalyst Support (Any way we can…)

If you have any questions or want to know how to get involved with this community, check out our  AU(STL) Complete Info document or email brad(at)artundergroundstl.org.