Historical Fall 2003 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
On July 31, 2003, the moving truck appeared at the new home of the Regional Arts Commission on Delmar. RAC employees found themselves in an exciting new environment while they tried to cope with the chaos of moving.
In addition, some construction is continuing on the facility. September should see all the final touches in place, and on Saturday, October 11, RAC will open its doors on the 6100 block of Delmar to the community.
From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., people can tour the facility and enjoy refreshments. Skinker DeBaliviere neighbors are all invited to see this stunning addition to our environs and to the arts community in the St. Louis area.
The building of almost 19,000 square feet has three floors, all of which are designed to enrich or facilitate the arts and other community activities.
The first floor contains a gallery which will display the art works of local artists, including sculpture. Jill McGuire, RAC Director, hopes eventually to be able to sell local artists’’creations on site.
The first floor also contains rehearsal space, suitable to a dance company or theatre troupe. Those who rehearse in this edifice will also have storage space.
The second floor is the Cultural Resource Center. Its conference facilities will be leased to art groups, nonprofit organizations and for-profits on a sliding scale.
There is a board room for meetings and two designed for training. Arts groups can use the area for fundraising and a catering kitchen is also available.
The third floor holds the offices of the Regional Arts Commission, as well as of Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts. Everything is state of the art and well thought-out.
A fourth story holds a rooftop garden for arts events. Many rooms have large banks of windows which make everything bright and allow people at RAC to look over the continuing evolution of Delmar. Kevin Flynn of Kiku Obata and Company designed the building, and Arco Construction Co., Inc. brought it into being.
It is modern, but fits into the historical Delmar scene. Planned for September 9 is the installation of artist William Cochran’s “Kardia” glass art in the round opening shown in the photo here. Cochran’s work incorporates responses from participants in a public forum held in April. Soon after the art glass is installed, the bronze doors will also be put in, and the building will be complete.
The Regional Arts Commission is able to make grants to arts entities from a dedicated tax on hotels and restaurants.
The Commission is an important funder of the St. Louis Symphony and Opera Theatre of St. Louis but also disperses money to much smaller entities. Neighborhoood groups such as Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council have benefitted from RAC’s allocations in staging plays, the Edible Art contest, films, and now concerts at Four Corners.
This new building will definitely add to the streetlife of Delmar.
It makes the eastern section of the Loop more vibrant and more a part of a greater arts district. Remember: October 11, 10 to 2, for touring the new RAC building.
Original photograph caption
New Regional Arts Commission building on Delmar before October11 open house. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, Fall 2003.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2003_09.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 5; PDF page(s) 1, 5.
