Ron Himes
FOUNDER/PRODUCING DIRECTOR, THE BLACK REP
On what he wishes more people understood about the arts in St. Louis: “There are a lot of [former] audience [members] who are still hesitant about coming back out. We have spent a lot of time and energy trying to make it as safe and comfortable as possible for people to return to the theater. That’s one of the things I wish people would understand—it’s time to come back out.” On other leaders he looks to: “I’m anxious to see what new leadership at Jazz at the Bistro is going to bring to the community. They’ve got a new CEO, and I know that Keyon Harroid has been doing great work there consulting. I’m really excited about his work, what he’s doing, how he’s stretching out, and the rich projects coming forward.” On a local artist to watch: “Right now I’m working with the Davis boys, Cameron Davis and Olajuwon Davis, who are doing really wonderful work.”
Andrew Jorgensen
GENERAL DIRECTOR, OPERA THEATRE OF SAINT LOUIS
On the St. Louis arts community: “Someone once said to me, per capita, St. Louis might just be the most culturally or artistically dense city in the country. I don’t know if I can quantify it, but I have certainly found that to be true.” On a change he’d like to see: “As we come back from [the pandemic], there’s an extraordinary opportunity to connect with the community again. I want reach deeper into the community, getting out of the spaces where we’ve always been and always been comfortable in—that we work harder to make sure that people believe opera is a vibrant, 21st-century art form.”
MARIE-HÉLÉNE BERNARD
PRESIDENT/CEO, SAINT LOUIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
On a change she’d like to see: “I really want the business community and people who are very deeply involved in the transformation of St. Louis to see arts and culture as an economic driver.” On what she’s listening to: “My car is my third office, and it’s my music box, and then I listen to everything. Right now I’m listening to Beyonce’s Renaissance album quite a bit, just to understand it, and I love it. I’m a music omnivore, so I listen to everything from country to heavy metal to Beyonce.”
Hana Sharif
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, REPERTORY THEATRE OF ST. LOUIS
On the St. Louis arts community: “As we’ve navigated the reemergence from COVID, there’s been a lot of interdependence, a lot of sharing of best practices, a sense that our boats rise and fall together. And that sense of being part of one community that’s really invested in and interested in everyone’s success, I think is actually quite rare. It’s one of the profoundly moving parts of being an arts leader in the city.” On other leaders she looks to: “I feel very fortunate to be part of a class of new leaders. There’s been a major evolution of agenerational leadership shift in the American theater in the last five to eight years. In the fight to reopen, the fight to get federal relief, the fight to support artists during [the pandemic], I cannot tell you how inspired I was by my peers across the country.” On a local artist to watch: “Kirven DouthitBoyd, who is the new artistic director at Big Muddy. He is a force. St. Louis is so lucky to have someone that talented in its reach.”
Fashion + Design i
A decade after co-founding the Saint Louis Fashion Fund, Susan Sherman remains a force on the fashion scene, helping bring high-tech knitting company Evolution to St. Louis, as well as a visit from fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg. After establishing Lusso as a retail staple in Clayton, owner Drea Ranek has now launched a line of officially licensed sports apparel. Likewise, Summersalt’s Lori Coulter and Reshma Chattaram Chamberlin are generating big-league buzz for their swimwear line. Hannah and Dan Chancellor have taken climbing brand So iLL to new heights, collaborating with the likes of actor Jason Momoa. After already gaining a following for Procure’s vendor marketplace, Christina Weaver and Tessa Corno of The Women’s Creative set up shop at City Foundry STL. Next door, Golden Gems expanded its footprint, after sisters Amanda Helman and Susan Logsdon recently moved the flagship store to Midtown. Nearby, Mother Model Management’s Jeff and Mary Clarke continue to shine a light on rising talent. Farther south, Cherokee Street remains a hub of creativity, with fresh looks from Brandin Vaughn and the team at Profield Reserve. And more entrepreneurs are making waves with new endeavors, including Rungolee's Anjali Kamra and Lux and Nyx’s Lisa Hu.
VISIT STLMAG.COM for more from the region’s arts leaders and even more artists to know.
Min Jung Kim
DIRECTOR, SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM
On the St. Louis arts community: “We do not stand alone. We have among us extraordinary friends and colleagues that make up the rich cultural landscape that best represents St. Louis. I’m beginning to be able to paint a picture that really collectively represents an incredible consortium of partners and organizations that I have to say I had not fully appreciated until I arrived [in St. Louis last year].” On a change she’d like to see: “I think the very thing that I would hope can be improved is something that we’re already dipping our toe in, and that’s communicating more, collaborating more, and potentially partnering more.” On what she wishes more people understood about the arts in St. Louis: “We pretty much have everything here. You have great art, great music,great theater, great dance, great parks. We have everything. There is virtually not a single weekend that I haven’t been really excited to go out and visit and explore something or some place.”
VANESSA COOKSEY
PRESIDENT/CEO, REGIONAL ARTS COMMISSION
“What I’m calling ‘intratourism.’ If you live in North County, you have to “Brian Owens and Mvstermind. I define them as teaching artist entrepreneurs.”
