Kenya Vaughn

The Missouri Historical Society has tapped a familiar and highly esteemed voice in St. Louis’ cultural landscape to lead its African American History Initiatives, appointing Lyah LeFlore‑Ituen as director. She steps into the role with a vision shaped by both national experience and deep St. Louis roots, placing a nationally recognized creative force at the […]

Every seat in the Missouri History Museum’s Lee Auditorium was filled Friday night for a gathering that honored the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by celebrating Blackness through the lens of classical music. “Let It Resound: The Legacy of Black Composers” brought together musicians of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the […]

Thomas Kent “T.K.” Carter was an actor and comedian with the kind of familiar face who felt like a cousin you grew up with, even if you only met him through a TV screen. The film and television mainstay passed away at the age of 69. He was found unresponsive in his home in Duarte, […]

Through movement, Carmen de Lavallade shifted culture. Her decades of work were a proclamation that Black women were not guests in the world of modern dance — they were architects. The legendary performer, choreographer, and teacher, whose influence shaped the field across generations, died on December 29. She was 94. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater […]

Collectively, Nelly and Ashanti have sold 60 million albums, earned four Grammy Awards and 20 Grammy nominations. But when they walked through the doors of Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club on Monday night, they didn’t enter as a music superstar power couple. They were Boys and Girls Club alumni who proved what is possible when […]

Director Kevin McBeth greeted guests of An IN UNISON Christmas with a familiar sentiment. It is one that has been echoed since September, when The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra returned to Powell Hall after two years of renovations and upgrades.  “There truly is no place like home,” McBeth said. His words were met with rousing […]

Since 1985, the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis has been at the center of shaping and supporting the region’s arts and culture scene. As the largest public investor in the arts, RAC’s impact has been transformative—fueling creativity, elevating St. Louis, and inspiring communities far beyond. In 2025, as the organization celebrated its 40th anniversary, […]

For four decades, the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis has been more than a cultural steward. Since its founding in 1985, RAC has invested $115 million into the arts and culture sector, fueling what has become a billion-dollar industry in the region. As RAC marks its 40th anniversary, it enters a shifting funding landscape […]

When Jazz St. Louis and Saint Louis Dance Theatre (STLDT) joined forces last year to reimagine Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, the result was a holiday classic in its own right. The production itself was an homage to another reimagination. Nearly 75 years after Tchaikovsky’s original, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn gave the work a jazz edge with […]

When Ron Himes walked into the 53rd annual AUDELCO Awards—the nation’s premiere celebration of Black theater—he felt something he didn’t expect. A jolt hit him when his name was called as a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. The founder and producing director of The St. Louis Black Repertory Company says the moment was “humbling, exhilarating, and […]