Arts and Education Council

At the Arts and Education Council, our goal is simple - make sure our region is rich with arts and cultural experiences for all. That's why, since 1963, we have kept art happening across the bi-state region thanks to donations from people like you who believe in the power of the arts to foster innovation, inspire youth, build bridges between cultures, energize communities, forge connections and enrich lives through the arts.

The Arts and Education Council pools and invests your generous donations in grants, programs and other opportunities that reach more than 70 arts organizations and 1.6 million adults and children across the bi-state region each year. One of the most powerful examples of our impact is the Centene Center for the Arts, an incubator owned and operated by the Arts and Education Council that is home to nearly 20 arts organizations. Located in the heart of the Grand Center Arts District, the Centene Center for the Arts provides the resources and community these organizations need to thrive, growing their impact across our region. Other programs and grant opportunities include operating support grants, program grants, the Arts and Healing Initiative, art education grants that go directly to educators and arts programs for rural communities in Missouri and Illinois. Learn more about the work we do here: KeepArtHappening.org/what-we-do.