MISSOURI ARTS COUNCIL NAMES CHESTERFIELD A "CREATIVE COMMUNITY"
On Wednesday, February 16, the Missouri Arts Council (MAC) presented the 2011 Arts Awards to recipients from across the state. The City of Chesterfield was named the 2011 Creative Community recipient, having mastered the art of being creative by developing ways to make the arts a prominent feature of the community and an asset to the region and the state. The Missouri Arts Award honors individuals and organizations that have made profound and lasting contributions to the cultural and artistic climate of the state.
Acting-Mayor Barry Flachsbart received the award which was presented by First Lady Georgeann Nixon and Nola Ruth, Chair of the Mo Arts Council. Mr. Flachsbart acknowleded the volunteers that make such a tremendous art program possible in our community and recognized the large group of supporters from the area that came to Jefferson City share in the experience of the day. "We would also like to recognize the efforts of Stacey Morse, the Executive Director of Chesterfield Arts, who nominated the City for this award," he stated. Her passion and dedication to the arts, combined with a strong commitment to arts from the City Council and other leaders in the community have culminated with this honor today."
The nomination by Mrs. Morse cited business leaders such as Louis Sachs of Sachs Properties, Michael Staenberg of THF Realty, and Craig Conway of Lindell Bank as being instrumental in the placement of public art around the community over the past 15 years. Over the past decade, Chesterfield has seen a boom in the number of artists, organizations and venues featuring the arts. Chesterfield Arts was established in 1995 and has worked closely with city leaders to bring the arts to life in Chesterfield. Ongoing programming in the visual, performing and literary arts as well as providing arts education and an extensive collection of approximately $5 million worth of sculpture throughout the city is helping to create a positive environment to support the arts and artists.
In 2004, Stages St. Louis moved their home offices and educational facilities to Chesterfield. They provide training in musical theatre and will soon have a state-of-the-art performing arts center located in the developing downtown Chesterfield. Additionally, the St. Louis Civic Orchestra relocated to Chesterfield in 2009, and performs at the William D. Purser Center at Logan College. Artist and long-time resident, Don Wiegand has created an architectural icon and arts destination in our community which has brought people and notoriety to Chesterfield from our state, nation and abroad.
Other cultural amenities include Fine Art Ltd. - a gallery and working foundry. It is the one of the world's largest publishers of fine art commemorating special events and the sole fine-art licensee for the United States Olympic Committee. ARTropolis is a new arts destination at Chesterfield Mall. Other local galleries include Art Trends and The Gallery at Hog Hollow. Faust Park and the Butterfly house are local attractions featuring sculpture, exhibitions, concerts and events in the arts. The Alexandra Ballet Company has called Chesterfield home for more than 40 years.
In October 2009, Chesterfield unveiled The Awakening, a monumental sculpture by artist Seward Johnson. Chesterfield Arts worked to use this sculpture as a way to bring our community together and create another icon to represent our commitment to making Chesterfield a "City of Art". In spring 2011, Chesterfield will unveil a new community mural and a 2,000-seat outdoor amphitheater. This outdoor venue will be a focal point of the new downtown development and will again bring the community together and attract new people to Chesterfield through music, dance and theater.