Chesterfield Receives Creative Community Award

City was selected as the Creative Community recipient

The Missouri Arts Council (MAC) has announced its selection of 2011 Arts Awards recipients, and the City of Chesterfield has been chosen as the Creative Community recipient. The Missouri Arts Award honors individuals and organizations that have made profound and lasting contributions to the cultural and artistic climate of the state.

Stacey Morse of Chesterfield Arts nominated the City stating, "Through the leadership of our City, Chamber of Commerce and visionary leaders, Chesterfield has grown to attract many independent artists, arts organizations and dance/theatre companies to our community. The City of Chesterfield is a prime example of how it takes the ideas and efforts of many to make the arts a reality in our community and an economic engine for our region."

The nomination cited business leaders such as Louis Sachs of Sachs Properties, Michael Staenberg of THF Realty, and Craig Conway of Bank Midwest 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.

"We are proud to have been chosen for this honor, and wish to thank all of those in our community who continually work to make Chesterfield a place where all forms of art are available for our residents," said Acting Mayor Barry Flachsbart.

The award will be presented during a ceremony on February 16, 2011 in Jefferson City. For more information on the award, go to www.missouriartscouncil.org.