The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) has awarded 186 grants totaling more than $2.9 million to support nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, consortiums and programs in the St. Louis area.

The commission is the area’s largest annual funder of the arts dedicated to the cultivation, promotion and fostering of cultural programming in the St. Louis region. Since it was created in 1985, RAC has awarded more than 5,800 grants totaling more than $76 million.

Organizations in Webster Groves that received a grant include: Community Music School of Webster University; Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Webster University Film Series; Webster University Symphony; and The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

“I’m delighted that the amount we awarded in grants has increased by 6.7 percent from last year,” said Jill McGuire, executive director of RAC. “We look forward to a robust future for arts and culture in St. Louis.”

Each grant request is carefully reviewed and discussed in an open, public forum by citizen panels, staff members and the Commissioners who contribute many long hours to evaluation and assessment.

RAC instituted a ranking system to enhance and improve the panelist review process on the basis of eight criteria:

• Quality of programs
• Innovative ideas
• Fiscal health
• Cultural diversity
• Local/regional impact
• Community outreach
• Management capability and 
• Need in the community

The grant recipients represent the breadth and diversity of arts and culture in St. Louis, both in size and scope, from large institutions such as The Black Rep and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra to smaller programs such as the Saint Louis University Museum of Religious Art and the Community Health-In-Partnership Services.

Click here for a full list of grant recipients.