Bayer Fund Rural Community Arts Program | Arts and Education Council of St. Louis

Bayer Fund Rural Community Arts Program

The Bayer Fund Rural Community Arts Program is a partnership initiative that strengthens rural communities through the arts. Thanks to the generous support of Bayer Fund, in collaboration with the Arts and Education Council, people living in the counties and rural communities surrounding the St. Louis metropolitan area have the opportunity to enjoy quality arts and cultural performances and programming.

The Bayer Fund, the philanthropic arm of Bayer, focuses on strengthening the communities where Bayer customers and employees live and work.

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Art Works On Main Gallery

Art Works On Main Gallery (Owensville, Mo.) promotes the arts through exhibits, education, community outreach programs and events including the annual plein air art event in rural Gasconade County.

The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts

The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts at McKendree University (Lebanon, Ill.) is Southern Illinois’s premier performing arts venue, presenting world class dance, drama, classical music and jazz.

Highland Arts Council

Highland Arts Council (Highland, Ill.) supports and encourages artists by holding classes, workshops and camps. They also facilitate exhibits, performances and other events like the Annual Art in the Park event every October, where approximately 70 artists sell their art.

Macoupin Art Collective

Macoupin Art Collective (Staunton, Ill.) provides art opportunities through workshops, classes, gallery exhibitions, free community events, material disbursement and professional development. Their new ARTreach program will address the lack of art instruction, materials and opportunities for communities in Macoupin County and the surrounding Metro East area.

Jacoby Arts Center

Jacoby Arts Center (Alton, Ill.) offers local performing artists a creative outlet through live theatre, music, comedy, dance performances and other events. Additionally, Jacoby Arts Center is the only local gallery that provides opportunities for visual artists to gain experience through juried exhibitions and a retail outlet where they can sell their work.

Mississippi Valley Art Guild

Mississippi Valley Art Guild (Chester, Ill.) furthers appreciation of the arts by offering support, training and fellowship for artists of all ages, abilities and mediums. Through their Teen Art Guild, Mississippi Valley will provide resources including artist quality art supplies for youth ages 10-18 to teach art to multi-generational artists including their peers.

Montgomery Arts Council

Montgomery Arts Council (Montgomery, Mo.) promotes creativity and access to all the arts in Montgomery County through their art gallery, classes, Summer Art Camp, workshops, seminars and events such as Open Studio Thursday Nights and Music in the Park.

Raintree Arts Council

Raintree Arts Council (Clarksville, Mo.) serves the Pike and Lincoln counties in Northeast Missouri. Raintree offers programming in theatre, music, visual arts and literature and also provides educational programs in local schools.