The Centene Center for the Arts

Located in a historic St. Louis building that was completed in 1907, the Centene Center for the Arts is a regional non-profit arts incubator owned and operated by the Arts and Education Council. Inspiration for the Centene Center can be traced to the late 1880s when Jacob Mahler established a dance studio on Olive Street. In 2012, the Arts and Education Council purchased the historic property originally known as Knights of Columbus Hall. After restoring the ornate building with its gothic-style white glazed terra cotta exterior, the Council officially launched the Centene Center for the Arts to provide space for nearly twenty local arts organizations. Located in the Grand Center Arts District, the Centene Center features rehearsal and performance space, as well as conference, event, and office space equipped with state-of-the-art technology. There is also an outdoor rooftop terrace known as The Rialto, which offers multi-media and stage lighting. A large pop art mural ("St. Louis Honey Bears") appears on a side exterior wall of the building.

In 2012, the Arts and Education Council purchased the historic Knights of Columbus Hall on Olive Street to house its new incubator, the Centene Center for the Arts. Considered the first of its kind in the region, The Centene Center provides rehearsal and performance space for 18 different arts organizations, such as St. Louis Classical Guitar and Prison Performing Arts. It also offers conference, event, and office space equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology. According to the Arts and Education Council, the inspiration for the Centene Center for the Arts can be traced to the late 1880s, when Jacob Mahler built a dance studio on Olive Street, with additional storefront space deeded by Ann Hamilton Bailey in 1906. The ornate building designed by Baker and Knell was dedicated as the Knights of Columbus Hall in 1907 and it later became the site of the Medinah Temple and the International Machinists Union.

In 2012, the Arts and Education Council purchased and restored this property, officially launching the Centene Center for the Arts as a new regional arts incubator. Although the building had been vacant for two decades, the Council preserved its historic architectural features, including its gothic-style white glazed terra cotta facade and its interior corridors lined with Italian marble. The original tile and wooden floors were preserved, along with the ornate decorative ironwork. Updates to the building included the addition of a rooftop terrace, known as The Rialto, which offers views of midtown and downtown St. Louis. It is currently equipped with multi-media and stage lighting for outdoor events.

At least 18 separate arts organizations are residents of the Centene Center for the Arts, in addition to the Arts and Education Council, which is also housed on site. Currently, these organizations include the Association of American Voices (a performing arts cultural exchange program for nations emerging from conflict); the Creative Reaction Lab (a leadership program for Black and Latinx youth); the Open Studio Network (an online platform for jazz workshops); Equally Represented Arts (an experimental theater company); Cinema St. Louis (owner of Hi-Pointe Theatre and host of the St. Louis International Film Festival) and the Intercultural Music Initiative (featuring composers of African, Hispanic, and Asian descent). Resident organizations at the Centene Center also include St. Louis Classical Guitar, Prison Performing Arts, Upstream Theater, Gateway Men's Chorus, the Bach Society of St. Louis, and the American Institute for Graphic Arts, among others.

A large mural, titled "St. Louis Honey Bears," appears on a side exterior brick wall of the Centene Center for the Arts. Created by a San Francisco-based artist who was born in St. Louis, the mural is an example of pop art, featuring images of four bears that are intended to resemble jars of honey. Each bear represents a St. Louis venue or aspect of the city's history. "Violin Bear" represents the nearby Powell Hall, The Fox Theatre, and Sheldon Concert Hall; "Fancy Bear" commemorates the city's Gilded Age and the 1904 World's Fair held in Forest Park; "Artist Bear" reflects the mission of the Centene Center; and "Blues Bear" represents the St. Louis Blues' Stanley Cup victory in 2019. The mural was made possible by the Gateway Foundation in conjunction with the Arts and Education Council, whose motto is "Keep Art Happening."

Centene Center for Arts & Education, RFT. Accessed January 25th, 2023. https://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/centene-center-for-arts-and-education/Location?oid=2690966.

Centene Center - History, Keep Art Happening. Accessed January 25th, 2023. https://keeparthappening.org/who-we-are/centene-center-arts/history.

About PPA, Prison Performing Arts. Accessed January 25th, 2023. https://www.prisonperformingarts.org/about-ppa.

Street artist fnnch adds a sweet touch to Centene Center for the Arts, HEC . Accessed January 25th, 2023. https://hecmedia.org/posts/street-artist-fnnch-adds-a-sweet-touch-to-grand-center.

WELCOME HOME: CENTENE CENTER FOR ARTS AND EDUCATION, Keep Art Happening. August 1st, 2012. Accessed January 25th, 2023. https://keeparthappening.org/blog/ae-news-and-events/welcome-home-centene-center-arts-and-education.

Centene Center for the Arts, Facebook. Accessed January 25th, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/centenecenter/.

STL Live Prison Performing Arts 1 of 2, STL TV - YouTube Channel, January 6th, 2016. Accessed January 25th, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuIX-o45KNs

STL LIVE Prison Performing Arts 2 of 2, STL TV - YouTube Channel. January 6th, 2016. Accessed January 25th, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WQ8CrmsDtM.