“The beauty of First Night is that you can have any kind of evening you want,” said Travis Howser, director of events and theaters at Grand Center Inc. “You can gather the kids and hit Busch Student Center and make the rounds through all of the family-friendly entertainment; you can grab a seat, sit back and enjoy an entire evening of music, theater and comedy; or just grab your friends or that special someone for a night out on the town with dinner, live music and dancing. There’s no limit, and it’s all your choice.”

From 6 p.m. to midnight Dec. 31, First Night® - St. Louis brings the magic of this year’s theme “Xanadu” to life in Grand Center. Loosely known as the mythical place that houses the nine muses in Greek Mythology, including art, literature, music, dance and more – perfectly capturing the spirit and variety of the celebration – “Xanadu” also inspired the 1980 romantic-musical-fantasy film and now cult classic by the same name. While the muses stay busy in Grand Center year-round in the theaters, art museums, art galleries, concert halls, schools, churches, restaurants and seasonal events, on Dec. 31, First Night® revelers might catch a glimpse of these apparitions stirring up a little New Year’s Eve magic.

For those who prefer to dance the night away as they greet the New Year, The Sheldon is one venue not to be missed. The dance floor of the Sheldon Ballroom will be “en fuego” with Latin beats, courtesy of Sol Salseros and Samba Bom, and professional dance instructors to help melt away the cold and spice up the night. Sol Salseros, a small group of fiery musicians with a big Latin sound, performs at 7:45 and 10:45 p.m. Samba Bom, a St. Louis-based ensemble that offers authentic sounds of Brazil, performs at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Outside, the heated “Xanadu” dance tent on Washington Avenue, just north of Strauss Park, will be thumping with nonstop dance beats spun by DJ Chris Johnson.

In the Sheldon Concert Hall, St. Louis favorites Kim Massie and Brian Owens round out the heavy-hitting vocal lineup. But the selection of live music goes well beyond the Sheldon. Returning favorites include the cabaret duos of Jeannie Trevor and Wendy Gordon, and Joe Dryer and Rosemary Watts; Gene Dobbs Bradford & the Blues Inquisition at Third Baptist Church; and performances at the College Church by Le Hot Jazz, Songs of Africa, and Native American flutist Mark Holland.

Newcomers to the First Night® music lineup include the Funky Butt Brass Band with their brand of New Orleans-inspired blues, gospel, Motown and Southern Rock; The Darrells, a fourpiece Americana/Rockabilly band; traditional Irish trio Eileen Gannon, Kevin Buckley and Kelly Winter; the energetic Irish duo Joe Stickley and Sean Canan; and the championship barbershop quartet SrQ Barbershop.

This special 20th anniversary celebration of First Night® also features a whole host of new entertainment, including interactive comedy illusionist, and St. Louis native, Joel Meyers and his progressive brand of magic; the high-flying, international trampoline sensation and former America’s Got Talent contestant, Flippen’ Out; three shows by hypnotist Brian Imbus in the Scottish Rite Auditorium; and a new production, Death by Tickle: Astounding Feats of Absurdity, from a First Night® favorite, Juggling Jeff, along with his comedy partner Oh My Gosh Josh.

Returning favorites include the magic of Brent Lowenstein in Johnson Hall at Third Baptist Church; improv comedy with Ed Reggi’s Paper Slip Theatre in the Grandel Theater; the ever-popular children’s activities – with make-and-take art projects, face-painting and storyteller Bobby Norfolk – at the Busch Student Center, where the 3rd floor ballroom will be turned into a dance showcase featuring performances by Ashleyliane Dance Company, MADCO, Metro Dance Company and more.

The Cadence, a dynamic, lively drumming group from Springfield, Mo., also returns, taking the Main Stage at 8:30 and 11:30 p.m. to lead the countdowns to both fireworks displays. The first display is at 9 p.m. for the young and young at heart, and the grand finale is at midnight.

As always, visitors to First Night® – St. Louis will find more activity and surprises outside on the festival footprint, centered at Strauss Park at the intersection of Grand and Washington boulevards where visitors can make wishes for the New Year and burn regrets from the past. Wishes will take the shape of “cake sprinkles,” decorating a 12-foot-high, artificial 20th birthday cake built just for First Night®.

And for those who like to pair dinner with New Year’s Eve, the burgeoning Grand Center restaurant scene offers plenty of new and old favorites, several of which are conveniently located right on the festival footprint. In addition, First Night® offers two food trucks, Papa Tom’s Gateway Dog Truck and Guerrilla Street Food, as well as warm refreshments from the First Night ® coffee shop set up inside Grand Center Arts Academy and the Kranzberg Theatre and hot chocolate served from the Design Deli’s converted fire engine truck on the street.

Admission buttons to FIRST NIGHT® - St. Louis are on sale now for $5 for children and $10 for adults. Several area businesses have partnered with First Night® to offer buttons at a pre-event price of $4 for children and $8 for adults. The community partners include: all area Dierbergs, select Schnucks locations and new this year, a collection of independent book stores, record stores and coffee shops throughout St. Louis: Left Bank Books, Subterranean Books, Dunaway Books, Euclid Records, Vintage Vinyl, Sue’s News in the Galleria Mall, Park Avenue Coffee, Pudd’nhead Books, The Book House, and Main Street Books in St. Charles. Children 5 and younger are free. For more program information, visit www.firstnightstl.org or www.grandcenter.org.

Have you been inspired by a woman in the arts? This is the question raised by Grand Center Inc. every year in preparation for the annual Visionary Awards, which recognizes the outstanding contributions of women in the arts. To make this event possible, Grand Center calls upon the public to help acknowledge these visionaries in the St. Louis region – the artists, advocates, teachers and philanthropists – who keep the arts alive and our communities thriving.

Nominations are open through Jan. 27, and include the following categories: Major Contributor to the Arts, Outstanding Arts Professional, Successful Working Artist, Outstanding Arts Educator and Emerging Artist. Grand Center especially encourages nominations that represent women from diverse disciplines and backgrounds.

Over the past nine years, more than 50 women have been honored, including such accomplished women like Kim Massie, Nancy Kranzberg, Jill McGuire, Juanita Hinshaw, Noemi Neidorff, Lee Nolting, Susan Slaughter, Ashley Tate, and Jessica Hentoff.

“We are so excited to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of this special recognition event,” said Marilyn Sheperd, vice president for development at Grand Center Inc. “St. Louis has so many talented women that have contributed to the arts in many significant ways, and the annual Visionary Awards allows us to honor the selected women at a beautiful and festive occasion.”

But their well-deserved recognition starts with simple a nomination from those whom they inspire. Nomination forms and instructions can be found online here or by contacting Marcia Quint, 314-289-1583 or marcia@grandcenter.org.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary, event organizers have selected a theme of “Putting it Together,” which, as Sheperd states, “speaks to how the process of creating art comes together – bit by bit, piece by piece – until a meaningful work of art or experience is created for all to enjoy.”

The 10th Annual Visionary Awards will be held May 16 at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd.

Drawing inspiration from the 1980 romantic-musical-fantasy film and now cult classic by the same name, “Xanadu” is loosely known as a mythical place that houses the nine muses in Greek Mythology, including art, literature, music, dance and more—perfect inspiration for First Night®–Saint Louis. While the muses stay busy in Grand Center year-round in the theaters, art museums, art galleries, schools, churches, restaurants and seasonal events, on Dec. 31, First Night® revelers might catch a glimpse of these apparitions stirring up a little New Year’s Eve magic.

After the 6:00 pm opening ceremony on the Main Stage at Grand and Lindell, performances continue through the night with three performances by interactive comedy illusionist Joel Meyers and his progressive brand of magic.

Featured on the street, revelers will see the high-flying, international trampoline sensation and former America’s Got Talent contestant, Flippen’ Out. Presenting world-class athletes and extreme trampoline shows, this troupe has performed all over the globe for large-scale corporate, private and public events, major festivals and fairs, as well as professional sports organizations.

Inside the venues throughout the district, visitors can catch a wide variety of stage and interactive performances. Hypnotist Brian Imbus performs three shows at the Scottish Rite Auditorium. First Night® favorites return including the magic of Brent Lowenstein in Johnson Hall at Third Baptist Church and Improv comedy with Ed Reggi’s Paper Slip Theatre in the Grandel Theater.

As always, First Night® will also be offering a wide variety of live music including jazz, bluegrass, cabaret, Irish harp, rock, barbershop and native American flute, to name a few. A new venue this year is the Grand Center Arts Academy at 711 N. Grand Blvd., where performers from the Academy along with the Teen Talent Showcase (presented by the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation) will show off their talents. On the main level of the brand new building, GCAA parents, teachers and staff will host a First Night® coffee shop, a great place to step out of the cold and enjoy some hot chocolate, coffee, tea and other festive refreshments.

The ever-popular children’s activities—with make-and-take art projects, face-painting along with favorite storyteller Bobby Norfolk—return to Busch Student Center. The 3^rd floor ballroom of the BSC will be turned into a dance showcase featuring performances by Ashleyliane Dance Company, MADCO, Metro Dance Company and more.

The Cadence, a dynamic, lively drumming group from Springfield, Mo., returns to First Night®, taking the Main Stage at 8:30 and 11:30 p.m. to lead the countdowns to both fireworks displays, the first at 9 p.m. for the young and young at heart, and the grand finale at midnight. This talented group first captured the national spotlight on America’s Got Talent in 2008.

Outside, visitors to First Night®–Saint Louis will find more activity on the festival footprint, where the district will be enveloped with special effect lighting and lively street performers. In Strauss Park, located at Grand and Washington, visitors can make wishes for the New Year and burn regrets from the past. Wishes will take the shape of “cake sprinkles,” decorating a giant, artificial 20th birthday cake built just for First Night®.

In the hugely popular heated dance tent, located next to the park on Washington, people can move and groove to the tunes spun by DJ Chris Johnson. Or for a little spice, visitors can dance to Latin music in the Sheldon Concert Hall ballroom.

“The 20th anniversary of First Night® in St. Louis is turning into quite a party,” said Travis Howser, director of events and theaters at Grand Center, Inc. “There’s always so much to see and do, and this year is no exception. We hear over and over how much people enjoy celebrating New Year’s Eve in a safe, festive atmosphere, surrounded by thousands of their friends and neighbors. First Night® originated as an event for the community, by the community, and I think we’ve kept that spirit alive each year. And of course, people love the fireworks!”

Admission buttons to First Night®–Saint Louis go on sale in December and are $5 for children and $10 for adults. Several area businesses have partnered with First Night® to offer buttons at a pre-event price of $4 for children and $8 for adults. The community partners include: all area Dierbergs, select Schnucks locations and new this year, a collection of independent book stores, record stores and coffee shops throughout St. Louis: Left Bank Books, Subterranean Books, Dunaway News, Euclid Records, Vintage Vinyl, Park Avenue Coffee, Pudd’nhead Books, The Book House, and Main Street Books in St. Charles. Children 5 and younger are free. 

The forum will be led by Donald Stastny, award-winning architect and urban designer, who was commissioned this spring by a steering committee of district representatives to lead in the creation of an overall vision and implementation plan.

After months of research, meetings with district organizations and institutions, a public forum on June 23, workshops with the planning committee and subsequent eight task forces assigned to specific areas for improvement, Stastny and his team will present the resulting “District Plan for an Evolving Grand Center.”

“I think we’ve made significant progress on establishing a vision for Grand Center,” said Stastny. “It’s rare that we have so many layers of neighborhood and city entities at work, from nonprofits to for-profits as well as civic organizations and government bodies. All of these elements have coalesced to form one vision … At the public forum, our work will show a defined set of strategies and actions that weave together a physical framework for the district.”

The planning framework is expected to address critical areas such as visitor experience, future land use, parking, key businesses and/or functions that are needed to become a more complete community, infill between cultural events and the school year, and neighborhood identity. 

WWW.GRANDCENTER.ORG
Check it out! Designed by the creative folks at TOKY Branding & Design our new website launches today!

The new site is designed to provide visitors and patrons a thorough guide and interactive access to the information about all of the events and organizations in the district. Just some of the newly enhanced features include:

• An interactive district calendar that allows a search by date, venue or type of event;
• Complete listing of district organizations, restaurants, hotels, shops and services;
• District box office and ticketing info;
• Maps & parking information;
• Listings and links to residential choices and commercial opportunities;
• Venue rental information;
• A section for Frequently Asked Questions;
• And the latest Grand Center news, including GCI-generated press releases, images, and logos. In addition, the monthly Art & Life newsletter will now be posted on line.

The new website also includes much more information about Grand Center, Inc. including:

• Descriptions and definitions between the district and the organization;
• Giving opportunities, fundraising events, and donor recognition;
• GCI-produced event information;
• And a directory that includes the board of directors, staff and volunteer information.

We love it and hope you will too!  Let us know what you think.

Public Forum II – Grand Center District Plan
You are invited to attend the second public forum to review and discuss the next phase of the development of the district plan.  The presentation will once again be guided by Donald Stastny, the Portland, Ore.-based, award-winning architect and urban designer, who has been leading the planning process since the spring.

Date: November 17
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Scottish Rite Auditorium
Parking: Complimentary parking in the Scottish Rite Garage (on Olive, just west of Grand) with entry between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Auditorium can be accessed from the garage, 3^rd level.

We’re Black & Blue All Over
Another big step in the process to unify the look of the district comes this November/December.  Each of the existing green street signs will be replaced with signs that incorporate our signature black and blue colors branded with the words “Grand Center.” The funding for this project came through the AARA federal funds that were awarded last year which also are providing the new sidewalks along Grand Blvd.

Grand Center Night at Chaifetz Arena
Saint Louis University has set aside 200 complimentary tickets for the Billiken game on Wednesday, December 7 for the Grand Center district staff and employees.  We’ll be sending out more details in a separate email but we wanted you to know now so you can mark your calendars and plan to attend!  Go Billikens!

 Weekend Getaway
“In the Grand Center district, the vibrant epicenter of the St. Louis art scene, you will find culture, history and an up-and-coming, rapidly growing community.  In the heart of it all rests Hotel Ignacio, a boutique hotel offering intimate luxury and a bold, contemporary style.”   ~~~~~ Michigan Avenue Magazine

Congratulations to Hotel Ignacio for being recognized by the “Windy City”….read the full article at www.michiganavemag.com

Our Thanks….
….and sincere wishes for a warm, safe, healthy, happy, turkey, dressing and pumpkin-filled Thanksgiving! Gobble, gobble!

Date: Thursday, November 17
Location: Scottish Rite Auditorium
Time: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Parking: Complimentary parking is available in the Scottish Rite Parking Garage, located on Olive, just west of Grand Blvd. There will be no fee to park provided you enter the garage between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm. 

Access the building and auditorium on level 3 from the garage. 

After the Aug. 26 deadline for submissions, Grand Center narrowed down the field to four selections and put the final decision to a vote on Facebook. “Xanadu,” a submission from Old North St. Louis resident Stella Clifford, just barely edged out runner-up “Mirage,” with “STLuminate,” and “The Roaring ‘20s” following close behind. Clifford received the coveted free iPad for her winning submission.

Clifford’s inspiration for Xanadu came from the 1980 romantic-musical-fantasy film and now cult classic by the same name. In the film, Xanadu is loosely known as a mythical place that houses the nine muses in Greek Mythology, including art, literature, music, dance and more – perfect inspiration for First Night® - St. Louis. While the muses stay busy in Grand Center year-round in the theaters, art museums, art galleries, schools, churches, restaurants and seasonal events, on Dec. 31, 2011, First Night revelers might catch a glimpse of these apparitions stirring up a little New Year’s Eve magic.

Xanadu will be the guiding theme for event planners at Grand Center as they set out to transform the district into a mythological playground for the arts. Look for the theme as it influences many aspects of the event, including poster and button designs, exterior lighting and design elements, community art projects, and art activities for kids. 

(ST. LOUIS/June 9, 2011)  Top executives of Grand Center’s major institutions have taken a significant next step in the district’s redevelopment process by launching an initiative to create a master plan for the Grand Center District. The plan will address such areas as recommendations regarding land use, zoning possibilities and design guidelines.

At the request of Grand Center Inc. and several key executives of district institutions, Mayor Francis G. Slay has asked 30 institutional, business and community leaders to serve on a Planning Committee to create a common vision for the next phase of development in Grand Center.  To achieve that goal, a Steering Committee made up of 14 members of the Planning Committee agreed to engage Donald Stastny, the Portland, Ore.-based, award-winning architect and urban designer, to lead the creation of an overall vision and implementation plan. 

The goal of the initiative is to develop a long-range vision for the Grand Center District that is commonly created, enabling a shared ownership. The plan will be based on the input of the cultural institutions, community organizations, businesses, residents and patrons who visit the district as well as interested citizens throughout the region.
 
Over the course of the next six months, Stastny and his design team are meeting with the members of the Planning Committee as well as district businesses and organizations. The planning process will also include public forums so that Stastny and the Planning Committee can receive direct input from the community on the planning process.  These interviews, meetings and subsequent public forums will help determine the common vision and course of the master plan, including progress markers for one-, five- and 10-year goals.

The first public forum is set for 5:30 p.m. June 23 at Powell Hall, 718 North Grand Blvd. At this forum, the public is invited to review the product of the planning process to that point and offer input into the project.

“Grand Center is simply teeming with possibility,” said Stastny. “Our charge is to help better organize a district that already hosts millions of visitors every year into a more pedestrian-friendly neighborhood where people will want to linger beyond seeing a show. We are setting out to link together the ‘islands’ of institutions into a complementary construct – one that is culturally and economically sustainable.” 
Stastny is not new to St. Louis. Last year, he and his team led the process that resulted in the selection of lead designer Michael Van Valkenburg and museum planner and architect Scott Newman to create a new master plan for the Gateway Arch grounds. Visit www.stastnybrun.com for more information about the firm.

As part of the planning process, a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) has also been organized. The TAG is comprised of representatives from city departments, public utilities such as Ameren, Laclede Gas and AT&T and other governmental entities such as the Metropolitan Sewer District to provide guidance and to help monitor the process. The purpose of the TAG is to try to uncover potentially dangerous or excessively expensive approaches to district hardscape improvements before they get too ingrained in the planning process.

“The Grand Center District has made significant progress over the past two decades including the addition of new cultural institutions, public media institutions, education facilities, performance venues, and commercial and residential development,” said Francis G. Slay, mayor of the city of St. Louis. “Working with Stastny and the planning committee will shape a cohesive plan for the next phase of Grand Center’s growth. I believe we are on the cusp of creating a dynamic urban community that will not only be a positive asset for St. Louis but will have a significant impact on the entire region for years to come.”
The planning process is expected to wrap up over the summer with a presentation of the final master plan in the fall.

The Grand Center Master Plan Planning Committee includes the following people:
(An asterisk indicates participation in the Steering Committee)

*Rich Baker, President           
Fox Associates, LLC
           
*Fr. Lawrence Biondi S.J., President
Saint Louis University

Gene Dobbs Bradford, Executive Director
Jazz St. Louis

*Fred Bronstein, President & CEO
St. Louis Symphony

*James Buford, President & CEO
Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis

*Paul DeMerath, Executive Director
Scottish Rite Preservation

Lori Dolan, VP & Director of Business Services
Moto Enterprises

*Tim Eby, General Manager
St. Louis Public Radio

Margaret Freivogel, Editor
St. Louis Beacon

*Jack Galmiche, President & CEO
Nine Network of Public Media

Lynne Glickert, Principal
Grand Center Arts Academy

Ronald Greenberg, Partner
Greenberg Van Doren Galleries

*Paul Ha, Director
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis

Becky James Hatter, President & CEO
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri

Leon Henderson, President
Cardinal Ritter College Prep

Ron Himes, Founder & Producing Director
The Black Repertory Company

*Warren Hoffman, Pastor
Third Baptist Church

Dean Kasas, Jr.
Restaurant Operator and Commercial Property Owner

Nico Leone, Co-Executive Director
KDHX Community Media

Boo McLoughlin, Executive Director
Craft Alliance

Cynthia Prost, President
Arts & Education Council

*Emily Rauh Pulitzer, Chairman
The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts

Debbie Pyzyk, President & CEO
Kohner Properties

*Keith Repko, Chief Engineer
St. Louis VA Medical Center - John Cochran Division

*Paul Reuter, Executive Director
The Sheldon

George Robinett
Representative for Alderwoman Marlene Davis

*Vince Schoemehl, President & CEO
Grand Center, Inc.

*Steve Smith, President
The Lawrence Group

Peter Spoto
Restaurant Operator

Eric Thoelke, President & Creative Director
TOKY Branding & Design

Grand Center is the major arts and entertainment district in the St. Louis region and is home to more than 30 arts organizations that demonstrate the depth and diversity of the city’s cultural life. The district hosts more than 1,500 cultural events each year and welcomes over 1.5 million visitors annually. Grand Center’s artistic renaissance began with the restoration of Powell Hall, home of the St. Louis Symphony, and the Fabulous Fox Theatre and continues today with the growing vitality of restaurants, retail, commercial and residential development. For more information about Grand Center, visit grandcenter.org.

# # #