Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission
REGIONAL CULTURAL AND PERFORMING ARTS is a public charity based in St. Louis, Missouri. It operates as the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC), describing itself as a public catalyst for arts and culture in the region. It supports arts and cultural activity in St. Louis City and County through grants to nonprofit organizations and individual artists.
Key facts about Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission
In short: Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission gave $8.2M across 166 grants in 2024 (avg $50K), mostly in Missouri. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 43-1363303
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,234,270
- Grants made (2024)
- 166
- Average grant
- $49,604
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (48 of 166, 2024)
- Total assets
- $9,242,757
- Primary geography
- Missouri (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$9.2M
-32.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.2M
+52.6% YoY
Grant Count
166
-9.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$50K
+68.3% YoY
Is Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 48 of 166 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $56K; repeat grants $47K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $20K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
RAC’s mission is “to strengthen and enrich our community” by leveraging creativity as the leading public catalyst for arts and culture in St. Louis. Its grant materials describe support for artistic activity, community participation, and access to the arts.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work funded. The St. Louis Black Repertory Company says its mission is to provide platforms for theatre, dance, and other creative expression from an African American perspective. The Sheldon Arts Foundation says it uses music and art to provide accessible, relevant experiences that strengthen the community. Counterpublic describes itself as a triennial exhibition reimagining the possibilities of art in public life. Other 2024 grantees include opera, film, arts education, and musical theatre organizations.
Grantmaking
In 2024, RAC reported 166 grants totaling **$8,234,270**. Grant amounts ranged from **$5,600 to $600,000**, with a median grant of **$20,000**. Larger awards included $600,000 each to Continuity for program support and St. Louis Dance Theater for general operating support; $500,000 each to the Contemporary Art Museum for program support, St. Louis Black Repertory Company for general operating support, St. Louis Shakespeare for program support, the Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis for general operating support, and the Sheldon Arts Foundation for program support. Other notable grants were $300,000 each to St. Louis American Foundation and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, $250,000 to Counterpublic, $150,000 to Explore St. Louis, and $100,513 to North St. Louis Arts Council.
Review Cycle
for the 2027–2030 grants will be published in Fall 2026.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission
Artist Fellowships
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission
Amount
$20,000 per artist
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Artist Relief Fund (COVID-19 Emergency)
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission
Amount
$500 - $1,000 per artist
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Artist Support Grants
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission
Amount
Up to $3,000 per artist
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
RAC states that its grant programs serve St. Louis City and County, Missouri. In 2024, its reported grant-dollar distribution was 99% to Missouri recipients, 1% to recipients in Washington, D.C., and 1% to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 166 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2022) to $8.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 166 grants totaling $8.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Continuity ($600K). Together the top 10 received $4.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
548 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 476 grants of 548 (87%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Continuity St. Louis, MO | Program Support | $600,000 |
| St Louis Dance Theater St. Louis, MO | General Operating Support | $600,000 |
| Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, MO | Program Support | $500,000 |
| St Louis Black Repertory Company St. Louis, MO | General Operating Support | $500,000 |
| St Louis Shakespeare St. Louis, MO | Program Support | $500,000 |
| The Municipal Theatre Association of St Louis St. Louis, MO | General Operating Support | $500,000 |
| The Sheldon Arts Foundation St. Louis, MO | Program Support | $500,000 |
| St Louis American Foundation St. Louis, MO | Program Support | $300,000 |
| St Louis Symphony Orchestra St. Louis, MO | Program Support | $300,000 |
| Counterpublic St. Louis, MO | General Operating Support | $250,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,242,757 | $15,000,891 | $13,483,285 | $8,234,270 | 166 |
| 2022 | $7,736,397 | $7,200,123 | $3,630,236 | $1,031,400 | 85 |
| 2021 | $5,092,606 | $4,539,915 | $3,142,620 | $1,524,908 | 53 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,242,757 | $13,715,122 | $7,736,397 |
| Revenue | $15,000,891 | $11,477,109 | $7,200,123 |
| Expenses | $13,483,285 | $12,460,159 | $3,630,236 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,049,636 | $309,857 | $937 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 28, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing were Rosalind Johnson, chair; Jerry Gennaria, vice chair; John H. Russell, treasurer; Constantino Ochoa, secretary; Robert Arbuthnot, Rhonda Carter Adams, Heather Corcoran, Beverly Isom, and Mont Levy, directors; and Sam Fiorello, member-at-large.
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission is led by Vanessa Cooksey, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 2 of 17 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Vanessa Cooksey
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$24K (2020) → $196K (2024)
Rosalind Johnson
Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl Ds Walker
Director
Chairman → Member-At-Large, 2023
Member-At-Large → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Carl Wilson
Director
Director → Member-At-Large, 2021
Member-At-Large → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mont Levy
Director
Chairman → Member-At-Large, 2022
Member-At-Large → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Corcoran
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rhonda Carter Adams
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Beverly Isom
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rudolph Nickens
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angela Williams
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Arbuthnot
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angela Peters
Vice President of Growth & Development
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$118K (2023) → $154K (2024)
Andrea Purnell
Member-At-Large
Vice Chairman → Chair, 2023
Chair → Member-At-Large, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Gennaria
Vice Chair
Member-At-Large → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John H. Russell
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sam Fiorello
Member-At-Large
Director → Member-At-Large, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Constantino Ochoa
Secretary
Director → Member-At-Large, 2023
Member-At-Large → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (14)
- Former: Anthony Chance (2023–2024) — Vice President of Finance & Operations · Filing note: Thru 4/2024
- Former: Vin Ko (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Sukanya Subramanian (2023) — Director
- Former: Adewale Soluade (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Kellie Trivers (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Mary Walsh (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Lyah Leflore (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Sherry Sissac (2020–2021) — Deputy Director
- Former: Celia Hosler (2020) — Interim Executive Director
- Former: Cynthia J. Kohlbry (2020) — Director
- Former: Erika Fiola (2020) — Grants & Strat. Initiatives Director
- Former: Eva Frazer (2020) — Director
- Former: Michael Scully (2020) — Member at Large
- Former: Vinfung Ko (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $196K, to Vanessa Cooksey (President & CEO). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 4220 Duncan Avenue 201, St Louis, MO 63110
Phone: (314) 863-5811
Website: https://racstl.org
Frequently asked questions about Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission
How much does Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission give each year?
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission gave $8.2M across 166 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $5.4M across 183 grants.
What is Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission's typical grant size?
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $49,604, across 166 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission that year got $56K on average.
Where does Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission give grants?
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission gives mostly in Missouri: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were St. Louis, MO (133 grants), Chesterfield, MO (6 grants), Florissant, MO (4 grants) and Webster Groves, MO (3 grants).
Does Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission give general operating support?
Yes: 62% of Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (103 of 166) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (49 grants).
Who are Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission's largest grantees?
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission's largest 2024 grantees include Continuity ($600,000), St Louis Dance Theater ($600,000) and Contemporary Art Museum ($500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission?
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission reported $9.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $15.0M.
What does Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission fund?
RAC’s mission is “to strengthen and enrich our community” by leveraging creativity as the leading public catalyst for arts and culture in St. Louis. Its grant materials describe support for artistic activity, community participation, and access to the arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission?
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check racstl.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission's EIN?
Regional Cultural and Performing Arts Development Commission's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1363303. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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