St. Louis boasts several established and critically acclaimed arts institutions that support early- and mid-career artists. Still, many creatives say that opportunities are limited and that the local arts ecosystem doesn’t meet their needs.
Art, Mimosas and Pancakes has become a hotly anticipated arts and cultural event in St. Louis since its start in 2015. The daylong showcase combines visual and culinary art. Multidisciplinary artist Brock Seals, who produces and hosts the event, told St. Louis on the Air that he was motivated by a lack of opportunities for emerging artists — and inspired by past DIY arts events like Vibes STL.
This year, Art, Mimosas and Pancakes celebrates its 10th anniversary with more than 60 visual artists, a variety of vendors and makers, and nine stage performances spanning a range of music genres.
Seals said a major goal of the event is to represent a lot of art — and highlight the artists behind it. “We want every voice to be heard,” Seals said. “Art, Mimosas and Pancakes is a celebration of not only what we're building here in the city, but celebrating artists in general. When [emerging artists] feel like you don't have any opportunities or outlets, you look forward to this.”
Julian Keaton, music director for Art, Mimosas and Pancakes, joined the team three years ago after previously sponsoring Vibes STL. He said that along with entertainment and food, Art, Mimosas and Pancakes gives performing artists an opportunity to work in a professional, creative environment. Keaton also shared that the event highlights how St. Louis needs to continue to build up its arts infrastructure.
“There really is not an incubation system for artists and non-artists to be able to explore the business and the commerce of art locally. One of the conversations that gets talked about amongst other talent managers is live production,” Keaton said. “There are promoters who are not fully trained on how to properly promote. For artists, a lot of the time they've never done a soundcheck before. Having that hands-on skills and experience is key.”
For more about this year’s Art, Mimosas and Pancakes listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or click the play button below.
Related Event
What: Art, Mimosas and Pancakes
When: July 19
Where: The Hawthorn (2231 Washington Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103)
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Darrious Varner is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
