Over the past several months, we have seen an influx of articles, reviews, and overall responses to our exhibitions, concert series, and public interaction projects. Much of that coverage arose out of conversations in which the most common response was—we had no idea you were involved in so many areas. In an effort to open those conversations up to a broader audience, we have integrated a new blog, The Modifier, into our redesigned website, which will host general observations in the local and global art and music world, reviews of standout work, theoretical musings, guest bloggers, and more.

Simply put, The Luminary seeks to serve the St. Louis region by providing resources and thoughtful programming to artists and art appreciators. However, that simple vision has led to work as diverse as a residency program, monthly music series, public studio space, group exhibitions, an art and literature library, weekly educational events, and many other areas you will hear about in coming months as we update The Modifier blog. All of it is part of the same process for us—change in community. It is about social economy, the aesthetics and effects of community. We’ve named our blog The Modifier not only because we like naming things, but also because it speaks to the core reasons for our work: the idea that we change in community and that communities then change cities. Our work is with and for artists because we are artists and see the artistic community as one of the most dynamic, active and transformative populations and because we think great art deserves the support it needs to be created for all of our benefit.

We work in a specific context that informs all that we do. St. Louis has a great arts scene, but we felt there was a gap here in organizations that directly affected the daily working life of artists, as well as those willing to bridge the gap for potential art appreciators intimidated by the art world as a whole. We are continually amazed by the work of so many around us, from the dynamism at place in and around Cherokee, to the engaging, context-shattering work The Pulitzer has begun, the continually challenging exhibition program at White Flag and CAMSTL to area colleges and universities consistently bringing up incredible emerging artists that nourish all the rest. We hope that, over time, the effects of these and others, as well as our own, accumulate into something we are all proud to have been involved in and begin to affect change in our city that lasts far beyond our tenures here.