THE LUMINARY ANNOUNCES 11 ARTISTS FOR NEW CHEROKEE STREET STOREFRONT ACTIVATION PROJECT
THE LUMINARY ANNOUNCES 11 ARTISTS FOR NEW CHEROKEE STREET STOREFRONT ACTIVATION PROJECT
9.3.2026
The Luminary Announces 11 Artists for New Cherokee Street Storefront Activation Project
Artist-led installations will transform storefronts along Cherokee Street this fall, creating a public exhibition unfolding across the neighborhood.
The Luminary is pleased to announce 11 artists selected for a new storefront activation project bringing temporary, site-responsive artworks to storefronts along Cherokee Street this fall.
Featuring Sydney Oreoluwa, Nick Schleicher, Daniel Hojnacki, Damon Davis, Sage Dawson, Janie Stamm, Matt Branham, Madeline Gallucci, Eva Aguero, and Kevin Harris, the project invites artists to consider the storefront as both an exhibition space and a point of encounter between art, architecture, and everyday life on Cherokee Street.
Developed by The Luminary in collaboration with the Cherokee Street CID, the initiative transforms vacant and underused storefront windows into sites for artistic experimentation while directly investing in artists and contributing to the cultural life of the street. Rather than concentrating the work within a single gallery, the project unfolds across the neighborhood, inviting visitors and passersby to encounter contemporary art as part of the daily rhythms of Cherokee Street.
After Hours / Night Signals
The inaugural iteration, After Hours / Night Signals, considers how storefronts change after businesses close and the street moves into its nighttime life. Artists were invited to respond to ideas of illumination, visibility, communication, gathering, and what becomes perceptible after dark.
The resulting works span installation, video, sound, light, sculpture, and other media and will be visible from the street throughout the exhibition period.
“Cherokee Street has long been shaped by artists, small businesses, neighbors, and people creating spaces for themselves and one another,” says Kalaija Mallery, Artistic + Executive Director of The Luminary. “We wanted to approach vacant storefronts as places where artists can intervene in the life of the street right now. This project puts resources directly into artists’ hands while creating unexpected encounters with art outside of a traditional exhibition space.”
“What excites me about this project is that it asks people to actually explore Cherokee Street and discover new and unexpected things. Cherokee has dozens of unique shops, from records to rocks, books, plants, hats, vintage clothing and antiques; restaurants, bars, venues and architecture; but often visitors come for one destination and miss all the district has to offer. This project is a reminder for locals and newcomers alike that Cherokee is made up of many communities, experiences and treasures.”
[Name + title, Cherokee Street CID]
Participating Artists
Sydney Oreoluwa (St. Louis, MO)
Nick Schleicher (St. Louis, MO)
Daniel Hojnacki (Chicago, IL)
Damon Davis (St. Louis, MO)
Sage Dawson (St. Louis, MO)
Janie Stamm (Pacific, MO)
Matt Branham (St. Louis, MO)
Madeline Gallucci (Chicago, IL)
Eva Aguero (St. Louis, MO)
Kevin Harris (St. Louis, MO)
Each participating artist will receive an artist stipend and materials support to develop a new or site-responsive work for their assigned storefront.
Opening October 1
After Hours / Night Signals opens Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 5–8 PM with a street-wide gallery crawl along Cherokee Street.
Installations will be located throughout the district, creating a walkable exhibition that can be encountered from the sidewalk throughout the day and evening. Additional information about participating storefronts, individual projects, and public programs will be announced as the exhibition approaches.
The Cherokee Street Storefront Activation Project is organized by The Luminary in collaboration with the Cherokee Street CID and participating Cherokee Street property and business owners.