When Two Become One! Saint Louis Arts Groups Hopeful of Merger Impact

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By TAHLIB

Detail of "A Prince Meeting a Muslim Holy Man" (1610) at the Saint Louis Art Museum

Many believe, including me that nonprofit news partnerships are the future for arts journalism. On Monday another sign of that hopeful change was the merger of the St. Louis Public Radio and the St. Louis Beacon to become one news organization. "Commercial media have no interest in the arts," said one Saint Louis arts administrator (and friend). "Today, when I send a press release or an email pitch, I get a call-back from the advertising department." The consolidation of the two nonprofit news organizations will significantly improve their business capacity; and the arts community is hopeful it will also result in more depth explorations of arts issues; and stories about artists in the community.