The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC) is implementing a series of structural changes aimed at reducing expenses and directing more funding to artists, arts programs and arts organizations across the region.
Among the changes are the elimination of the President & CEO role and the outsourcing of RAC’s grantmaking administration.
The restructuring comes six months after Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick launched a performance audit of RAC following a whistleblower complaint alleging possible misuse of funds. The review is a performance audit — focused on operations, compliance, efficiency and effectiveness — rather than a traditional financial audit of accounting records.
RAC leaders say the moves are part of a multi‑year strategic planning process that included feedback from the local arts sector. They said the goal is to streamline operations and increase the dollars available for grantmaking. In 2023, RAC distributed $1.6 million in grants to arts organizations. By 2025, that number had doubled to $3.2 million. The agency reports it is on track to distribute $5.3 million in 2026 across all grant categories.
RAC Board Chair Tino Ochoa said the changes reflect both increased public scrutiny and broader pressure on arts funding in St. Louis and nationwide.
“Protecting public funding for the arts has never mattered more than it does now, and RAC is evolving to meet the moment,” Ochoa said. “The world RAC was built for in 1985 is not the world we work in today, and an institution that exists to promote, foster, and encourage the arts has to be willing to change in order to protect them.”
As part of the restructuring, RAC has contracted with the St. Louis Community Foundation to administer its annual grantmaking process. RAC said the partnership will reduce administrative costs while maintaining the quality of grantmaking and community engagement. The Foundation will manage the process, but all funding decisions will remain with RAC’s 15 commissioners.
The Board also voted to return to non‑allocation accounting beginning January 1, 2027. Under the new structure, costs such as rent, salaries and marketing will be recorded as a combined administrative total rather than allocated to individual programs.
RAC will continue to sunset or outsource programs it previously managed directly over the next year. The organization will also adopt a new staffing model. RAC’s headcount has decreased by more than 40% since 2024, and additional reductions are planned — including the elimination of the President & CEO role.
“My responsibility has been to put RAC’s mission first and help shape a future that directs more resources to the artists, arts programs, and arts organizations that make St. Louis extraordinary,” said RAC President & CEO Vanessa Cooksey. “Leading RAC through this transition has meant making difficult decisions about how we can best serve the arts community.”
Cooksey said her focus has been on ensuring more resources reach artists and arts organizations.
“I’m grateful to our staff, whose dedication has made this work possible, and I recognize the personal impact of these changes,” she said. “As I prepare to conclude my time at RAC at the end of the year, I’m grateful to have led this work alongside colleagues who care deeply about the future of the arts in St. Louis.”
Despite the changes, RAC leaders say the agency’s mission remains the same.
“Roads connect places. The arts connect people,” said Sam Fiorello, vice chair of the Board of Commissioners. “That’s the work RAC has done for more than forty years, and it’s the work that continues.”
The commissioners — appointed by the Mayor of St. Louis and the St. Louis County Executive — will continue to oversee grant strategy and advocate for public arts funding.
RAC remains the region’s largest public investor in arts and culture. Over four decades, the agency has awarded nearly $120 million in more than 7,500 grants ranging from major institutions to neighborhood‑based programs.