About

Counterpublic is a civic exhibition that weaves contemporary art into the life of St. Louis for three months every three years in order to reimagine civic infrastructures towards generational change.

Counterpublic’s second edition will run from April 15 to July 15, 2023.

vision

Actively engaged with both its neighbors in St. Louis and national conversations on the role of contemporary art, Counterpublic aims to be a beacon of creative thinking and community engagement—an inclusive art platform that expands social, political, and civic horizons.

VALUES

Working in public places, cultural institutions, historic houses, and community gathering spaces, Counterpublic commissions dozens of artists, collectives, and community organizers to make and present works in St. Louis that engage the city’s histories and imagine new futures. The three month festival also includes active education, research, residencies, performances, publications, public projects, and commissions.

Counterpublic was founded by The Luminary in 2019 and incorporated as an independent 501c3 nonprofit in 2021.

2023

Counterpublic 2023 will consider the entanglements of time in the city—its complex histories, charged present, and many possible futures—in one layered exhibition, following the footprint of Jefferson Avenue as it charts the pulses of the city from the Southern Riverfront through the Brickline Greenway at Market Street to St. Louis Avenue in North St. Louis.

Process

Counterpublic spent the entirety of 2021 embedded in the communities we will be working with, documenting our work and embarking on an invitational model with our partners, neighbors, sites, and collaborators prior to announcing any concepts, artists, or projects. We spoke with over 800 neighbors and stakeholders in our community leading to a Community Report.