To mark Women’s History Month, Gazelle introduces you to the six remarkable recipients of the 2022 Saint Louis Visionary Awards, who will be honored during a ceremony in April.
The award – one of the most prestigious in the local arts community – recognizes the many contributions of women who work in and support the arts in St. Louis.
Among them is philanthropist Emily Rauh Pulitzer, who will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement award. Mrs. Pulitzer’s lifelong advocacy and support of the arts have had considerable impact on arts institutions in St. Louis and beyond.
She received degrees in art history from Bryn Mawr College and Harvard University, and went on to establish a career in the arts, including as curator of the Saint Louis Art Museum in the 1960s.
The Saint Louis Art Museum recently announced Mrs. Pulitzer’s plans to donate 22 masterpieces to the museum, including works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and Andy Warhol, making it one of the most significant gifts in its history. Along with her late husband, Joseph Pulitzer Jr., and their family, the Pulitzers have had a legacy of giving to the museum that dates back 90 years. She and her husband also established the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, which opened in Grand Center in 2001.
In 2012, President Barack Obama awarded Mrs. Pulitzer with the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor given to artists, arts patrons and arts organizations by the United States government.
GAZELLE: With your many years of working in and advocating for the arts locally, how would you describe the state of the arts in St. Louis today?
EMILY RAUH PULITZER: I cannot think of a time when the state of the arts in St. Louis was better than today. The major cultural institutions have very good leadership, in many cases, led by women. More opportunities and focus on local artists are occurring now than in the past. Organizations such as Great Rivers Greenway with the Brickline and CounterPublic will be providing opportunities for artists to work in numerous parts of the community. In Grand Center, where I have been especially involved, more arts of all kinds are being presented.
GAZELLE: Why is the vitality of the arts so important for cities like St. Louis?
EMILY RAUH PULITZER: The arts can react to current issues, show new and creative ways of seeing and thinking, give pleasure to people and are a large economic driver.
GAZELLE: What does this award mean to you?
EMILY RAUH PULITZER: I am delighted to receive this recognition from this wonderful group of women, each of whom is involved with the arts in St Louis.
Other 2022 Visionary Awards recipients are: Hassie Davis (Outstanding Teaching Artist), Andrea Hughes (Community Impact Artist), Dianne Isbell (Outstanding Working Artist), Mee Jey (Emerging Artist) and Pam Trapp (Major Contributor to the Arts).
An awards ceremony and program, followed by a reception, begins at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 25, at the Sun Theatre in Grand Center. Cheree Berry and Dr. Eva Frazer are the co-hosts for the evening.
For tickets and additional information, visit the Saint Louis Visionary Awards website.
