On December 11th through January 5th, St. Louis’ newest art exhibition hub The Gallery will host “Making History: Kansas City and the Rise of Gay Rights,” a traveling exhibit that brings the stories of LGBTQ+ people to communities across the state of Missouri. The exhibit, created by students at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC), explores the activism of the early days of the LGBTQ+ movement in Kansas City, and it has been traveling the state since 2017. The St. Louis residency kicked off on November 30th and will be held at various locations across the region.

“The Gallery celebrates diversity and inclusion, where everyone is welcome,” says The Staenberg Group President Michael Staenberg. “Not only is this exhibit a great fit for The Gallery but it also features an important story that we’re honored to help tell.”

St. Louis Post Dispatch calls The Gallery a “new destination for feel-good art.” Watch the full interview with Staenberg Group President Michael Staenberg, here: stltoday.com/entertainment/watch-now-gallery-will-feature-artistic-works-by-factory-performers/video_7b7dfe9e-d38b-5fec-94da-e3996120b377.html

“By displaying ‘Making History: Kansas City and The Rise of Gay Rights’ in the St. Louis area, we are showing our support for the LGBTQ+ community in Kansas City and throughout Missouri,” said Charlie Brennan, KMOX Radio host helping lead the effort. “We also see great value in learning the history of Kansas City’s LGBTQ+ community through this exhibit, which is the result of serious academic scholarship at the UMKC.”

“The Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis is honored to count ourselves among the organizers of the effort to bring this remarkable exhibit to St. Louis,” said Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, Executive Director of the JCRC. “It is essential that we learn from and honor the history and struggles of all peoples, and especially the LGBTQ+ community. As we see from the work of displaying the exhibit, these struggles are far from over, and we all have a part to play in building a brighter, more welcoming future for all people.” 

The Gallery is located at The District, St. Louis’ new go-to spot for playing, eating and rocking, at 17105 North Outer 40 Road, Suite 207. The exhibit will be open to the public from 11 AM - 5 PM Monday-Saturday, 12 - 5 PM Sunday from December 11 through January 5.

ABOUT THE GALLERY:

The Gallery is a beautiful, modern and inviting art gallery located in The District in Chesterfield, just outside of St. Louis, MO. The current exhibit features a portion of Michael Staenberg's extensive personal collection featuring works by local, regional, and international artists. When you visit the gallery, you will enjoy a diverse selection of eclectic paintings, sculptures and photography covering a range of subject matter and mediums that are available for purchase.

ABOUT “MAKING HISTORY: KANSAS CITY AND THE RISE OF GAY RIGHTS”:

Making History originated as a project in the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Public History class following the installation of the commemorative marker by GLAMA and LGBT-KC. The website is the digital version of the traveling exhibit, which has toured the Kansas City metro area at libraries, community centers, and museums. For more information or to find out how you can host the traveling exhibit, contact the curators here.