The biggest funder of arts in St. Louis is under scrutiny. The Regional Arts Commission (RAC), established by Missouri lawmakers in 1985 to distribute grants for arts and culture, is now the subject of a state performance audit after whistleblower complaints alleging excessive staffing expenses and bonuses. Host Jacob Kirn sits down with reporter Jim Drew to unpack what's going on — from questions about how RAC classifies its administrative spending to stay under a legally mandated 15% cap, to CEO Vanessa Cooksey's total compensation exceeding $200,000, to more than $841,000 spent on travel and consultants over three years. They also dig into life event gifts made with tax dollars, a $24,000 grant with ties to former Mayor Tishaura Jones, and a previously unreported effort to secure a share of the Zoo Museum District property tax. State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick expects to complete his review by the end of 2026.

Show links:

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/03/16/regional-arts-commisson-travel-zoo-museum-district.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/03/06/state-investigation-targets-regional-arts-grant-to.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/03/12/rac-weighs-gift-policy.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2026/03/03/state-auditor-probes-regional-arts-commission.html