CWE Gallery Night: Curious Nature Happy Hour

Still haven’t seen Curious Nature after our opening night last Friday? Not to worry! On Friday, May 1, Curious Nature will be FREE and open to the public from 7-9 PM at the Link Auditorium!

This event will take place in partnership with CWE Gallery Night on McPherson Ave. and Washington Ave. from 5-8 PM. Other participating galleries include the Duane Reed Gallery, Houska Gallery, Philip Slein Gallery, and Square One Gallery.

Discover captivating, unique works of art and enjoy live music and a cocktail bar!

Additionally, join STL Swing Dance for a beginning Swing Class from 7-8 PM for $15 in the upstairs ballroom!

 

SISTER SUFFRAGISTS
April 25-26, 2026  | 7 PM

A staged reading written by Sheila Bassoppo-Mayo

Presented by A Call to Consience: Interactive Theater for Social Change

Experience the story of Victoria Clay Haley, a suffragist and former President of the Federated Colored Women’s Clubs of St. Louis, whose leadership helped advance equality for all. 

The staged reading will conclude with an interactive post show discussions and a panel-formatted dialogue session, so make sure to stay until the end!

About “A Call to Conscience”

Founded in 2012, A Call to Conscience (C2C) is a women-led, multi-generational theater organization based in St. Louis. The company creates original, socially engaged performances that challenge audiences to confront injustice and reflect on the connections between history and present-day issues.

Through interactive productions, post-show discussions, and collaborations with grassroots organizations, C2C uses theater as a platform for dialogue, education, and community engagement. Their work centers the African American experience while fostering spaces for conversation, reflection, and collective understanding.

See you at the Link on Saturday and Sunday at 7 PM!

CWE Rose Day- Curious Nature Open Day

The Link Auditorium is excited to announce that we will participate in the annual Rose Day STL! Returning for its 8th year on Saturday, May 2, Rose Day brings together hundreds of St. Louisans for an afternoon that’s equal parts wine and purpose.

Stop by the Link any time between 12 – 5 PM for a taste of wine along the historic Rose Day Central West End route, and view the stunning art of nine St. Louis-based women artists in the Link’s current exhibition, Curious Nature!

The walking wine festival — hosted in the Central West End from noon to 5 p.m. — features 10+ tasting stations, live music, and local vendors, but at its heart it’s a celebration of community. A portion of every ticket directly supports 10 local nonprofits that empower women and girls across the region. In St. Louis, only 10% of philanthropic dollars reach organizations serving women and girls. Rose Day is here to close that gap, one glass at a time, and the Link Auditorium stop is not to be missed!

Curious Nature – Paintings, Photographs, Prints, and Objects

Open April 24th – June 26, 2026
Public Reception – April 24th, 5-9 PM
Artist Talk – May 16th, 1-2 PM

Paintings, Prints, Photographs and Objects from the studios of:

Amela Cikota, Martha Gipson, Lauren Knight

Belinda Lee, Lauren Michelle Tracy, Lauren Younge

Lilian Stehpen, Simiya Sudduth, Kit Keith

The Curious Nature show brings together paintings, photographs, prints, and objects of nine St. Louis artists that offer intimate observations on nature, design, science, and the spiritual self. The exhibition honors the vision and curiosity of the women who commissioned the building in 1908, creating a place dedicated to knowledge, exchange, and community. These values continue to resonate within the space today. Thirty percent of all proceeds will contribute to the restoration of The Link Auditorium and support future cultural programming.

Featuring the mesmerizing guitar music of Iranian-American musician Farshid Etniko, blending his persian heritage with Jazz rhythms and Flamenco motifs!

Want a taste of what’s to come? Check out these artist features below from our Instagram and Facebook pages!

Lauren Younge
Lauren Tracy
Belinda Lee
Martha Gipson

“EYEZ” Animated Exhibit Opening Night

On December 12, 2025, Peat Wollaeger launched his animated EYEZ exhibit at the Link Auditorium. Wollaeger, an internationally recognized stencil and street artist, opened this exhibit as the culmination of over three years of preparation. The exhibit features a selection of stencil paintings on a variation of subjects, including a monumental portrait of Miles Davis, images of tropical animals, and imaginative visions of our planet. 

The most distinctive feature of Wollaeger’s work lies in its animation. When visitors scan each painting through Wollaeger’s EYEZ app, they enter into a synthetic, immersive experience accompanied by themed music and 3D animations so gripping that the paintings seem to come alive. Visitors experienced the intersection of traditional art with cutting-edge technology whilst uncovering themes of identity, perception, and social commentary that drive Wollaeger’s creative vision. Enjoy these photos from a beautiful night!

Artist Peat Wollaeger introducing the show.

Peacock “EYEZ”!

Link Auditorium president Brian Elsesser taking it all in!

2025 WashU Sam Fox Group Student Showcase

In Spring 2025, the Link Auditorium hosted a group art exhibition by talented student artists from the WashU Sam Fox School of Art and Design. In this fabulous exhibition, fifteen artists explored the visible, the invisible, and what holds us together across more than two dozen works. Check out some photos from the gallery opening!



December 2023 Julie Malone Open House!

On December 16-17, 2023, the Link Art Gallery hosted the opening of resident artist Julie Malone’s exhibition “Outside Within,” a celebration of Malone’s atmospheric landscape oil paintings. Viewers had the opportunity to witness Malone make her signature works of art using a rich color palette in the adjacent Garden Room. The 2023 Julie Malone exhibition, open from December 9 to January 30 was the first artist exhibit at the newly renovated Link Art Gallery, a groundbreaking moment for the Link organization. 

Visitors enjoy a symphony of color at opening night!

May the Fourth Be With You! 2024

For all Star Wars fans, the Link Auditorium’s 3rd annual Star Wars May Fourth Cosplay Celebration was the place to be. The celebration featured a movie screening in the auditorium and upstairs, a live painting and Sci-Fi exhibit titled “Rebels and Rogues: The Sci-Fi Art of Steven Walden.” In his showcase, visitors explored the breadth of Walden’s Star Wars-themed collection and even had the privilege of witnessing Walden paint live in the art gallery. The May Fourth event also featured a costume contest, live Neo-futurist rock music, and a keynote address by Jeffrey Bishop, Ph.D., SLU professor of Bioethics and Philosophy (!) All in all, the May Fourth Event was an action-packed day with something for every Star Wars fan!

 

2023 History of St. Louis Lecture Series

A dirty little story about a city with potential! In September 2023, Brian Elsesser, a historian and the president of the Link Board of Directors, taught a course on the history of St. Louis from the ancient Cahokia civilization to the Civil War. For four Saturday mornings in October, community members gathered to learn more about the rich history of St. Louis. Attendees got the chance to learn about Cahokia, St. Louis as a French colony, industrialism in St. Louis, and St. Louis during the Civil War.

2023 Star Wars Showcase

The Link Auditorium hosted its second annual May 4 Star Wars celebration in 2023. One of the most successful events in the Link’s history, the Star Wars celebration featured a whole host of events in the afternoon. The upper gallery featured Star Wars-inspired artwork by Steven Walden, a costume contest, live music, crafts, and even a Jedi Philosophy and Imperial Ethics lecture by Professor Jason Eberl! The showpiece of the exhibition was perhaps a death star replica made from recycled materials by local artist Davide Weaver. The Link’s very own death star can still be seen in the building today. 2023 Star Wars Day was a blast for everyone, but especially for the kids fighting with toy light sabers!

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Darth Vader fun at the Costume Contest!

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“I am your father!”

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…and the Link’s very own enormous Death Star! Beware…