The Sheldon, designed by the noted 1904 World's Fair architect Louis C.
Spiering, was built in 1912 as the home of the Ethical Society of St. Louis.
Musicians and public speakers throughout the years have enjoyed the perfect
acoustics of the Sheldon Concert Hall, earning The Sheldon its reputation as
"The Carnegie Hall of St. Louis." Well-known singers and ensembles have
performed at The Sheldon, and speakers such as Albert Einstein, Dwight
Eisenhower and Ernest Hemingway have spoken from its stage. The St. Louis
Chapter of the League of Women Voters was founded in The Sheldon's Green
Room.
When the Ethical Society relocated to St. Louis County in 1964, The Sheldon
became a primarily music venue. Then, in 1974, a former singer with the Duke
Ellington Orchestra purchased the facility, transforming The Sheldon into a
church and the site for many glorious jazz and gospel concerts. A California
attorney with a love for chamber music purchased the building in 1984 at the
urging of the Paganini String Quartet. He began operating The Sheldon in
1986 as a venue for concerts and community events.
Determined to preserve and establish The Sheldon as one of St. Louis'
greatest cultural resources, the non-profit Sheldon Arts Foundation was
formed in 1988. The Foundation purchased the building in 1991, and today The
Sheldon Arts Foundation is governed by a 45-member Board of Directors.
The Sheldon Concert Hall is the site of over 300 events each year, including
great jazz, folk and classical music, featuring the world's finest
musicians. Artists such as Dave Brubeck, Cleo Laine, José Carreras, Herbie
Hancock, Doc Watson, Joan Baez, Willie Nelson, Julian Bream, Itzhak Perlman
and Jessye Norman have recently performed at The Sheldon. In addition, The
Sheldon presents Family Concerts, educational programs for schools and
Coffee Concerts. The "Notes From Home" series, featuring St. Louis
musicians, is presented weekday evenings. The Sheldon Ballroom, Spiering
Room and Art Galleries host workshops and master classes, post-concert
receptions, fundraising events, corporate presentations and community
meetings.
In 1998, The Sheldon expanded its artistic focus to include six new art
galleries in a $5 million dollar expansion project. Improvements included
complete wheelchair accessibility, new restrooms, two new lobbies, a
sculpture garden, added parking and in 1999, the 500-seat Louis Spiering
Room. The Sheldon Art Galleries encompass 7,000 square feet and feature
exhibits on photography, architecture, St. Louis artists and collection,
jazz history, emerging artists and children's art.
The Sheldon's renovations continued in 2001 with the installation of five
new stained glass windows designed by acclaimed artist Rodney Winfield. His
stunning designs, called "Theme and Variation," are designed to be seen both
during the day and at night.
In the heart of St. Louis' Grand Center arts district, The Sheldon continues
to offer the St. Louis area a wealth of cultural resources in the tradition
of its visionary founders. A non-profit organization, The Sheldon relies on
public support to carry out its mission: to preserve and operate the
historic Sheldon Concert Hall and the Sheldon Art Galleries as an
independent cultural institution, to produce and present a diverse array of
quality concerts, art exhibits and educational programs of local and
national importance, and to provide facilities and services for a wide
variety of community organizations.
