South Broadway Art Project

I’ve been here twice for private Cocktails-​and-​Canvas parties — and have really enjoyed both! I think the vibe of this studio is more laid back and we get to paint what inspires us, meaning everyone doesn’t paint the same thing. I think it results in unique paintings, and while it may seem overwhelming for non-​artists, I think Sarah does an excellent job of giving recommendations and helping your painting look better! She is also super accomodating and so sweet!
And — I’m much more excited to support a local business rather than the chain-​type parties. SBAP offers a lot of different classes, and many are great for kids. Seems like they really like what they do, and overall it’s just a great place!

I visited South Broadway Art Project (SBAP) for my a Canvas & Cocktails «Arty Party» 2 weeks ago. I wanted to try something new for my birthday and read an article online that mentioned this studio. Initially, I was going to go with a larger chain that offers a similar class because I was drawn into the allure of their multi-​city locations. But I ultimately opted to go with this one because it was independent, unique, and more reasonably priced. We saved more than $ 10 per person at SBAP choosing them over the large chain. Another selling point was the freedom of images we were allowed to paint. I was able to not only pick a theme but we had freedom to create our own interpretations and all came out with a completely different take on the art, which alleviates some pressure that could be found in more uniform classes.
I should also mention Sarah, a SBAP employee who coordinated the details of my class, was extremely sweet and accommodating. I am so glad I decided to go with SBAP to celebrate my birthday. The studio was very cute and inviting (FYI the online pictures don’t do it justice). It was more spacious than I’d imagined which was a big relief. I came with 13 participants and we all were seated comfortably. There were great art samples surrounding the studio to help discover our inner artists and Anna, our instructor was bubbly and funny. I requested a «hands-​on» session because many of my friends were hesitant about the idea of painting for the first time and Anna fit the bill. She provided history behind the artist, styles of painting, and suggestions on our approach. We were able to play music on Pandora using a wireless speaker and lemonade was provided. We also brought our own food and drinks in which made it feel more like home. When it was time to wrap up, we weren’t rushed out of the studio promptly which I appreciated. We ran over our allotted time and Anna graciously allowed us time to find a stopping point and took a group photo of our party.
After hours of laughing and painting, we all took home some unique creations! Well worth the cost for a special birthday experience. I would recommend this studio to anyone interested in a unique, laid-​back art experience.

I once was going to write a review of SBAP, but obviously procrastinated and was reminded to do so today when a Unilocaler emailed me about my opinion of this place as I had mentioned it on a Unilocal thread a long time ago. I was actually surprised that a year later, I still talk so enthusiastically about this place!
South Broadway Art Project (SBAP) is a one-​of-​a-​kind St. Louis treasure. They are a nonprofit visual art studio, community educator, art resource, and design mecca all rolled into one. They offer rotating art and pottery classes for adults, both one-​night stands and longer week studies. Classes start at $ 25. You can also set up private thematic art parties for yourself and 10+ other people. But their claim to fame is really how they give back to the community, especially with their work with at-​risk youth. And they do a lot of this at a reduced cost, which is practically unheard of in this economy.
The resources that they have for kids are extensive. I thought that they were pretty encompassing last year, but a quick perusal of their current website shows me that they have really expanded. Kids can take art classes, and they even have special weekly classes for homeschooled children. They have collaborated summer camps, fashion design workshops, and meetups to create public art. Many of these programs that the children participate in are either free or at a very low cost, much lower than what you would pay through the park district or at the Y.
Adults can take classes too. Friday nights they have single classes for $ 25 and they range anywhere from painting to making jewelry to pottery to apparently even making your own underwear (this would be 4÷25÷13, so sign up today!). You can even bring in wine and snacks while you channel your inner artist. The class that I took was a scarf printmaking class, and it was really fun. Our instructor gave us these rubber blocks, and showed us various tools and techniques to create a stamp out of the block. We then stamped our way over fabric to create a scarf to take home. I was at first stumped by the shapeless block, but I managed to whittle a design into the block sooner or later. The harder part was how to uniquely incorporate my design over the fabric as I didn’t want to repeat the same «picture» over and over, and our instructor had some great ideas for me on how to do that. It was really fun picking and choosing my paints and then stamping the night away. I think the classes are pretty laid back and really do allow your imagination to take charge, but if you’re like me and more left-​brain than right, they are there to offer guidance and expertise as all the instructors do have an art background so don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for help! There are some classes that I had wished I’d taken when it was offered, but life interfered. I hope they get re-​rotated into the lineup again, but it looks like that they keep them under the party option. I guess I’m going to have to round up 10 friends! New this year is the expansion into pottery, which I’m excited about because that will give me a chance to play with clay at a much lower price than what Craft Alliance is asking for.
The studio isn’t located in the best neighborhood, which totally makes sense because it’s the community that they’re striving to empower through art. The building itself is great and the upstairs art studio has an amazing charm. If it’s a night class, the instructors do remind you of smart safety rules and also offer to watch you walk to your cars, which I think is pretty sweet. Don’t let the neighborhood deter you from trying them out!