Pick the City UP

 

 

Pick the City UP Tour presents Saint Louis Story Stitchers unique brand of urban storytelling, featuring live original STL hip hop, spoken word and story magic on public health issues St. Louis cares about including gun violence. Pay tribute, join the fun, and make a difference. Bringing positive change to the Lou.

All events are free and family-friendly.

Sign up for e-news to follow or come to Tour events!

16-24 years old? Living in St. Louis region? Join Stitchers Youth Council to get involved!    Reach out to Emeara@storystitchers.org to learn more!

Story Stitchers perform at Gateway Arch National Park
Story Stitchers perform at Gateway Arch National Park
Story Stitchers perform at Gateway Delmar Loop ArtsFest

West Side Street Feast, 2019
West Side Street Feast, 2019
West Side Street Feast, 2019

 

Story Stitchers at Washington University
Story Stitchers with Moms Demand Action at Gareway Arch National Park
Story Stitchers at Tillie’s Corner in JeffVanderLou

2021/22 Season is funded in part by The Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Regional Arts Commission, Arts and Education Council PNC, and Starbucks Foundation Neighborhood grant.

Additional support is provided by Kranzberg Arts Foundation.

Coming your way in the 2021/22 Season!

Story Stitchers Dance Battles

Stitchers Youth Council with Katherine Bernhardt create the MLK Mural
Stitchers Youth Council with Katherine Bernhardt create the MLK Mural
Stitchers Youth Council with Katherine Bernhardt create the MLK Mural
Image courtesy of Somewhere Studio, LLC
Image courtesy of Somewhere Studio, LLC
Image courtesy of Somewhere Studio, LLC

The Shelter Project

Community Celebration

Wellston Loop Community Development Corporation

1514 Hodiamont, St. Louis, Missouri

TBD Spring 2021

The Shelter Project is sponsored in part by Wellston Loop Community Development Corporation, Somewhere Studio, LLC, Wells Goodfellow Neighborhood Improvement Association, Katherine Bernhardt, Metro St. Louis, Alberici Constructors, Inc., Ryan Goser of Goser Structural Engineering, LLC, LJ Punch, MD and “The T”, and Saint Louis Story Stitchers youth programs such as mural painting and community organizing for The Shelter Project are supported through grants from the City of St. Louis Youth Crime Prevention grant of 2020, Youthbridge Community Foundation Nonprofit Recovery and Resilience Fund, Missouri Foundation for Health, Incarnate Word Foundation, Regional Arts Commission, and Arts and Education Council PNC grant for Story Stitchers’ annual Pick the City UP program, and Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund.

 

StitchCast Studio recording at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO
StitchCast Studio recording on the .ZACK Rooftop
Story Stitchers Recording Studio, 3617 Grandel Sq

StitchCast Studio LIVE

Public Podcast Recordings with live Pick the City UP Art Interludes:

High Low

3301 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63103

Kranzberg Arts Foundation

Listening Room

  • September 29, 2021
  • October 27, 2021
  • November 10, 2021
  • March 30, 2022
  • April 27, 2022

StitchCast Studio Season II in 2021 is sponsored by the Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund’s three year grant 2020-22, Arts and Education Council PNC Grant, and Lush Corporation’s The Charity Pot.

Branden, Stitchers Youth Council

The Pick the City UP Tour benefits each community the tour visits in two ways. The first is that is reminds the older generation that there are still (young) people making a difference; it also shows the younger community that they there are alternatives to destructive lifestyles.

Emeara, Stitchers Youth Council and Youth Program Director

The community gets to have a positive outlet of entertainment. They also get to see the young adults and teens represent the community in a positive way.

Chris, Stitchers Youth Council

The community benefits from the tour by us really just being a face for stopping gun violence. Giving our message in a positive way in the areas that need it is a major benefit to us and the community.

Cali, Stitchers Youth Council 

To me I think it is because for 3 or 4 hours in a day, people get a break from what’s going around in their neighborhoods. They get to hear what we have to say and just a break from the mainstream music that’s all talking ‘bout just selling drugs, guns, girls then they come hear our stuff to hear about how to help and how to better our community, how to provide more stuff, not even physical just lyrical and I think that’s a good benefit.

Pick the City UP 2019 Tour was presented with support from Missouri Foundation for Health, LUSH Corporation’s The Charity Pot, Regional Arts Commission, Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Steward Family Foundation, Cardinals Care, and Incarnate Word Foundation.

WHY do Story Stitcher focus on gun violence?

Because it affects our youth, our artists and our communities. Stitchers youth identify this as the #1 issue that needs to be addressed.

The project addresses the public health crisis of gun violence. In St. Louis in the past 5 years, 15,000 victims were murdered, shot or robbed at gunpoint. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney reports there were 2,092 shootings in St. Louis in 2015 and half involved youth age 25 or under.

In 2020, St. Louis had the worst homicide rate in 50 years.

Sign up to follow the blog below and/or for emails to keep up with the latest Tour news!

Please consider making a donation to keep the Tour rolling along.

Thank you for your support!

See you soon!