Meredith Foster

COCA - Center of Creative Arts

Enriching lives and building community through the arts. COCA was founded in 1986 by Richard Baron, President of McCormack Baron Salazar Inc., in conjunction with the late Dorothy Dubinsky, Mark Twain Banks, Robert Orchard, the Sachs Fund and Trivers Associates. A $2 million renovation in 1985-86 transformed the former B'nai Amoona Synagogue in University City, designed in 1946 by renowned architect Eric Mendelsohn, into an ideal site for a community based arts center. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. COCA fulfills its mission by providing exceptional arts education to the St. Louis region through performances, exhibitions, and programs. COCA is the largest multidisciplinary arts institution in the St. Louis region and one of the premier community art centers in the nation. COCA annually serves 50,000 people throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area, offering more than 500 classes, workshops, and camps in a multidisciplinary format that includes dance, music, drama, and visual arts; COCA's Family Theatre Series brings innovative theatre and dance to patrons of all ages; and the Millstone Gallery presents exhibits of works by outstanding contemporary visual artists. Combining these activities with special events, performances by community groups, and more, COCA has become one of the most accessible arts venues in St. Louis.