Jen Everett x PSA:, <em>Somehow, we find each other</em>, installation view, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, March 12–May 2, 2021. Photo: Dusty Kessler
Jen Everett x PSA:, Somehow, we find each other, installation view, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, March 12–May 2, 2021. Photo: Dusty Kessler

Community Commitments

DEAI Statement

The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis is committed to embracing diversity, practicing equity, and ensuring accessibility and inclusion. We will continually strive to achieve a welcoming environment in all our spaces, where staff, artists, board, and community feel reflected and valued for their unique perspectives and backgrounds. DEAI values will guide and impact all the decisions the museum makes, both internal and external, so that we are choosing a path toward ongoing transformation.

We embolden ourselves to carry out these values by:

  • acknowledging our place in and actively working against our national problem of systemic racism and white supremacy;
  • ensuring that underrepresented voices are included and heard;
  • seeking out and building partnerships that represent our DEAI values;
  • continuing to be a free gathering space and an open forum for ideas.

We enthusiastically take on the work of change. To remain true to these core values, we will hold ourselves accountable through a perpetual process of reflection and responsive action.

Indigenous Peoples and Land Acknowledgment Statement

The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis is located on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the 𐓏𐒰𐓓𐒰𐓓𐒷‎ /Wahzhazhe/Osage Nation, Jíwere-Nút’achi/Otoe-Missouria, Illinois Confederacy, Ogáxpa/Quapaw, Hocąk Wazijacira/Ho-Chunk, Myaamia/Miami, and many other tribes who have called the region of the Mississippi and Missouri River confluence home.

We acknowledge their sovereignty was never ceded after the unjust removal and genocide carried out through colonialism. Much work remains to counter the erasure—both historic and ongoing—of these and many other Indigenous cultures.

While we understand that no statement can undo the harm caused by this violent removal and erasure, we recognize that sustainable relationships with our community and its history require constant efforts to value, learn from, and amplify Indigenous perspectives. We appreciate the relationships with Indigenous people that shape CAM, and look forward to being a part of efforts that honor and support Indigenous people and knowledge.

We commit to doing so by:

  • Being present for Indigenous people who live in the St. Louis region today as well those for whom this is their ancestral home so that we may craft responsive, reciprocal relationships and meaningful use of resources;
  • Centering, celebrating, and elevating Indigenous people and their perspectives in our exhibitions, programs, and practices;
  • Providing ongoing educational resources to CAM staff and visitors about Indigenous histories, practices, and perspectives.

These efforts are a work in progress that will continue to be shaped by our ongoing learning.

Sustainability Statement

At the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, we are dedicated to fostering a sustainable future by integrating environmentally conscious practices, promoting social responsibility, and prioritizing economic viability. Through an interdepartmental Green Team, CAM implements sustainability initiatives to create a positive impact on the planet and communities we serve. CAM joins 50+ companies, nonprofits, and cities in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, a program of the Missouri Botanical Garden, and 180+ international museums, gardens, and zoos in the Climate Toolkit Initiative to minimize our environmental footprint. Through collaboration, education, and continuous improvement, we aim to be a catalyst for change, inspiring others to join us in safeguarding our world for future generations.

Green Accomplishments: