Grab a friend and start your weekend with art, music, and culture in the Grand Center Arts District. 

This First Friday is a chance to get a last look at our spring/summer exhibitions before they close for the season on August 9. As always, enjoy extended gallery hours for some late night browsing, and drinks will be available for purchase.

Join DJ $ol for an evening made for music lovers and music philosophers, including a special edition of her beloved listening club, Is It A Classic?. For this edition, Lady Gaga’s album Born This Way will be played front to back as the room collectively decides whether it has earned classic status. $ol selected this album to trace a through line of self-determination from Gaga’s songwriting to the stories unfolding across CAM’s galleries. Reserve a seat for the full listening session and debate, or drop by anytime to tune into an exhibition-inspired playlist and weigh in on the night’s musical question via our community message board.

To register for a seat at the table for Is It A Classic?, please click here. Space is limited; these tickets include a commemorative event poster, a complimentary beverage inspired by “Born This Way,” and a preview of next month’s album.

Attendance to the galleries, listening area, and message board are free and open to the public.

About DJ $ol and Is It A Classic?

Raised in Oakland, California, and based in St. Louis, $ol is a multidisciplinary artist, DJ, and cultural conductor whose work centers art, dialogue, and connection. In 2021, she founded Is It A Classic? (IIAC), St. Louis’s only listening club dedicated to music philosophy and spirited debate. The idea emerged from a personal practice of listening to albums alone and asking a simple question: does this hold up as a classic? As the series’ first guest and ongoing host, $ol has transformed that curiosity into a public forum where music enthusiasts gather to explore influential albums, cultural impact, and the evolving nature of artistic legacy.

Through IIAC and other creative projects, $ol creates accessible spaces where conversation becomes a tool for learning and community building. Her work is rooted in a belief that shared cultural experiences can foster meaningful connection, creating ease around intimacy and encouraging strangers to engage with one another in authentic ways.