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Two St. Louis entrepreneurs win Arts and Education Council’s new startup competition

Antionette Carroll's Creative Reaction Labs works with students and others to meet challenges using design.
Provided | Creative Reaction Lab
Antionette Carroll's Creative Reaction Labs works with students and others to meet challenges using design.

St. Louis’ Arts and Education Councilhas announced the first recipients of a new startup competition for arts entrepreneurs. The winners are Antionette Carroll and Amanda Wells.

Carroll founded a group called Creative Reaction Lab, which uses design to meet the challenges of underrepresented communities. One project brought in professionals to teach students about creative problem-solving.

Wells organized the writers’ collaborative Flow that enables writers to work together and artists to work with writers.

Each will receive $10,000 in seed funding and one year of free office, meeting, rehearsal and performance space at Centene Center for the Arts in Grand Center, along with other support and mentoring.

The Arts and Education Council and PNC Financial Services Foundation created the contest to identify and move forward ideas that address local challenges through the arts. Carroll and Wells emerged from a group of six finalists, chosen from 31 entrants.

“When I see what these two women have accomplished and the passion and creativity behind their ideas, I’m eager to help the community see the value in what they are doing,” said A&E President and CEO Cynthia Prost in a press release.

Follow Nancy on Twitter: @NancyFowlerSTL

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Nancy is a veteran journalist whose career spans television, radio, print and online media. Her passions include the arts and social justice, and she particularly delights in the stories of people living and working in that intersection.