Music at the Intersection Announces Artist Lineup and Ticket Packages
Leading into its 5th year, the popular St. Louis-centric music festival in Grand Center Arts District is unveiling some big changes: a new brand, expanded format, open footprint and community call-to-action
St. Louis, Mo. – April 2, 2025 – Music at the Intersection, rebranded MATI Festival and Conference, will return to Grand Center Arts District on Sept 12-14, 2025. The fifth annual festival is once again planning a diverse, roots-inspired and decades-spanning artist lineup - encompassed within an epic Midtown block party - while making some changes to its brand, format and festival footprint.
The highly anticipated artist lineup won’t drop until Tuesday, April 15, but fans can begin purchasing passes today by joining the “MATI Movement.” The new membership program asks attendees to become patrons, helping ensure that the festival - created and funded by St. Louis non-profit and civic organizations - grows and thrives for generations to come.
“This isn’t just another music festival. MATI is by St. Louis, for St. Louis,” said Chris Hansen, executive director of Kranzberg Arts Foundation. “If you’ve been to MATI, you can feel that it’s special. It’s a microcosm of the city: all ages, races, ethnicities. No neighborhood divides. People who can afford tickets and people who can’t. All joyous. All together in the streets of Grand Center. We want to keep MATI a true, representative community experience, and while Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Steward Family Foundation and Regional Arts Commission can continue to take up the mantle, we want everyone to feel ownership. That’s what the MATI Movement is about. It’s a way for everyday St. Louisans - who are passionate about music, who love art and culture - to be in this with us. It’s about giving a little bit more to achieve a whole lot more, together.”
As part of a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, MATI is about more than entertainment. The festival and conference is about accessibility, community and ensuring the arts remain central to St. Louis’ identity, tourism and growth. MATI Member contributions go to fund:
Access for all. Last year, MATI provided more than 3,000 free festival tickets to community members who may not have otherwise afforded to attend.
Supporting artists. MATI fuels the work of musicians, visual artists and thought leaders. The event also creates job opportunities within the arts and entertainment sector of St. Louis, from performance to production.
Building community. The festival and conference ensures a space where ideas, creativity and connections thrive, establishing St. Louis as a premier arts and entertainment destination while building civic pride.
Fans can join the MATI Movement at a variety of levels, making them not only a generous patron of the St. Louis arts, but also a MATI Member with insider access to festival weekend and year-round programming, special perks, and more.
“We’re getting rid of VIP tickets. There’s no VIP, there’s just the Movement,” said Hansen. “If you support MATI, you’re joining the team. That comes with access to non-public areas in the footprint, artist meet-and-greets, exclusive merch and special programming year-round.”
Friend of MATI - $200
First-to-know for all MATI branded events and activations throughout the year
Early bird pre-sale access to all MATI branded events
Website and on-site recognition as a valued MATI Member
Complimentary MATI Movement t-shirt to showcase your support
Charitable Tax Deduction Letter for your donation over the $150 face value of the MATI weekend pass
One (1) MATI weekend pass
MATI Supporter - $300
First-to-know for all MATI branded events and activations throughout the year
Early bird pre-sale access to all MATI branded events
Website and on-site recognition as a valued MATI Member
Complimentary MATI Movement T-shirt to showcase your support
Charitable Tax Deduction Letter for your donation over the $150 face value of the MATI weekend pass
Sponsor one (1) free MATI weekend pass for an individual who may not otherwise afford it: STL artists, front line workers, veterans, etc.
One (1) MATI weekend pass
MATI Benefactor - $1,000
First-to-know for all MATI branded events and activations throughout the year
Early bird pre-sale access to all MATI branded events
Website and on-site recognition as a valued MATI Member
Complimentary MATI Movement T-shirt to showcase your support
Charitable Tax Deduction Letter for your donation over the $150 face value of the MATI weekend pass
Sponsor one (1) free MATI weekend pass for an individual who may not otherwise afford it: STL artists, front line workers, veterans, etc.
Access to the Champions Lounge at MATI with complimentary sponsor beverages
Access to MATI artist meet-and-greets
One (1) MATI weekend pass
Champion of MATI - $2,500
First-to-know for all MATI branded events and activations throughout the year
Early bird pre-sale access to all MATI branded events
Website and on-site recognition as a valued MATI Member
Complimentary MATI Movement T-shirt to showcase your support
Charitable Tax Deduction Letter for your donation over the $500 face value of the MATI weekend passes and merch packages
Sponsor one (1) free MATI weekend pass for an individual who may not otherwise afford it: STL artists, front line workers, veterans, etc.
Access to the Champions Lounge at MATI with complimentary sponsor beverages
Access to MATI artist meet-and-greets
Two (2) MATI merch packages
Two (2) MATI weekend pass
MATI Member passes are on sale now at www.matistl.org. MATI GA weekend passes priced at $150 will go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 18 (pre-sale for past ticket buyers on Tuesday, April 15). Weekend four-pack deals will also be available.
New Brand, Expanded Format, Open Footprint
MATI is coming into its fifth year with a new look and a full embrace of its acronym. Additionally, the festival and conference is expanding its format with more stages and venues, as well as moving to an open footprint that will welcome thousands more people into Grand Center Arts District.
“We call the festival MATI internally and started to notice that acronym being picked up by the general public as well,” said Hansen. “MATI stands for more than Music at the Intersection. Especially for the conference portion of the weekend, programming and speakers are strategically centered around Music, Art, Thought and Innovation. Shortening the name to MATI just fits on multiple levels, and we can’t wait to show off the new branding and imagery that goes along with it.”
Format-wise, MATI is expanding from two days to three: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Headliner performances will take place across three MATI Main Stages: The Big Top, The Sovereign (set to open mid-2025 at 3300 Washington Avenue) and Field Stage. The former Washington Avenue stage is being removed to create a barrier free, fully-connected Grand Center walking experience for those with tickets and without. Washington Avenue will be lined with vendors, food trucks, buskers, pop-up performances, family-friendly activities and sponsor activations.
All attendees with MATI weekend passes will have access to indoor restrooms, expanded seating, lounge areas, elevated viewing platforms, shade structures and curated food and beverage options (beyond the food trucks on Wash Avenue). The Big Top and Field Stage will feature new video elements, while The Sovereign - brand new for 2025 - will offer a state-of-the-art audio and visual concert experience. MATI weekend pass holders will be able to come and go freely from the block party to the performance areas, showing their pass at security checkpoints to gain access to the Main Stages.
Beyond the Main Stages, MATI will also be activating more than a dozen stages and venues throughout Grand Center and Locust Business District, called MATI Places. Programming at MATI Places includes everything from musical performances, DJ sets and poetry slams to artist workshops, industry panels and keynote speakers. The conference portion of MATI, previously held on Friday, is now part of MATI Places and spread throughout the weekend, allowing attendees to sprinkle learning, discovery - and freely exploring Midtown - into their music festival schedule.
MATI Places include Central Stage, Counterpublic, Curiosity, 3221/3225 Olive, Harris-Stowe Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Heydays HQ, Hidden Gems, High Low, Jazz St. Louis, KAF Art Yard, Urban Chestnut Brewing Company, Scene, Sophie’s Artist Lounge, Strauss Park, TURN, .ZACK and Work & Leisure.
MATI weekend or single-day festival passes will be required to participate in MATI Places. Special MATI Places (only) day passes will go on sale later this summer.
About MATI:
MATI is a civic-led effort presented by Kranzberg Arts Foundation in partnership with Steward Family Foundation and The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) of St. Louis. First held in 2021, the festival tells the story of St. Louis’ musical, cultural and artistic heritage. It celebrates the city’s imprint on the American songbook, as well as the relationship St. Louis has with its Mississippi River roots. The festival aims to celebrate musical heritage, from the West African coasts to the Caribbean islands, up through the Mississippi Delta. Music at the Intersection honors the giants who shaped genre and sound - across blues, jazz, soul, R&B, hip-hop and rock n' roll - as it also calls up and gives platform to a new wave of artists.
For updates and additional information, visit Music at the Intersection at www.matistl.org or follow the festival on social media: Facebook (www.facebook.com/matistlouis), Twitter (www.x.com/matistl), Instagram (www.instagram.com/matistlouis) and TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@matistl).
