Alton Art Expo   2

Mooneyham Art, Old Bakery Beer Company, and Centerstone Present!

Alton Art Expo 2

Alton, IL – Creativity and mental health advocacy are returning once again in an inspiring collaboration between Mooneyham Art, Old Bakery Bear Company, and Centerstone. Alton Art Expo is a groundbreaking exhibition and community gathering that highlights the healing power of artistic expression. The event will take place on Saturday, September 26th from Noon to 7 pm and Sunday, 27th from Noon to 5 pm at The Old Bakery Beer Company, providing an immersive experience where visitors can explore art’s role in mental health awareness and recovery. The event will feature curated collections of art from over 40+ regional artists.

Art has long been a tool for self-expression, resilience, and healing. This event creates a welcoming space for artists and community members to engage in meaningful conversations about well-being, creativity, and personal growth. Through a curated selection of artwork, interactive discussions, and expert-led programming, attendees will gain insight into the intersection of art and mental health.

“Bringing together artists, mental health professionals, and the local community allows us to foster dialogue and break stigmas surrounding mental health,” said Charles Mooneyham, owner at Mooneyham Art. “Art has the power to heal, and we are honored to create a space where people can connect, express, and find support.”

The event was originally conceptualized by Mooneyham Art’s founder and owner Charles Mooneyham and his cocurator Stephan Scordias and was graciously hosted last year at The Milton School House. This year Mooneyham Art is proud to announce the addition of Mindy Nickel as co-organizer and curator and a new location for the expo and community partner!

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This year the event will take place at Old Bakery Beer Company, a staple amongst Altons rich and historic topography. Located downtown at 400 Landmark Blvd, Alton IL 62002 A repurposed microbrewery and event space, commandeered for a weekend to feature the metro east’s vibrant hub of artists, entrepreneurs, and wellness practitioners. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore exhibitions featuring local artists, participate in workshops, and hear from experts in the mental health field.

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Additionally, Centerstone has agreed that 100% of all donations received will stay in the local community to benefit local citizens in need. The artists will get to keep 100% of their sales as Mooneyham Art firmly believes artists should never have to give their work away for free and should always be paid for their work.

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About the Partners:

• Mooneyham Art: is dedicated to promoting and supporting local artists through exhibitions, workshops, and community events. By fostering creative expression, Mooneyham Art provides a platform for artists to share their voices and connect with the community.

• Charles Mooneyham: As the founder of Mooneyham Art LLC, Charles journey into the art world was anything but traditional. After surviving an attempt to end his life in 2006. Charles Passion for behavioral health grew alongside his love for painting, ultimately leading him back to university studies in social work, autism studies and behavioral neuroscience at University of Missouri St. Louis and St. Joseph’s University. He later obtained a Register Behavior Technician license and worked in autism for almost 20 year. During the pandemic he left the field of autism and became a Clinical Care Specialist for the suicide hotline. His varied experiences helped shape his philosophy that art is more than just a craft, it’s a force for healing and transformation. Through his current gallery Charles continues to push boundaries, offering rural artists an opportunity to exhibit alongside world-class talent. Charles also conceptualized and founded the Alton Art Expo, an indi art fair designed to normalize conversations around behavioral health, promote artistic expression, fund raise for mental health initiatives and champion the healing benefits of art. (Bio written by Erin Camfield, director of advancement Centerstone)

• Stephen Scordias: After more than 20 years at a major university, Stephen left academia to fully return to the arts, embracing a passion that had been waiting for the right moment to flourish. Stephen currently serves as co-curator, co- organizer to Mooneyham Art and Alton Art Expo 1&2. He is also a resident artist at Mooneyham Art and has been featured in many regional galleries in the Midwest.

• Mindy Nickel: New to the team Mindy is a local artist to the riverbend and operates independently as Stay Weird Crochet and as a resident artist at Mooneyham Art and various galleries and fairs in the St. Louis Metro Area. Additionally, Mindy was instrumental in helping facilitate OBB as the 2026 venue for Alton Art Expo 2.

• Old Bakery Beer: The Old Bakery Beer Company is a certified organic craft brewery and family friendly restaurant operating in downtown Alton, IL. OBB maintains a mission to offer delicious food and beverages in a safe and welcoming environment while fostering a commitment to social good and environmental sustainability alongside a vision to grow the brand in a sustainable and focused manner that allows the opportunity to broaden the organization's positive impact while rewarding the people who make it possible. OBB works to accomplish their mission through several avenues including their monthly Drink for a Cause program, which gives back to a different local charitable organization each month, in-kind donations to numerous local fundraisers, free event programming, vendor opportunities for local artists, and more. The Alton Art Expo fits perfectly within the brewery's mission to give back to their local community in a meaningful way, building upon their history of providing accessible markets for local artists, free events for the community, and opportunities to support local charitable organizations.

 

• Centerstone: is a not-for-profit health system providing mental health and substance use disorder treatments. With a network of outpatient clinics, residential programs, and telehealth services across the nation, Centerstone delivers care that changes people’s lives. It also offers specialized programs for the military community, therapeutic foster care, children’s services, and employee assistance programs. Centerstone’s Research Institute and Foundation work to advance mental health care through research, technology, and philanthropy.

Join Us:

Guests can enter the Alton Art Expo for: Free, with any monetary donation, petfood/supplies, canned good or any new item of essential need. Join us on Saturday, September 26th from Noon to 7 pm and Sunday, September 27th from Noon to 5 pm at Old Bakery Beer for a weekend of art, conversation, and community support surrounding wellness. 

*The 2026 Alton Art Expo 2  will be dedicated in loving memory to Tai Davis. As he was our celebrity musical performer the expo's first year.