From Andre

A Letter From Our President & CEO

I officially stepped into my role as President & CEO of the Fund for the Arts (FFTA) on July 1, just after the 2021 campaign closed one day earlier. But, I had the privilege of starting my transition period at the beginning of June. In that time, I saw incredible dedication from the Fund for the Arts staff, the Board of Directors, and the larger Greater Louisville community as they strove to leverage the power of the arts to transform and heal our city. 

I’ve been fortunate to have worked all over the country in the service of arts and culture, from my work at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City to the August Wilson Center in Pittsburgh, and have been blessed to travel all over the world through my consulting and talent management company, GuessWorks, Inc.

I was content to continue my consulting work for the rest of my career, but when the FFTA job posting was sent to me via LinkedIn, the work that this organization was doing and the change that it was already making in my city drew me in.  I just had to be a part of it!

During her tenure, my predecessor Christen Boone made great strides in democratizing the arts and prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion for Louisville’s arts and culture ecosystem. In the last couple of years, with the tragic death of Breonna Taylor and the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, FFTA, with your support, doubled down on its commitment to creating a more equitable and sustainable arts and culture community, which has a positive effect on the entire Greater Louisville community.

I am proud to stand on the firm foundation that Christen built and I can’t wait to see how we can continue empowering our community and expanding the change-making power of the arts in the lives of every person in our community. 

The arts are one of the purest expressions of the human condition. It is through the arts and the work of artists that we can make sense of the world that we inhabit. 

Our vision is for everyone in our city to self-identify as an artist. There is an art form out there for everyone, from music, dance, theater, and visual arts, to culinary, literary, design, fashion, needlepoint, landscaping, etc. We want to help you discover your inner artist, so you can proudly and unapologetically proclaim aloud to yourself and others, “I Am An Artist.” 

The world is a much better place because of the arts, especially when artists are making and sharing their art at all levels — beginner, amateur, grassroots, community, professional and world-class. 

I look forward to the day soon when we collectively christen Louisville as “The City of Artists.”  That day will come, but for it to happen, it must start with you. I Am An Artist and I know you are too!  Say it out loud and believe it in your heart!


Total Investments & Our Impact

  • We Invested...

    In 2021, Fund for the Arts invested $3,547,527 in individual artists & arts organizations

  • We Supported...

    Through grants, Fund for the Arts supported 62 individual artists and 132 arts & culture organizations

  • We Helped Provide...

    In 2021, with Fund for the Arts support, 1,701,389 arts experiences were made possible for people in the Greater Louisville community.

    1,701,389

Access

More Art for More People in More Places

Cultural Pass

Inspire, Explore, and Discover

  • 1,671,391 Dollars Invested
  • 58 Venues

All summer long, Cultural Pass offers families in Greater Louisville with children ages 0-21 access to participate in arts and cultural activities provided by over 50 venues, free of charge. Cultural Pass is designed to inspire, explore, and discover new experiences.

Education

Total number of arts experiences for children: 62,454

  • 50,454 Arts experiences in schools
  • 12,000 Arts experiences outside of schools


A Greater Louisville

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

$184,210

Total Money Invested

ArtsMatch

14 artists & organizations supported ArtsMatch is a matching grant opportunity that expands the capacity of Cultural Providers to create special arts-based projects. Each year ArtsMatch projects address and advance a specific theme. This year’s ArtsMatch theme was racial equity, inclusion, and diversity.

$56,000

Invested

Black Artists Fund

29 grants awarded – The Black Artists Fund is an initiative to provide grants to fund new works created by Black artists to celebrate, build awareness, and amplify the creations of the many talented Black artists in Greater Louisville.

$48,000

Invested

Black-Owned Restaurants

4 black-owned restaurants supported: Through the COVID-19 Relief Grants for Black-Owned Restaurants, Black-owned culinary institutions that are pillars in the Greater Louisville community had access to critical financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cultivation

Sustaining Impact Grants

The purpose of Sustaining Impact Grants is to provide mission-based operating support to Greater Louisville charitable arts organizations in order to ensure the organization’s ongoing capacity to drive community impact. Click here to learn more about Sustaining Impact grants.

$2,516,781

Awarded

23

Arts Organizations

1,500,000

Arts Experiences

William Tolbert Whittenberg Scholarship

7 high school and college students received Whittenberg Scholarships in Fiscal Year 2021 to pursue careers in the Performing Arts. Click here to learn more about the Whittenberg Scholarship.

Where Your Giving Goes

FY 2021 Financials

  • 81% Impact Initiatives & Program Expenses
  • 12% Fundraising Expenses
  • 6% Management and General Expenses

A Detailed Breakdown

FY 2021 Financials

Campaign Pledges & Other Revenue
Campaign Reporting Results - 2021 $8,448,425
Related Party Contribution $1,007,961
Prior & Future Campaigns and Other $95,800
Expenses Netted Against Revenue $90,671
Allowance for Uncollectible Pledges & Discounts $494,441
Total Net Revenue $9,148,416
Impact Initiatives & Program Expenses $5,152,262
Fundraising Expenses $760,535
Management and General Expenses $417,046
Total Impact Initiatives & Expenses $6,329,843
Change in Net Assets $2,818,573
Net Assets Beginning of Year $6,586,692
Net Assets-End of Year $9,405,265

Thank You

Individual Donors

Society 100, $100,000+
Sarah and Campbell Brown
Brooke Brown Barzun and Matthew Barzun
Christina Lee Brown
Owsley Brown III & Victoire Reynal Brown
The Sociable Weaver Foundation
Society 100, $50,000 - $99,999
Anonymous
Ina and Allen Bond
David A. Jones, Jr. and Mary Gwen Wheeler
Mary and Ted Nixon
Marianne and Jim Welch
Society 100, $25,000 - $49,999
Anonymous
William C. Carroll
Janie and Austin Musselman
Barbara Sexton Smith *
Pam and Brook Smith
Matthew and Fran Thornton
Society 100, $10,000 - $24,999
Anonymous
Cornelia W. Bonnie
Christen and Mike Boone *
Patricia and David Daulton
Viki and Paul Diaz
John Graham
Kim and Greg Greenwood
Marlene and J. David Grissom
Judith Hanekamp
Lynn and Ja Hillebrand
Todd P. Lowe and Fran Ratterman
Eleanor Bingham Miller
Katherine and Kent Oyler
Deana and Michael Paradis
Dr. Vickie & Joe Pusateri
Stephen Reily and Emily Bingham Fund
Scott Schaftlein and Andrew Newton +
Lindy B. Street
Ellen and Carl Thomas
Jessica and Mac Thompson
Amy and Steve Trager
Brook and Joseph Ventura
Ann and Darrell Wells
Chairman's Society, $5,000 - $9,999
Anonymous
Missy and James Allen
Cathy and Irving Bailey
Jessica Bird and Neville Blakemore
Sue and H. Hewett Brown
Susan and Randall Bufford
Jamie and David Calzi
William and Julia Kolp Carstanjen
Crawford Charitable Fund
Diann and Brent Densford
Mary and Jim Eaves
Mindy and Charlie Farnsley
Erica and Patience Fields +*
Jennifer and Paul G. Fultz
Ritu Furlan
Kevin A. Gibson +
Mary and C. Edward Glasscock
Jonathan D. Goldberg and Jan M. West
Jerilan Greene
Karen and Roger Hale
Todd and Shannon Klimek
Mark A. Kristy
Kristen and Mark Kull
Lisa P. Leet
Gladys and John Lopez
W. Bruce Lunsford
Carol and Thomas Meeker
Mary B. Nash
Phillip B. Newman III
Thomas T. Noland, Jr. and Vivian Ruth Sawyer
Moriah Ogilvie and Bill Holton
Sue and Norman Pfau
The C. F. Pollard Foundation, Inc.
Brookes and Gregory Pope
Tammy and Richard Rigney
Charles Allen Ritter
Jacqueline and Theodore Rosky
Mary and Robert Rounsavall III
Leslie and John Smart
Mrs. Mary Clay Stites
Dr. Gordon D. Strauss and Dr. Catherine Newton
Dr. James and Lelia Sublett
Dick Swope
Pamela and Paul Thompson
Missy and Paul Varga
Mary Beth and Dean Warner
Kellie R. Watson
Mrs. James S. Welch, Sr.
Debbie and Lawson Whiting
Congressman and Mrs. John Yarmuth
Nicole Yates
Farnsley Society, $1,949 - $4,999
Tonya and Kris Abeln *
Larie and Barry Allen
Melinda and Dan Arbough
Joseph and Ann Ardery
Carol & Grant Averill
Robert and Judith Ayotte
Julie and William Ballard
Justin P. Banks
Willa and J. Stephen Barger
Sharon and Stephen Berger
Turney P. Berry and Kendra Foster
Thomas J. Birchfield
Kent and Andi Blake
Marvin Boakye ^
Theresa and John T. Bondurant
Morton and Anne Boyd
Matthew D. Brier
Leslie K. Broecker
Ms. Meredith Brown
Greg Bubalo and Pam Klinner
Lee S. Burchfield
Katie and Steve Bush
Theresa Butler and Paul E Receveur *
Ty Smith and Kristen Byrd
Susan and Jeff Callen
Dr. Brad Calobrace & Mr. Ricardo Gavilan
Neil Chethik
Carolle and Kenneth Clay ^*
Diane Cornwell *
Michelle and Paul Costel
Dior R. Cotten
Elaine and John Crockett
David Cross and Amy Elswick
Mrs. Linda M. Dabney
Sarah Davasher-Wisdom and Rodney Wisdom *
Ralph de Chabert
Elona Cooper DeGooyer
Susan and Bill Donovan *
Tawana Edwards and Larry Nau *
Reverend John G. Eifler
Anthony Ellis
Amanda England
Jennifer and Bryan Fantoni
Liza and Doug Farnsley
Jean W. Frazier
Dr. Susan Galandiuk and Dr. Hiram C. Polk
Mr. and Mrs. Gene Gardner
Joseph R. Gathright, Jr.
Stephen C. Gault
Betty and George Gibbs
Stephanie Marie Gillett
Joseph S. Grant
Marry Ida and Larry Gray
Andre K. Guess
Ann and Rick Guillaume
Sandal H. Gulick
Kimberly and Rick Halbauer
Lena and Matthew Hamel
Paula and Frank Harshaw
Berry L. Hayes
Jeannine and John Hayes
Carol Hebel
Jerry and Christy Henderson
Kristie and Frank Hower
Christopher R. Hungerford
Timothy Scott Huval
David and Janice Jackson
William A. Kantlehner
Sharon and Gerald Karem
Anastacia and Brad Keeton
Alex John Kepnes
Megan and Robert King
Harry Kron
Mary Julia and Forrest Kuhn
Byron T. Largen
Josephine Y. Legner
Matt Linville
Jonathan Lowe
Susan and Philip Lynch
Sally and Stanley Macdonald
Cheryl and Cliff Maesaka
Aaron W. Marcus and Milja Zgonjanin
Ava M. Martin
Heather A. Martin
Janie Martin *
Timothy Brent McClure +
Monique and Glen McFarland *
Jo and Brent McKim
Sherry and Holland McTyeire
Susan S. Means
Diane Medley and Prewitt Lane
John Megibben
Jimmy Metzger
Jerry T. and Laura J. Miller
Joseph Miller
Carolyn and Michael Mountjoy
Francie and Pat Mulloy
Debra and Ronald Murphy
Michelle and Scott Neff
Diane and Quang Nguyen
Thomas Patrick O'Brien III
Joshua O'Bryan
Natalie and Reise Officer
Tom Person and Melissa A. Richards-Person
Tracy and Greg Popp
Becky and Sean Ragland
Martha Rankin
Jennifer and Chris Reid
Megan C. Reid
Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Rhawn
Ty Richardson
Anna Richey
Mary and J. Daniel Rivers
Cliff Rompf
Marsha and David Roth
Victoria Russell ^
Barbara Sandford
Dr. and Mrs. William K. Schmied
Linda and Hunt Schuster
Beth and David Scinta
Alice Sebold
Lesa and Gregg Seibert *
Anne and Kenneth Selvaggi
Ann P. Shircliff
David Sickbert
Janna Leigh Singleton
Patti and Brad Smith
Virginia L. Speed *
Victor and Kim Staffieri
Don A. Stevens
Charlotte and John Clay Stites
Lee and John Stough, Jr.
Andrea D. Strange *
Mary and William Strench
Diane and James Stuckert
Phyllis and John Tate
Leslie Texas
Anne Heilman Veno
Mr. and Mrs. James R. Voyles
Vicky and John Voyles, Jr.
Louise R. Wall
Kathleen and Kerry Wang
Porter Watkins and George Bailey
John J. Werst
Michelle and Mark Wheeler
Krissie and Geoffrey White
Andrea Whitney
B. H. Williams
Dawn and Frank Wilson
William Plumer Wiseman
Amy and David Wombwell
Mary Jordan Wood
Phoebe A. Wood
Heather and Terry Wright
Laura and Jason Zachariah
Tinker Zimmerman
Leadership Circle, $1,000 - $1,948
Anonymous (3)
Kat and Josh Abner#
Teri and Phillip Allen
Maria S. Allison
Carol and Alejandro Alvarez
Anne and Bobby Arnold
Karen E. Ash
LouAnn Atlas and Ryan Coady
Stacey and Rob Banks
Kaet and Adam Barron #
Andrew Battjes
Monica M. Beckmann
Evan Bergman
Ruth Blevins
Julie A. Boatright
Deneen Bogdon
Bethany A. Breetz and Ronald L. Loughry
Prentice E. Brown
Branden Buller
Joel Buno
Carol A. Burns
Rose and Allen Bush
Sally T. Campbell
Theresa Agnes Canaday
Charles S. Cassis
Cynthia Caudill
Nellie Childers
Melanie K. Clark
Patricia Clark
Darryl S. Clay
Monique Clay
Richard S. Cleary
Valerie Conti
Taylor and Kelsey Coots #
Beverly and Bruce Cote
Michael E. Cowherd
Jamie Lee A. Cox
Bonita B. Cress
Marc and Lisa DeJaco Crutcher
Robert Curran
Ann and John J. Davis III
Rachel Leigh Frautschy DeMuth #
Leonidas Deters and Penelope Shaw
Martha and Frank Diebold
Geneva Donaldson
Gayle S. Dorsey
Michael P. Drake
Deborah S. Drury
Timothy Paul Duke
Annie and Gregory Dutton #
Erik Eaker and John Brooks
Lucas Elliott
Linda and William Ellison
Audrey L. Esarey #
John & Sara Beth Escosa #
Marjorie A. Farris
Liam Felsen #
George and Mary Lee Fischer
Michael Gregg and Leslie Fowler
Pat and Vincenzo Gabriele
Bradford Gardone
Joyce and Gordon Garner
Brent Garrett
Margaret Garrison
George L. Gaston
Ingrid and Lewis Gentry
Tricia and Jeff Gill
Tracy L. Goodwin
Elaine & Steve Gravatte
Kilen Gray
Meghan Greeley #
Nancy Haiman
James Halaris #
Bethany Halasz
Susan and Robert Hallenberg
Culver and Lourdes Halliday
Mrs. William Hancock
Daniel Handler
Alison M. Hansen
Allen L. Harris and Alexis K. Rich
Sue Sue and Stephen Hartstern
Mary R. Harville
Kirsten Hawley and Scott Kiefer
Hunter W. Hayes
Ms. Melinda L. Heck, CPA
James A. Heffley
Michael and Jeanie Hendricks
Thomas R. Herman
Clare Hirn
Cynthia A. Hobbs
Amy Lynn Holliday
Will Hollis #
Janet Holloway
Mo McKnight Howe and Scotty Howe
Kaitlynn R. Hurt #
Evelyn Hwang
Megan Imel #
Angela Irwin
Kim M. Ivings
Jill and Franklin Jelsma
Marya L. Johnson
Alan Jones
Ann Coffey and Valle Jones
Breck and Rhonda Jones
Kimberly S. Judy
Clay L. Kannapell
Wendi Keene
Anthony Martin Keller
Mary Carol and Donald Kelly
Debbie Kim
Mark A. Kircher
Robert J. Knadler
Walter C. Koczot
Ashley F. Kratz #
Harriet L. Lair and Barry Younkie
Charles Troy Lambert
Amy and Matt Landon
Marie B. Larsen
Emily L. Lawrence
Emily N. Laybourne #
Joseph M. Legel
Chris J. Leiter
Ann Leonard and Link Joseph
Suanna Leslie
Jacob Lewellen #
Jaelithe and Matthew Lindblom
Steven B. Lippmann
Anna-Marie B. Locke
Katherine and Mark Loyd
Stephen M. Lukinovich
Mark A. Lynn
Lisa and Jay Mackin
Ed and Sallie Manassah
Ashley and Arthur Masterson #
Sharon A. Mattingly
George McCracken III
Pat McGinnis and Laura Reed
Roni McKnight
George H. McMinn III
Clay, Tammy and Brynnan McNeill
Lopa Mehrotra
Gregory J. Meiman
Kellie Money and Carl Creason #
Justin Moore
Andrew Morzillo
Sean R. Muldoon
Anne and Duane Murner
John L. Myers
Susan Neal
David Nicklies
Jennifer L. Nixon
Alex E. Novak
Chad O'Brien
Ann L. and Ray O'Daniel
Anne Ogden
Laura L. Padgett
Denise and Alan Parsons
Maggie and Adam Peak #
Philip S. Poindexter
Diane Porter
Lois and Robert Powell
Mark Raque
Erin H. Rasinen #
Luke R. Rebholz #
Tracy M. Redmon
Tracy Reid
Theresa and Benjamin Reno-Weber
Cary and Michael Ricketts
Laura and Jonathan Riehm #
Alan Roth
Joseph R. Ryan III
Terry Sams
Christopher Schaefer #
Joe Schmidt #
Charles R. Schram
Kelly and Chris Schulz
Jonlyn Scrogham #
Brent A. Seebohm #
Bridget L. Shive
Abby Shue and Oliver Roe #
Andrew Simon
Ruth Simons
Kennedy and Sara Simpson
David S. Sinclair
Louise and Mike Slaven
Adam R. Smith
James C. Smith
Terri and Rick Smith
Susan R. Smith
Charles Kevin Spine
Cathy A. Stephens
Steven Stern
Sister and Bodley Stites
Bill Stone
Evie and Colin Stouffer #
Jennifer S. Stoutt
Elizabeth B. and Louis R. Straub
Mr. and Mrs. R. James Straus
John T. Sweeney III
Jacqueline Talley
David E. Tate
Kathleen C. Thompson
Jim and Beverly Bartlett Turner
Anna and Todd Twyman
Jill and Dave Vogel
Jim and Joyce Walters
Candace Weber #
Eric C. Weig
Kathy Werking
Will and Becky West
William and Patricia West
Mary C. Whelan
Deborah Whistler
Tammy O. White
Kristin and Loren Wingfeld #
Melissa B. Yates
Cynthia Young
Dr. and Dr. Susan Ghozeil Zepeda, Ph.D.
Elizabeth Zimmerman
Cindy and Joel Zipperle

Thank You

Corporate, Foundation, and Government Donors

$500,000+
Brown-Forman and Employees
Humana/Humana Foundation and Associates
$200,000 - $499,999
Kosair Charities
LG&E and KU Energy Foundation and LG&E and KU Energy/IBEW Local 2100 Employees
Yum! Brands, Inc. and Employees
$100,000 - $199,999
Edwin & Mary Jo Gheens, The Gheens Foundation, Inc.
Jefferson County Public Schools Employees
Louisville Metro Government and Employees
Norton Healthcare and Employees
Novak Family Foundation
Public Broadcasting System
Republic Bank Foundation Inc. and Republic Bank & Trust Company Employees
$50,000 - $99,999
Churchill Downs, Inc. and Employees
The Courier-Journal/Gannett Foundation and Employees
EY and Employees
Fifth Third Bank KY/Fifth Third Bank Foundation and Employees
Frost Brown Todd LLC and Employees
Kentucky Arts Council
PNC Bank
The Rockefeller Foundation
Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company and Employees
$25,000 - $49,999
Appalachian Impact Fund
Caesars Foundation of Floyd County
Commonwealth Bank & Trust Company and Employees
D.D. Williamson & Co., Inc. and Employees
The Gordon Foundation, Inc.
Baird and Employees
Kindred Healthcare, Inc. and Employees
Louisville Business First and Employees
Louisville Water Foundation and Louisville Water Company Employees
MCM CPA's & Advisors LLP and Employees
Messer Construction Co. and Employees
Michter's Distillery, LLC
Outfront Media
Stites & Harbison PLLC and Employees
Truist
Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP Employees
$10,000 - $24,999
Arts Consulting Group
Hazel & Walter T. Bales Foundation
Caldwell Tanks, Inc.
Central Bank of Jefferson County and Employees
Chase Kentucky/JP Morgan Chase Foundation and Employees
Clifton Foundation
Commercial Kentucky
Davis H. Elliot Company, Inc.
Delta Dental of Kentucky and Employees
Dentons Bingham Greenebaum Employees
Fifth Third Foundation
Fund for the Arts Employees
GE Appliances, a Haier company
Goldberg Simpson, LLC Employees
Greater Clark County Schools Employees
J.Y. Legner Associates Inc.
Kentucky Lottery Corporation Employees
Klein Family Foundation
KPMG LLP and Employees
Louisville Public Media
MSD-Louisville & Jefferson County Employees
Ogle Foundation, Inc.
Faculty & Staff of the Oldham County Schools
Optum Employees
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Employees
Rabbit Hole Distillery
Republic National Distributing Company of Kentucky
Sam and Bonnie Rechter Family Foundation
Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC and Employees
The Glenview Trust Company and Employees
The Humana Foundation, Inc.
Trilogy Health Services, LLC Employees
U.S. Bank Foundation and U.S. Bank Employees
United Electric Co., Inc.
White Clay Employees
$5,000 - $9,999
Aegon Transamerica Foundation
Asplundh Tree Expert Company
AT&T and Employees
Bellarmine University Employees
Bullitt County Schools’ Employees
Chemical & Industrial Engineering, Inc. Employees
Clark Memorial Hospital and Employees
Derby Diversity Business Summit LLC
Duke Energy
Family Allergy & Asthma Employees
Galen College of Nursing and Employees
Harding, Shymanski and Company, P.S.C. and Employees
Harrison County Community Foundation
Jefferson County Teachers Association
May Wetherby Jones Foundation
Kentucky Select Properties Agents & Staff
Northwestern Mutual - Louisville, Inc. Employees
Old National Bank and Employees
Papa John's International and Employees
Peyton Samuel Head Foundation
QtheAGENCY
Schuler Bauer Real Estate
Semonin Realtors and Employees
Todd Asset Management LLC
Transit Authority of River City Employees
V. V. Cooke Foundation
WAVE 3 News and Employees
WDRB-TV and WMYO-TV and Employees
WesBanco and Employees
West Sixth for a Cause Foundation at Blue Grass Community Foundation
WHAS Crusade for Children

* Women’s Leadership Circle, + Pride Leadership Circle, ^ Ed Hamilton Leadership Circle, # Farnsley by 40 


Meet the FFTA Staff & Board of Directors

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