Group jumped from 13,500 ft. to increase access to the arts for military families
LOUISVILLE, KY, June 8, 2016- Karen Lawrence, mother of Oscar Winner Jennifer Lawrence, Christen Boone, Fund for the Arts President & CEO, and a small group of arts leaders jumped from 13,500 ft. Wednesday morning with the United States Army Parachute Team (known as the Golden Knights) to celebrate the wide access to the arts for our community and to raise funds for arts opportunities for regional military families. Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin also jumped with the group. The Golden Knights are widely regarded as the world’s foremost parachutist team. Members of the community are encouraged to make a gift to Fund for the Arts via www.fundforthearts.org or call 502.582.0100 and direct their gift to opportunities for active military and veterans.
“We are grateful to all those in the armed forces who continually demonstrate the true meaning of service,” said Christen Boone, Fund for the Arts President and CEO. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only partner with the Golden Knights but also to increase access to transformative arts experiences for our military families. Fund for the Arts proudly serves our community through increasing access to the arts for all including our military families- we ask the community to pledge their support for our armed forces community and make a gift today. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with Fort Knox, active duty members and veterans throughout the Greater Louisville area.”
When it comes to the arts, Louisville rivals those of the nation’s most renowned cities. Greater Louisville boasts a vibrant visual arts scene, world-class performing arts organizations and leading youth training programs. Access to the arts enhances the quality of life throughout the region for everyone. Fund for the Arts strives to make arts available to every child and everyone in our region, and today with special attention to our military families.
Projects with Louisville’s veteran population are currently underway including the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts’ Arts in Healing program. A new initiative, Veterans and Kentucky Shakespeare, launched this spring through the Fund for the Arts’ crowd-sourcing platform, power2give.org. This program gives veterans the opportunity to learn Shakespearean ensemble techniques while encouraging new forms of self-expression that build tangible coping mechanisms. The first public performance will be on the Kentucky Shakespeare stage at Louisville’s Central Park on July 17 at 7:00 PM.
Service members and their families are encouraged to get involved in the arts community in a number of ways that include:
- Download the Louisville Arts Link: This free app hosts a central calendar for regional arts events, Louisville Metro’s Cultural Pass as well as an ‘Arts Card’ that features special offers, discounts and more for donors to the Fund for the Arts;
- Attend performances or exhibits: Kentucky Shakespeare hosts free performances through August 14; KMAC Museum offers free admission beginning July 1st; and the Speed Museum offers free admission every Sunday for “Owsley Sundays” through 2021; and much more
- Enroll children ages 4-18 in summer arts camps via FUNforthearts.com;
- Volunteer with arts organizations as an individual, group or board member via volunteermatch.org or calling the Fund for the Arts at 502.582.0100.
“The breadth and diversity of our arts community- from free performances to renowned museums- has so much to offer our service members and veterans,” said Meredith Lawrence, Jennifer Lawrence Foundation Executive Director. “We owe it to them to ensure they are inspired, engaged and benefitting from our world-class arts community.”
About the Fund for the Arts
Fund for the Arts is a regional nonprofit with the mission to maximize the arts to drive economic development, education, and quality of life in our community. The Fund conducts one of the oldest united arts campaigns and supports world-class institutions, community organizations and arts in education. Fund for the Arts also hosts power2give.org, an online crowd-funding platform, the nationally recognized NeXt! leadership development program for young professionals, and leads collective action across the arts and cultural sector. For more information, visit www.fundforthearts.org.
About the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation
The Jennifer Lawrence Foundation is a component fund of The Community Foundation of Louisville, Inc. The fund supports a variety of charities, including Fund for the Arts, Boys and Girls Club, Make-A-Wish Foundation, West End School, St. Mary’s Center, Special Olympics and more. For more information, visit www.jenniferlawrencefoundation.com.
For Photos: http://bit.ly/1swiGds
