Imagine if...

Greater Louisville is recognized nationally and internationally as a leading city of arts and culture attracting talent to live and work here and tourists to stay and play.

Attracting and retaining talent are key priorities to promote growth and prosperity for the entire community. People are attracted to places with a wide range of arts and culture opportunities — this is true for millennials, creatives, entrepreneurs, makers, and for families of all shapes and sizes. Arts and culture fuel vibrancy and bring the community to life. World-class arts institutions and a range of cultural offerings attract talent, engage employees and fuel the creative class. Arts and culture contribute to a unique and authentic quality of place.

The Greater Louisville region recognizes that prosperity and sustained economic growth are dependent upon the ability to attract and retain skilled and talented individuals of all kinds. The ability to retain the skilled and

talented individuals already living here, while attracting new talent to the region is critical. In order to compete for new business, encourage existing businesses to invest in local growth, and spur the start-up of new enterprises, Greater Louisville must be a place where people want to be. And arts and culture can be central to that message and that reality.

Strategies such as engaging and connecting new residents to arts organizations and activities, showcasing arts and culture activities in employee recruitment as a reason to relocate, and highlighting the arts and culture regionally and nationally, will significantly support the effort to make Greater Louisville both a magnet for new talent and a place that existing talent finds hard to leave.

Strategy 1

Expand the market share for Louisville’s arts and culture locally and nationally

  • Action 1 – Create a marketing committee of marketing directors from organizations to create strong relationships and shared marketing opportunities and collaborations
  • Action 2 – Partner with Tourism, GLI, Community Marketing Committee to provide content for regional and national arts and culture media
  • Action 3 – Foster collaborations between arts institutions to lower the cost of marketing while increasing reach
  • Action 4 – Create an institutional marketing plan for Louisville arts

Strategy 2

Create a fund for big ideas.

  • Action 1 – Aim to build recognition in Louisville and outside Louisville for artistic accomplishment, focusing on collaborations
  • Action 2 – Explore the creation of authentic nationally recognized arts and culture events that will draw people to the region

Strategy 3

Coordinate closely with Louisville Tourism, Southern Indiana Tourism, and Kentucky Tourism to build Louisville’s brand and leverage opportunities for arts and culture with tourists and locals.

  • Action 1 – Create a campaign focused on reintroducing locals to arts and culture and bringing locals back to events and performances post covid.
  • Action 2 – Build a suggested Arts & Culture sample tour including content and routing that can be promoted through local tour companies. Throughout the tour, promote current events, performances, and exhibits to encourage ticket sales and admissions.  Leverage this tour for locals to re-introduce our Arts & Culture assets to our community post-covid.
  • Action 3 – Develop arts connections and product offerings that relate to Louisville Tourism’s brand pillars to create new opportunities for tourist visits and revenue.
  • Action 4 – Continue ongoing arts education for Louisville Tourism ambassador program and Hospitality Nights to introduce new and existing events and venues.

Strategy 4

Position arts and culture assets of our community to attract business and talent.

  • Action 1 – Develop a new resident/employee ArtsLou101 orientation program to support economic development and introduce/reintroduce residents to the arts and culture community, promote participation such as ticket sales and memberships, and engagement such as volunteering and board service, in coordination with local chambers, realtors, and businesses.
  • Action 2 – Coordinate with economic development to leverage the rich, diverse arts and culture community to attract new business to the region.
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