Louisville lost a leader. Our Arts lost a giant. We all lost a friend and colleague.
We are just starting to absorb the enormity of this loss but one thought which is clear and present is that it is impossible to imagine the Arts in Louisville without Owsley Brown II.
Owsley graciously accepted the hard assignments as if they were his personal responsibility. He willingly chaired difficult fundraising campaigns. Obviously, Owsley was a great patron of the Arts, but perhaps his best help came in the form of his inspired wisdom. He coached and dared us to go beyond our comfort zone, to be great! And, he did it in a way that minimized his incredibly generous role in the success of so many.
As an emerging leader Owsley helped bring Actors Theatre to life. And, in recent years, Owsley was the primary force behind the restoration of the W.L. Lyons Brown Theater – a enduring asset to our downtown. His many contributions will no doubt have a lasting effect for generations to come.
Almost all the simple words fail to describe our collective loss. So, we join in the collective shout of, “Bravo!” as our way of thanking Owsley Brown for his inspiration and only hope we as a Fund for the Arts and broader arts community prove to be worthy of carrying forward his legacy.
Sincerely,
David P. Calzi
Chair, Board of Directors
Fund for the Arts
