Fund for the Arts’ NeXt! Ambassador Program

Sponsored by Stock Yards Bank and in Partnership with YPAL

NeXt! is a program dedicated to preparing the next generation of emerging professionals for volunteer leadership roles within the Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana arts community. NeXt Ambassadors undergo an immersion program with leaders from across the community to develop necessary skills, build diverse relationships and apply the lessons learned.  

The 2024 NeXt! Ambassador Leadership Development program provides an opportunity to grow your professional skills to begin or enhance your Board leadership in the arts community.  The program ends with a Board match event. 

Applications for the 2024 NeXt! Ambassador program are now closed.

View the 2024 NeXt! Ambassador class here.


NeXt! Ambassador Program Overview

Time Commitment 

Participants in the 2024NeXt! Ambassador class participate in a 2-hour monthly program session over a 5-month period.  Each session is led by the Fund for the Arts leadership team with guest speakers from the arts community and the Fund for the Arts Board members and NeXTGen Board of past participants. 

DATES: 

January 22, 2024, 5:00-7:30 PM 

February 19, 2024, 5:30-7:30 PM 

March 18, 2024, 5:30-7:30 PM 

April 15, 2024, 5:30-7:30 PM 

May 20, 2024, 5:30-7:30 PM: NeXt! Ambassador Graduation and board matching event 

Program Fee 

The program will have up to 25 attendees.  There is no fee for the 2024 program.  

Thank you to Stock Yards Bank for their continued support of the NeXt Ambassador Program. 

Fund for the Arts and the NeXtGen Board of Directors encourage all interested applicants to apply.  

Timeline 

Applications open: October 15, 2023 

Deadline to apply: November 30, 2023 

2023-2024 NeXt! Ambassadors announced: December 15, 2023 

Program: January 2024– May 2024 

NeXt! Ambassador graduation and board matching event: May 20, 2024, 5:30 – 7:30 PM 

Questions? 

Fund for the Arts and the NeXt! Ambassador program are committed to fostering a welcoming environment for all applicants to develop leadership skills, if you have questions at any point in the application process, please reach out to us at jmartin@fundforthearts.org. 


Past NeXt! Ambassadors Experiences

“Not every one of us can paint, but our lives become more colorful when we exchange experiences with each other; not everyone of us can play a musical instrument or sing, but our journey becomes more joyful when we visit different art organizations together. As we are working side by side to make our community more inclusive, the NeXt! program sets the stage for us.” 

Xinyi Yan, NeXt! Ambassador class of 2023

“The art in the city needs to reflect the whole of our community; the audience needs to reflect the population. For generations, the art scene has been driven by a small number of well-intentioned intentioned serving the city what they believed the city should eat. Now, our generation of young leaders is taking a closer look at who is in the kitchen, and if the spread truly reflects the taste of those who live in our neighborhoods. We are actively recruiting to diversify our engaged and empowered artists and ambassadors.” 

Will Hollis, Former NeXtGen Board Chair and NeXt! Ambassador class of 2019 

“For me being part of NeXt provided me with the opportunity to become immersed in the arts community in my “new” home. NeXt allowed for me to make great connections and to also provided knowledge and guidance for becoming a supporter and board member for other organizations.” 

Tori Powell, current NeXtGen Board Member and NeXt! Ambassador class of 2020 

“The NeXt program prepared me for board leadership by showing me all the different aspects of the great arts organizations here in Louisville. How their mission is tied to everything they do, how to help at all different levels, but most importantly that it takes volunteers like me to ensure our cultural partners thrive.” 

Jon Riehm, NeXt! Ambassador class of 2015 


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