For immediate release:
Tory Parker
Director of Marketing and Communications | Fund for the Arts
Tparker@fundforthearts.org
Louisville, KY (August 18, 2026) —
Fund for the Arts’ Board of Directors has appointed Brett Shepherd as the President and CEO of the organization, starting August 18, 2026. Shepherd has served as the organization’s Interim President & CEO since January 1, 2026 and as Chief Development Officer since August 2022.
“It’s an honor to continue serving Fund for the Arts and our greater arts community in this role,” says Shepherd. “We want to ensure that our world-class arts and culture sector remains synonymous with the pulse of our city and surrounding region. The arts undoubtedly play a leading role, not a supporting one.”
Shepherd was appointed interim President and CEO by the Fund for the Arts Board of Directors, chaired by Scott Schaftlein, following a recommendation made by the board’s Transition Committee, chaired by past FFTA Board of Directors chair Nicole Yates.
“Since January, Brett has led the organization with enthusiasm, authenticity, and a must-do spirit of tenacious fundraising. It is clear to the Board of Directors that his care, not only for the organization, but for its stakeholders and the larger community, is exactly what we need at this moment,” says Schaftlein. “The Board is excited to welcome him into this more permanent role and work alongside him to further the mission of the Fund for the Arts.”
A Louisville native, Shepherd has a longstanding commitment to philanthropy in his hometown. After graduating from Bellarmine University, Shepherd started his fundraising career at the Frazier History Museum. In the decades since, he has led major gift initiatives at Waterfront Botanical Gardens and Kentucky Performing Arts, where he led fundraising efforts for the development of Old Forester’s Paristown Hall. He recently graduated as part of the Leadership Louisville Class of 2025.
“I look forward to continued collaboration with our Board of Directors, the outstanding FFTA leadership and staff, as well as donors and key stakeholders to elevate our community’s civic pride in both supporting and engaging with local arts,” says Shepherd. “Between tumultuous shifts in arts and culture funding on the national level, the evolution of Louisville’s corporate sphere, and our own leadership transition, this has been a season of strategic pivoting, none of which would have been possible without support from our incredible board members, arts ecosystem partners and individual and corporate donors.”
As a professional fundraiser for nearly two decades, Shepherd’s strategy will, most importantly, focus on expanding the Fund’s mechanisms for sustainable annual arts funding. The arts play a prominent role in delivering economic vitality, cultural vibrancy, talent retention and attraction, educational attainment, neighborhood revitalization, human connection leading to identification of other basic needs, mental health and well-being, and as an incubator for homegrown talent. As consistent cuts to arts funding puts organizations, programs, and economic and social benefits at risk, Shepherd hopes that robust support from the Fund can better secure their future.
“I know from meeting with our grantees and the artists we support that there is no shortage of vision, passion, or creativity in this city,” says Shepherd. “We deserve an arts community that is bold, singular, and embraces everyone, but what organizations and artists are lacking, across the board, are the funds to make those visions a reality. Fund for the Arts is in a unique position to make a meaningful impact by uplifting the whole arts community and activating a diverse pool of donors and stakeholders. We know that when funding is tight or uncertain, the arts are often the first to feel the pain. As the President and CEO of the Fund, I look forward to working closely with our Board and staff to hit home the message that the arts are non-negotiable, and it is our city’s collective responsibility to ensure they thrive.”
Click here for the Fund for the Arts FY25 Annual Report.
Please reach out to the FFTA contact if you are interested in scheduling an interview.
ABOUT FUND FOR THE ARTS
Fund for the Arts is a regional nonprofit with the mission to contribute to the overall health and well-being of our community by generating resources for, investing in, and supporting our local arts, artists, and arts organizations. The Fund envisions a healthy and vibrant community where everyone embraces the art that exists in our lives every day, everyone contributes to the well-being of our arts community, and it is understood that everyone belongs to the arts community. The organization facilitates the largest arts grant program in Greater Louisville and it conducts one of the two oldest united arts campaigns in the country. For more information, visit www.fundforthearts.org
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