FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fund for the Arts
Mollie LaFavers
502-882-8697
mlafavers@fundforthearts.org
New Initiative Celebrates Art and Artists in Louisville’s Diverse Neighborhoods
Fund for the Arts Announces new “Arts in Neighborhoods” Initiative
Louisville, KY (February 2, 2022) – Today, Fund for the Arts (FFTA) announced a new initiative called Arts in Neighborhoods, which aims to celebrate art and artists who make up the unique regions and neighborhoods across Greater Louisville. Beginning in February 2022, FFTA will co-host a series of Arts in Neighborhoods events alongside neighborhood civic, community, and arts leaders.
The Arts in Neighborhoods initiative was developed as a mission-driven replacement for FFTA’s annual Arts Showcase, which traditionally took place at the beginning of the calendar year to celebrate artists from across the city, kick off the FFTA annual campaign, and announce the annual fundraising goal. For Fiscal Year 2022, which will end on June 30, 2022, FFTA has set a fundraising goal of $8 million.
“The annual Arts Showcase was an important event that celebrated Greater Louisville’s arts community and recognized the ongoing support of thousands of generous donors,” said FFTA President & CEO Andre Kimo Stone Guess. “As we look towards the future of a unified city where all of us see ourselves represented in the arts, the importance of pivoting from a one-time event in a central location to a series of monthly events happening in neighborhoods across our city became clear. Arts in Neighborhoods will continue the movement created by so many community and arts leaders to amplify the arts in their own backyards.”
Art is an expression of the human condition and communicating artistically is critically important in promoting belonging in the arts and communities. Arts in Neighborhoods is intended to foster this sense of belonging while also illuminating artists and art spaces that exist throughout Greater Louisville. These events are an opportunity for individuals and collective communities to recognize and celebrate their creativity. Events are free and open to all ages.
Harlina Trumbo of LaNita Rocknettes said, “Arts in the Neighborhoods is a lifeline for the community and the arts to merge together. It’s a way to celebrate and recognize local artists. It’s an opportunity for artists to display and showcase their creativity. Arts in the Neighborhoods allows groups like the LaNita Rocknettes to collaborate and join forces, to showcase their talents.”
The first Arts in Neighborhoods events will take place in the following regions of Greater Louisville: West Louisville, East Louisville, South Louisville, and Southern Indiana. The series will kick off on February 21, featuring special guest Grammy Award winner Christian McBride collaborating with local artists. The details for this inaugural event are below.
I Am Because We Are
An Arts in Neighborhoods series event co-hosted by Fund for the Arts.
Co-hosts and Performers include AMPED, D.E.S.T.I.N.E.D. Dance Company, Keen Dance Theatre, LaNita Rocknettes School of Dance, Redline Performing Arts, Rheonna Thornton and Lipstick Wars, River City Drum Corps, and Shawn Wade and Artistry of a Dream featuring special guest Grammy Award Winner Christian McBride
Region: West Louisville
Date and Time: February 21, 2022, at 6:00 PM
Location: Central High School
Event Details: Vendors, performances, and live painting. Free and open to all ages. Masks will be required for everyone age 2+.
Details about the other events in the first set of this series are still in the works and will be released at a later date.
Each Arts in Neighborhoods event will be created by the neighborhood and for the neighborhood, with financial and organizational support provided by FFTA as needed. FFTA has provided a seed budget to support artists and help keep these events completely free for audiences to see and experience the many arts groups and individual artists in their neighborhoods and regions.
About Fund for the Arts
Fund for the Arts is a regional nonprofit with the mission to maximize the impact of the arts on economic development, education, and quality of life in our community. The Fund is a convener, promoter, leader, and driver of Imagine Greater Louisville 2025, the region’s arts and cultural plan. It facilitates the largest arts grant program in Kentucky as well as conducts one of the oldest united arts campaigns in the country. For more information, visit www.fundforthearts.org.
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