FUND FOR THE ARTS ANNOUNCES 2020 SUSTAINING IMPACT GRANTEES
Foundational Grants Support Organizations with Proven Capacity for Community Impact
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (November 8, 2019) – This week the Fund for the Arts proudly announced the recipients of their 2020 Sustaining Impact Grants. The organization is thrilled to award $3.5 million to 23 of Louisville’s leading arts groups this year after the strategic and expansive changes made to its grantmaking paradigm in 2018.
The Sustaining Impact Grants are made possible through the generosity of nearly 20,000 donors and support arts experiences and opportunities in every zip code in Metro Louisville and surrounding counties. They are awarded annually to cornerstone arts organizations in the region that deliver transformative arts experiences across the city, elevating Louisville as a leading city of arts and culture. Each of these organizations must illustrate impact for the Greater Louisville community through the Imagine 2020 priorities, and demonstrate an ability to sustain themselves through governance, leadership, and financial stewardship. Collectively, the organizations:
• Engage more than 2 million audience members per year
• Fuel more than 8,200 arts opportunities per year
• Engage 400,000 youth per year
• Drive $124 million in economic impact per year
• Attract more than 260,000 out-of-town tourists per year and
• Expand access to 536,000 people through free tickets and admissions
“The Sustaining Impact Grantees are organizations that build inspiring, world-class programming for our schools and neighborhoods, expanding accessibility to the arts and driving impact across the community,” said Christen Boone, president, and CEO of the Fund for the Arts.
“Together, these organizations enhance Louisville’s arts community, and we are thrilled to award their dedication to creating a more vibrant, thriving city,” Said Ja Hillebrand, CEO of Stock Yards Bank and chairman of the Fund for the Arts board of directors.
2019-2020 Fund for the Arts Sustaining Impact Grantees:
• Actors Theater of Louisville: Actors Theatre is recognized locally and nationally as a leading arts organization in Louisville and is highly valued as a catalyst for creativity, innovation, inspiration, and education in our community and field.
• AMPED (Academy of Music Production Education and Development): A free youth music program that provides a safe environment for Louisville’s young minds to explore their creativity through the power of music production, distribution, and marketing.
• Arts Association of Oldham County: AAOC offers art classes, ongoing art shows, and artist support through more than $15,000 in scholarship assistance for arts education opportunities.
• Bunbury Theater Company: A community-based theatre that creates an enriching and diverse cultural experiences that challenges audiences and artists in an intimate setting.
• Commonwealth Theater Center, Inc.: CTC develops youth and the community through excellence in comprehensive theatre education, outreach, and performance.
• Kentucky Opera Association: Kentucky Opera enriches and engages the community through spectacular music, creative storytelling and the thrill of the human voice.
• Kentucky Shakespeare, Inc.: Kentucky Shakespeare is the most comprehensive in-school arts education provider in Kentucky, serving more than 109,000 people annually through the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, education outreach in schools, public performances, and community outreach.
• KMAC Museum: KMAC Museum acts as a creative influence in the community, drawing people together to experience its arts leadership, exhibitions, learning programs, and permanent collection.
• The Little Loomhouse: The Little Loomhouse ensures the preservation of The Little Loomhouse landmark cabins and educates students of all ages about the history of weaving and textile arts through diverse programs, residencies and community partnerships.
• Looking for Lilith Theater Company: An ensemble theatre company that creates original productions and programming by examining history and today from women’s perspectives.
• Louisville Ballet: The Louisville Ballet inspires audiences through human connection, collaboration, and creativity through high-quality, innovative productions and youth training at the Louisville Ballet School.
• Louisville Chorus: Louisville Chorus enriches the spirit of the community and the lives of its citizenry by offering a wide variety of musical performances in regionally diverse venues.
• The Louisville Orchestra: The largest and only full-time professional orchestra in Kentucky that strives to be a leader in the artistic life of Louisville through innovative, unique music programs and activities that engage the entire community.
• Louisville Story Program: The Louisville Story Program amplifies unheard voices and untold stories by partnering closely with historically underrepresented Louisville residents to develop professionally designed books, audio programs and exhibits in which authors tell the stories of their lives and communities.
• Louisville Visual Art: LVA is a creative hub, established in the Portland neighborhood, that seeks to improve lives through visual arts education, community outreach, and artist support.
• Louisville Youth Choir: The Louisville Youth Choir trains and develops young performers through out-of-school training in voice and choral technique, self-discipline, self-confidence, and self-worth.
• Louisville Youth Orchestra: Louisville Youth Orchestra offers a superior orchestral experience to any young musician who wishes to participate and to expand our performance reach to diverse communities with an emphasis on youth audiences.
• PANDORA PRODUCTIONS: Pandora Productions is the only theatre company in the state of Kentucky dedicated to telling the stories of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ+) experience.
• River City Drum Corp Cultural Arts Institute: RCDC provides in-school cultural outreach as well as intensive out-of-school music training for young men and women of color.
• Speed Art Museum: The Speed Art Museum is Kentucky’s oldest and largest art museum, providing a robust exhibition program, diverse educational opportunities, and events that engage both the art savvy and art curious.
• Squallis Puppeteers: Squallis provides direct, hands-on participation with visual and performing arts to help children and adults communicate, connect and maintain lifelong exploration of creativity.
• StageOne Family Theater: StageOne inspires children and families by opening the door to imagination, opportunity, and empathy through high-quality professional productions, in-school education programs, and community-based classes and camps.
• West Louisville Performing Arts Academy: WLPAA provides year-round vocal music experience dedicated to training and developing the talents of young boys and girls from West Louisville in a strong, spiritually healthy environment.
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 2020, the region’s arts & 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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