The Kentucky Arts Council and arts organizations from across the state will celebrate Arts Day in Kentucky, 9 a.m.-noon Feb. 11 in the Capitol Rotunda, 700 Capital Ave. in Frankfort.
The arts council hosts Arts Day each year during the legislative session to bring awareness of the many roles the arts play in the Commonwealth. Arts leaders, artists, the general public and other supporters of the arts gather to celebrate the arts and the creative industry, and recognize the Kentucky General Assembly for its continued support of the arts.
"This is an important opportunity to bring together all stakeholders in the arts at the same time," said Lori Meadows, arts council executive director. "It helps put a face on the people who, day in and day out, do the good work of promoting arts in their communities and regions. It helps secure Kentucky’s position as an innovator in support for the arts."
For the 2014-15 fiscal year, the arts council awarded $1.4 million in Kentucky Arts Partnership (KAP) grants to 96 arts organizations throughout the state. Representatives of those organizations have been invited to Frankfort for Arts Day to tell legislators how KAP funds have helped them continue their respective missions.
2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the arts council by Gov. Edward T. Breathitt, as well as the 50th anniversary of the creation of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) by Congress. The arts council is celebrating these significant events as the Year of the Arts in Kentucky.
"We are proud to celebrate this milestone in the history of the arts council and to share in the NEA’s anniversary," Meadows said. "2014 was a banner year for us, with the release of our first-ever Creative Industry Report and the subsequent Creative Industry Summit. We expect to ride that momentum through 2015 as we celebrate a half-century of service to the Commonwealth."
In addition to providing an avenue for Kentucky artists to meet their legislators, Arts Day will also feature demonstrations and performances from several artists.
Performers and demonstrators for Arts Day include:
Bob Gibson, wood carving, Lawrenceburg
John Harrod, fiddle, Owenton
Marianna McDonald, pastel art, Lexington
Hong Shao, pipa, Nicholasville
Squallis Puppeteers, Louisville
Jennifer Zurick, basket making, Berea
Doug Naselroad, Winchester, and Mike Slone, Mousie; dulcimer makers
For more information about Arts Day in Kentucky, visit the Arts Day Web page and see public service announcements about the importance of the arts in Kentucky recorded by some of Kentucky’s most well-known arts professionals.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, fosters environments for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.
(story provided by Kentucky Arts Council)