Ed Lawrence

Public Information Officer

502-564-3757 x 4803

ed.lawrence@ky.gov

The Kentucky Arts Council has awarded $10,000 grants to five Kentucky performing arts centers to increase public participation in the arts. The Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, the Pennyroyal Arts Council in Hopkinsville, Glema Mahr Center for the Arts in Madisonville, UK Research Foundation/Singletary Center for the Arts in Lexington and the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville will use the grants to establish or enhance programs to broaden, deepen and diversify community participation in the arts. 

            Theses awards were made possible by the State Arts Partnerships for Cultural Participation (START) initiative, a national program funded by the Wallace Foundation, to support the creation of state arts agency standards, practices and capacities that enhance public participation in the arts.  The Wallace Foundation is a New York based, national foundation that seeks to improve student achievement through stronger education leadership; enhance after-school learning opportunities; and expand participation in arts and culture.  Kentucky was one of just 13 states chosen to participate in the START initiative, and was awarded a START grant of $500,000 over a three-year period.

“Arts organizations play a vital role in their communities by enhancing education, providing a sense of community and maintaining the cultural heritage that is unique to Kentucky,” said Kentucky Arts Council Executive Director Gerri Combs.  “These grants will enable our performing arts centers to continue to broaden their audiences, further extending the benefits of the arts in their communities.”

The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet, established by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1965 by executive order to develop and promote support for the arts in Kentucky.  The Arts Council provides grants, awards and technical assistance to Kentucky artists, not-for-profit organizations, local governments and schools committed to providing arts and cultural programs and services to the public, contingent upon budgetary action of the Kentucky General Assembly and Partnership Agreement Grant funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.

NOTE TO EDITORS: See below for grantee information.

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The Kentucky Center for the Arts

Contact: Kim Baker

Telephone: (502) 562-0100

Working with the Glema Mahr Center for the Arts in Madisonville and the Paramount Center in Ashland, the Kentucky Center for the Arts will use the grant award to begin a Co-Presenting program for 2003-04 season that will bring regional jazz artists to their communities as a multi-level audience development program.  The Co-Presenting program will focus on broadening the audience of participating organizations by educating the community about jazz, increasing the marketing presence for the programs and insuring the facilities are accessible to accommodate the widest possible audiences. 

Singletary Center

Contact: Holly Salisbury

Telephone: (859) 257-9420

The Singletary Center will use the grant award to upgrade on-line ticketing capabilities, and computer hardware and software.  The Singletary Center sought the grant to enable it to continue to develop its audience and make ticketing more accessible.

Paramount Arts Center

Contact: Kathy Timmons

Telephone: (606) 324-3175 ext. 306

The Paramount Arts Center will use the grant award to present Jazz on the Road, a series of four Kentucky musicial groups performing various styles of jazz.  Performers for the series include the Steve Crews Trio, Jerry Tolson Quartet, Dick Sisto Quintet and the Ron Jones Quartet who will perform in a cabaret style setting.  Working in partnership with The Kentucky Center in Louisville, The Paramount Center also plans to offer master classes and lecture demonstrations for high school students, teacher program guides and educational materials for series’ audiences. 

Pennyroyal Arts Center, Inc

Contact: Jennifer s. Maddux

Telephone: (270) 887-4295

The Pennyroyal Arts Center, Inc. (PACI) will use the grant award to initiate an extensive marketing study, develop a marketing plan and implement a plan to further diversify its audience.

Glema Mahr Center for the Arts

Contact: Brad Downall

Telephone: (270) 824-8651

The Glema Mahr Center for the Arts will use the grant award to help produce three community theatre presentations for the 2003-2004 season: Greater Tuna, To Kill a Mockingbird and Oliver.