Ed Lawrence

Public Information Officer

The Kentucky Arts Council approved panel recommendations for operational support funding for 25 arts organizations whose primary purpose is provide arts programs and services to benefit the public.  The Arts Council’s grant match is based on an organization’s ability to leverage unrestricted contributed revenues for general operating purposes from individuals, businesses, united arts funds, foundations and local governments. For this fiscal year, Challenge Grant recipients matched every $1 of state funding with $16.5 in private fundraising.

            Additional expectations of the Challenge Grant program are that grantees will increase arts participation, promote diverse arts and culture and help build an efficient arts delivery system across the state.  Many of the grantees use these funds exclusively to advance educational programming.  One arts institution reported that a donor wanted to know the meaning of “partial funding provided by the Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet,” which was on the letterhead thanking her for her contribution.  When it was explained to her that public funding supports the institution based on their ability to raise funds, she responded by writing another check.

“Even though Challenge Grant funds have become a lower percentage match over the years,” say Arts Council Executive Director Gerri Combs, “we still think this is an excellent investment in public dollars.  These organizations are usually nationally recognized for the quality of their work and they bring in sizeable revenue to the state.”

- ### -

EDITORS NOTE: FY2005 Challenge Grant recipients listed below.

COUNTY                   ORGANIZATION                            AMOUNT

CAMPBELL                   Kentucky Symphony Orchestra                      19,589

DAVIESS                      Owensboro Museum of Fine Art                         23,371

DAVIESS                      Owensboro Symphony Orchestra             26,168

FAYETTE                      Lexington Arts & Cultural Council             58,957

HENDERSON                Henderson Area Arts Alliance                         8,014

JEFFERSON                 Louisville Youth Orchestra                      8,099

JEFFERSON                 Louisville Bach Society                         5,192

JEFFERSON                 Sarabande Books                                  18,676

JEFFERSON                 Greater Louisville Fund for the Arts        106,892

JEFFERSON                 Stage One: Louisville Childrens Theatre             34,335

JEFFERSON                 Kentucky Museum of Arts + Design             43,350

JEFFERSON                 Ky. Ctr. for African American Heritage            4,538

JEFFERSON                 Louisville Visual Art Association                   26,249

JEFFERSON                 Louisville Chorus, The                            1,269

JEFFERSON                 Chamber Music Society of Louisville             878

JEFFERSON                 Louisville Ballet                                                 106,369

JEFFERSON                 Actors Theatre of Louisville                       156,679

JEFFERSON                 Kentucky Shakespeare Festival                         20,111

JEFFERSON                 The Speed Art Museum                        86,260

JEFFERSON                 Louisville Youth Choir                            3,220

JEFFERSON                 Music Theatre Louisville, Inc.                7,572

JEFFERSON                 Kentucky Opera Association                   88,267

JEFFERSON                 Louisville Theatrical Association             4,859

JEFFERSON                 Louisville Orchestra, The                   169,066

PULASKI                      Lake Cumberland Performing Arts             5,943

TOTAL                                                                                      $1,033,923