Arts Council
Kentucky’s Cultural District Certifications to be announced

FRANKFORT, Ky. — First Lady Jane Beshear and Madeline Abramson, wife of Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson, will announce the five communities receiving Kentucky Cultural District Certification at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, in the State Reception Room on the mezzanine level of the Capitol.

The five communities were selected by an independent panel of reviewers from a pool of 26 applicants. The Cultural District Certification program, administered by the Kentucky Arts Council, is designed to encourage community engagement and partnerships that facilitate the stimulation and promotion of local cultural, economic, community, tourism and social assets.

“I am extremely pleased by the number of applications we received for the first year of the program,” said Lori Meadows, executive director of the arts council. “It shows a growing desire among Kentuckians to build vibrant communities through the arts.”

A cultural district is a well-recognized, labeled, mixed-use area of a community featuring a high concentration of cultural amenities that attract local residents and visitors alike. Cultural districts can be found in any type of community, from small and rural to large and urban. Kentucky’s program is designed to showcase each community’s unique character and assets.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, creates opportunities 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.

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