FRANKFORT, KY — The annual award-winning arts marketplace, Kentucky Crafted: The Market returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center, South Wing B, Louisville, Ky., with live musical performances throughout Saturday and Sunday, March 19 – 20, 2011.

Kentucky’s finest musicians bring a wide variety of styles to Kentucky on Stage at The Market. The following is the schedule of performances:

Squallis Puppeteers will also be in the exhibit hall making guest appearances with their larger-than-life puppets from 3 – 4 p.m. on Saturday and 1– 2 p.m. on Sunday.

All artists performing at Kentucky on Stage at The Market have met the artistic quality standards to be included in the Kentucky Arts Council’s Performing Arts Directory. Festival organizers, performing arts venue representatives, library program directors and community organization representative interested in booking Kentucky performing artists are encouraged to attend Kentucky Crafted:The Market to experience this sampling of talent from across the Commonwealth. The complete Performing Arts Directory is available at http://artistdirectory.ky.gov.

All performances are free with the price of admission to Kentucky Crafted: The Market.

Kentucky Crafted: The Market offers visitors the opportunity to shop from more than 200 exhibitors of fine art and craft, books, CDs, DVDs and specialty foods. In addition to the performances, The Market also offers regional food samplings, children’s activities, literary activities including readings by Kentucky’s poets laureate and special exhibits and narrative stages to explore Kentucky traditions.

Kentucky Crafted: The Market is produced by the Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency that 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.