LexArts had their big 2019 Fund for the Arts Kickoff event. Where was this event hosted? What does this campaign do? What exactly does LexArts do for the community?
On March 12, 2019 LexArts kicked off their Fund for the Arts Campaign with a luncheon at The Kentucky Theater. Citizens of the Lexington community were invited to participate in the launch of the 2019 campaign to keep the arts in our area.
Maury Sparrow, Communications Director with LexArts, said “We look at things two ways. We can look at it from the perspective of the arts as a beautiful thing to witness and to experience. That’s absolutely true, but on the other side of the coin is the economic development aspect of relocating to Lexington. Bob Quick at Commerce Lexington will tell you that the third most important thing they are asked when a company is considering relocating to Lexington is ‘How is your art scene? How is your community? Is it walk-able? Is it livable? Is it exciting?’ So we think we do our part and to be quite honest we do our part by way of you and your gifts.”
The day was filled with all forms of art. Whether it be the art in the hallway, the artist doing a live painting, or the many performances the audience got to witness from local artists during the presentation.
Violinists Daniel Mason of the Lexington Philharmonic Concertmaster and Madeline Farrar of the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra performed Violin Duo and 44 Duets for Two Violins.
Syliva Collins of the Carnegie Center Teen Howl Poets read her piece, How Not To Be Sensitive. There was a dance performance by the Bluegrass Ceili Academy and the Lexington Children’s Theater performed a small bit from their current play, High School Musical.
BerNadette West-Fugate, Patrick J. Mitchell, and Nieta Wigginton from the Message Theater did a snippet from A Raisin in the Sun. Reva Russell from Kentucky Women Writers Conference read two of her own poems, Housecat and The Honoring.
The campaign LexArts puts on each year is to raise money to support organizations like the Lexington Philharmonic and Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra. It will also support smaller organizations in the Lexington Area.
Mayor Linda Gorton was in attendance and talked about what the arts does for Lexington. “Well, first of all, the arts are important here because they are jobs and they are economic development. Secondly, and just as important is that the arts lift people up. They really add to the beauty, the culture, and the quality of life here. I just love the arts.”
LexArts is greater Lexington’s premier cultural development, advocacy, and fund raising organization. LexArts provides a wide range of programs and services designed to integrate the arts into daily lives.
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