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Alex G. Campbell

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A COMMUNITY BASED SYSTEM IN SUPPORT OF THE ARTS

Lexington is one of 83 cities in the United States which raises money for the arts through a united arts fund.

The united arts fund movement is no stranger to the Greater Lexington Area, it was founded in 1949 when civic and corporate leaders in Cincinnati and Louisville determined that community-wide campaigns, based on the United Way model, could raise substantially more money to provide ongoing operating support to their major arts institutions.

The goal of LexArts' annual united arts fund campaign is to broaden the base of support for the arts, promote excellence in the arts and arts management, and to ensure that arts organizations are financially stable.

Your contribution to the 2008 Campaign for the Arts directly supports a wide variety of arts organizations.  Last year, Beneficiary Groups received the following general operating support from the Campaign.

• Actors Guild of Lexington ($72,500)
• Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras ($28,000)
• Lexington Art League ($52,500)
• Lexington Children’s Theatre ($120,500)
• Living Arts & Science Center ($101,250)
• Lexington Philharmonic ($160,000)

Plus an additional $108,458 was distributed as a result of the LFUCG Challenge Grant.

The Campaign for the Arts also provided $62,700 for special projects and programs such as the UK Singletary Center's Corner on Classics Series and the Explorium's Chinese New Year.

In addition, our Campaign efforts provided $15,000 to fund Gallery Hop and Arts Showcase Weekend.

THE 2008 CAMPAIGN FOR THE ARTS  

There are new and exciting opportunities for the arts community in Lexington and Central Kentucky. In response to the change in the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and the 2010 World Equestrian Games, LexArts will become engaged in community-wide cultural planning. In 2007, we developed the Cultural Blueprint for the Bluegrass creating a comprehensive plan for the arts of Central Kentucky—making real our 2007 Campaign tag line, “Cultivate Creativity.”

The arts create a healthy and vibrant community by providing creative learning experiences for our children. Research conducted by Americans for the Arts shows that young people who participate in the arts are more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to be elected to a class office, to participate in a science fair, to win attendance awards and to win writing awards. Young artists also read more for pleasure, participate in youth groups and perform community service more than their peers who are not participating in arts programs.

The arts enhance the quality of life which helps businesses attract and retain employees. Research conducted by the Americans for the Arts shows that in cities and in rural areas, nonprofit arts organizations are an economically sound investment. A strong arts community attracts visitors, spurs business development, supports new jobs and generates government revenue. The economic activity generated by arts organizations has a significant impact locally and nationally.