Louisville Ky’s Fund for the Arts campaign underway

New partnerships with Churchill Downs and Jennifer Lawrence Foundation

to raise funds for Louisville arts community

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (February 2, 2016) – The Fund for the Arts today kicked off its 2016 annual campaign and announced new partnerships with Churchill Downs and the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation, a component fund of the Community Foundation of Louisville, Inc. The new partnerships bring added star power to the Fund for the Arts’ 2016 campaign to help expand the reach and impact of the arts across Louisville.

 

The partnership with Churchill Downs will celebrate and raise money for Louisville’s arts community during this year’s Kentucky Derby week Opening Night, presented by Stella Artois and Old Forester, on Saturday, April 30. During the evening, the Fund for the Arts, the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation and Churchill Downs will present Louisville’s inaugural Award in the Arts, a separate ticketed benefit event in the newly renovated Stakes Room to celebrate and recognize local artists and arts supporters.

fund for the arts logo

“These new partnerships have the potential to greatly expand the reach of the arts, and the impact the arts can have in terms of quality of life, education and economic development,” said Steve Trager, Republic Bank chairman and CEO, and chair of the Fund for the Arts’ 2016 annual campaign. “We are tremendously thankful for the involvement of Churchill Downs and the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation who will help make 2016 a banner year for increasing the impact of the arts across Louisville.”

 

Opening Night Celebrates Louisville’s Arts

Churchill Downs’ Opening Night will kick off Derby week this year by showcasing Louisville’s arts community.

 

“We are proud to support Louisville’s vibrant arts community, and the important work of the Fund for the Arts and its supporters,” said Kevin Flanery, president, Churchill Downs Racetrack. “We can’t think of a better way to kick off Derby week than by celebrating the art and artists that make Louisville great.”

 

During the evening of live racing, live arts performances will take place in locations throughout the facility and video vignettes of the performances will be shown on Churchill Downs’ Big Board. A portion of proceeds from Opening Night will benefit the Fund for the Arts and guests can contribute directly to the Fund for the Arts at a number of donation stations set up around the racetrack.

 

“We want to give guests at Opening Night an arts experience around every turn,” said Christen Boone, president and CEO, Fund for the Arts. “The arts and Kentucky Derby week are all about passion, color, excitement and fun, so this partnership can become a wonderful way to kick off Derby week and support the Louisville arts community at the same time.”

 

The Fund for the Arts is making a call for artists for Opening Night and interested artists should contact Mo McKnight at (502) 414-1278 or mo@momcknight.com. For sponsorship details, contact Abby Shue at (502) 582-0104 orashue@fundforthearts.com. For event information on Opening Night, presented by Stella Artois and Old Forester, visit www.churchilldowns.com.

 

Jennifer Lawrence Foundation Aligns with the Fund for the Arts

The Jennifer Lawrence Foundation, the Fund for the Arts and Churchill Downs will co-present a separate, ticketed benefit during Opening Night. This VIP event in the new Stakes Room at Churchill Downs will include a reception and the presentation of Louisville’s inaugural Awards in the Arts.

 

The Awards in the Arts will celebrate the extraordinary arts community in the Greater Louisville region and the arts’ tremendous contribution to our unique cultural landscape and quality of life. The Awards in the Arts were established to celebrate local artists’ talent and passion to create, produce and present transformative and inspiring works of art, in and for our community. The awards will recognize individual artists, performers and craftsmen who have achieved national recognition, lifetime achievement and emerging talent. Other awards will recognize arts innovation, arts impact and arts education. Nominations for Louisville’s Awards in the Arts can be made online atwww.fundforthearts.org.

 

“I am so proud to support my hometown of Louisville with this partnership with the Fund for the Arts and Churchill Downs,” said Jennifer Lawrence. “Supporting the arts is incredibly important to me and I am thrilled that we will be able create new, transformative arts experiences across Kentucky.”

Jennifer Lawrence

“The Jennifer Lawrence Foundation is excited to be partnering with two iconic Louisville organizations, Churchill Downs and Fund for the Arts, to create a unique, one of a kind experience,” said Meredith Lawrence, executive director, Jennifer Lawrence Foundation. “This partnership will allow us to further our goal of enriching the Louisville arts community.”

 

This special evening will be unlike any other Louisville gala. Guests will enjoy live thoroughbred racing from the best view at the racetrack, signature cocktails and dinner, while mingling with the Louisville’s arts community. Awards in the Arts will be presented in the winner’s circle and on the track’s Big Board between races. The inaugural awards program will also serve as the debut of Churchill Downs’ newly renovated Stakes Room.

 

For sponsor and ticket information for Louisville’s inaugural Awards in the Arts, presented by the Fund for the Arts, the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation and Churchill Downs, please call (502) 582-0100 or visit www.fundforthearts.org.

 

Fund for the Arts Launches 2016 Campaign

The Fund for the Arts announced the new partnerships today as part of its annual campaign kickoff event. Several hundred campaign coordinators from companies across the region attended the event and enjoyed a luncheon, arts mini-performances and remarks from the Fund’s campaign leaders.

 

Workplace giving is a primary source of income to the Fund for the Arts, and nearly 200 companies and 20,000 donors contribute to the Fund every year. Combined with support from corporate, individual and foundation donors, the Fund for the Arts raised more than $8 million last year. The Fund for the Arts supported 15 cultural partners, 75 arts and cultural projects with 37 organizations through power2give, as well as arts experiences and residencies in 113 schools and 12 community centers through the Every Child Arts Education Initiative across the region. The collective impact was $259 million in annual economic activity, 400,000 arts in education experiences and access to every school and zip code in the region.

 

To learn more about the Fund for the Arts annual campaign, visitwww.fundforthearts.org.

 

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ABOUT FUND FOR THE ARTS

Fund for the Art is a regional nonprofit with the mission to maximize the arts to drive economic development, education, and quality of life in our community. The Fund conducts one of the oldest united arts campaigns and supports world-class institutions, community organizations and arts-in-education. The Fund for the Arts also hostspower2give.org, an online crowd-funding platform for any 501(c)3 organization in Kentucky and Southern Indiana to post arts and culture projects and the nationally recognized NeXt! leadership development program for young professionals. For more information, visit www.fundforthearts.org.

 

ABOUT CHURCHILL DOWNS

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on May 7, 2016. The track’s 2016 Spring Meet is scheduled for April 30-July 2. The track has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships eight times. For more information visit www.churchilldowns.com.

 

ABOUT THE JENNIFER LAWRENCE FOUNDATION

The Jennifer Lawrence Foundation is a component fund of The Community Foundation of Louisville, Inc. The fund supports a variety of charities, including the Fund for the Arts, Boys and Girls Club, Make-A-Wish Foundation, West End School, St. Mary’s Center, Special Olympics and more. For more information, visit www.jenniferlawrencefoundation.com.