Do you lie awake at night, wondering about the mayoral candidates' arts platforms? Come hear them debate arts funding next Monday. Audience members can pose questions during the first 70 minutes. There's no guarantee they'll be answered, however,
But you can always schmooze with the candidates and arts professionals afterwards at the Kentucky Center's cash bar.
Organized by the local arts and culture community, the debate will be moderated by David Cupps, Executive Director of Arts Kentucky. All Metro Mayor candidates have been invited to participate. The event is free and open to the public. Open seating and no tickets are required. For more information call 502-584-7777.
The organizers of the debate say,
Louisville is defined in large part by its vital and thriving arts and cultural communities. Collectively, these organizations are one of the region's largest employers, one of its most consistent producers of tourist revenue, and a significant factor in Louisville's economic health.
Anyone looking to lead Louisville into the next decade must demonstrate a vision for Metro Government's role in supporting and preserving groups dedicated to arts and culture, and to their unique places in our heritage and our future. The purpose of the Mayoral Forum on Arts and Culture is to focus attention on this critical aspect of our city in all of its facets - social, economic and cultural - as well as its importance to the growth and diversity of the region.
It's hard to imagine a debate about arts and culture. It's not as if a candidate will say, "Bah, humbug! Down with the arts! Down with culture!" Or, "People need bread, not circuses!" But, you never know.
We hope the moderator will ask the tough questions about the candidates' visions for funding arts organizations and how they plan to ensure a level playing field that will involve greater cultural diversity.
The support most small, "outsider" organizations have gotten in the past does not even rise to the level of a crumb. We hope we don't hear mere lip service about the importance of the arts and cultural diversity.
A thriving arts community is, indeed, vital to a city's economy. Candidates, please give us a concrete action plan on what you will do to ensure that Louisville becomes a mecca for the arts in the region, and that we can provide sustainable employment for our talented performers. We've lost too many already who have had to move away to pursue their art.
- Posted by Sherry Deatrick
WHAT: MAYORAL FORUM ON ARTS AND CULTURE WHEN: February 8, 6 - 8 p.m. WHERE: The Kentucky Center, Bomhard Theatre
Co-sponsored by the Kentucky School of Art, the Arts and Cultural Attractions Council, Arts Kentucky, the Fund for the Arts and the University of Louisville
Mayors, are just like any other politicians. They will lie through their cheeks and tell the people what they want to hear, make faux promises - none of which will ever happen.
mark sawyer-dailey #323755
fri feb 12 2010
at 9:08 am
·
arts lovers, Mayorial candidates....
did you know that Actors Theatre of Louisville, our "innovative...challenging" STATE THEATRE is listed on the "Keep Louisville Weird/Buy Local" as one of their affilliates!?!? and yet they hire almost entirely out-of-state?!?! now, as my mom would have said, "Don't that beat all?!?!?"
i've written my elected officials....have you!?!?!?
7
Theatre Lou.