Dear Friend,   

Here I was stage front and center for our Arts Showcase and Campaign celebration on Tuesday at the Brown....

Would they come? Would the performances go off without a hitch? Would we WOW the audience? Yes. Yes! And, more yes! 1,400 people packed the Brown to add their voices to our celebration. It really was a thrill a minute - actually 65 minutes. Our own board chair, Ron Murphy, couldn't even get into the parking garage and was forced to spend about 45 minutes driving around the block. So you said, "Yes!" And, I am eternally grateful to all our friends on and offstage who made our event perfect.

So, while we're talking about perfect; this is a perfect time to be a part of our community-wide decision-making as we choose a new Mayor for Louisville....

Monday night, February 8th at 6 p.m. at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, a Mayoral Forum on our Arts will be held. All the registered candidates will be in attendance to make a statement about our Arts and to answer a few prepared questions ranging from leveraging the economic power of our sector to the role of our Arts in a new administration - as well as the need for local government support of our Arts. Don't be shy, join me at the Forum. It's free and open to the public. And, it's important. Can't make it? Be sure and ask each mayoral candidate your Arts support questions the next time you get a chance.

A last thought - if you don't mind - this Saturday, February 6th at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Kentucky Center, Stage One will present a public performance of "If You Give a Pig a Party!" as presented in excerpt at the Campaign Showcase. As a special thank you for your support, tickets for these performances are being offered through ARTSRUSH ! - each ticket is just $10. Think about it....that's less than I paid for an awful movie at Tinseltown last week.

So, as I close my message - thanks again for all you do for our Arts. Staying true to form - if you haven't given to the Fund for the Arts and you're not a part of a workplace campaign you can make your pledge now by clinking this link.

Thanks again, WOW!