CEO Blog

Dear Friends,

Last week I was asked a question on the impact of digital media on our arts attendance. After all, isn't the sound superior at home? Seeing the Metropolitan Opera at Tinsel Town is big and bold and cheap, isn't it? Right? Well....not so fast.

So, I started my quest for answers:  What about live art vs. electronic art? Reality vs. virtual reality? My answer and my inspiration came from the very same place:  Actors Theatre and their upcoming production of The Kite Runner.

Actors Theatre of Louisville opens The Kite Runner on August 31. A few months back, I read the book. I was early in the queue to see the movie at Tinsel Town when it opened. And - you can count on it - I will be in the front of the line to see the play at Actors Theatre. Each experience enhances the other - not replaces it. Each experience builds on the last. And, I wonder if somewhere - deep inside our heads as modern human beings - we already get it. We intuitively understand today's new-age proposition marrying technology with the live experience. My friends who love football spend endless Sunday afternoons glued to the front of their televisions and they still go to games - rain or shine. Why is it that we arts patrons shudder at the technology challenge? Why not sit back and soak it in, embrace it?

And, while we're talking about big and bold and LIVE in Louisville - Louisville Orchestra presents its Fanfara Extravaganza on Friday, September 3, 8:30 p.m. in the Whitney Hall at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. No disappointments here. No shallow recording. Just the big bold and genuine experience you only get by planting your behind firmly in a concert hall seat - then hold on and let the music transport you!

Click here for tickets to Actors. For Louisville Orchestra tickets click here. And, if this will be your first performance at Actors or the Orchestra and somehow (although I can't imagine why) you are displeased with your experience, send me your ticket stub and I'll refund the cost. Mail it to:  Allan Cowen, Fund for the Arts, 623 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202.

Enjoy the performance!

Allan Cowen
President & CEO

 

Dear Friends, 

So....there I was last week, sitting with a team of some very smart arts leaders from around the country, exploring current and future strategies to advance our individual and collective arts agendas. 

Obviously, I think we - in Louisville - are smarter than all the others. And, for the most part, we are! After all, we haven't been sitting around wringing our hands waiting for the next economic tsunami. But, remember, reshaping our arts does take a giant leap off that comfort ledge; some people are afraid of the jump, some can't even find the ledge. 

There was a propensity toward cultural engineering in a lot of cities that made me uncomfortable. Abandoning cultural treasures as "old and outdated" was a decidedly dangerous theme some espoused. And, yes - I do have to admit there were some darned good ideas that some cities were working on - ideas worth bringing to Louisville! 

But, as they say, "at the end of the day" we win hands-down. We win because of our unwavering expectation of cooperation and innovation on-stage and off - far beyond our peer communities wildest dreams. We win because of an absolute dedication to connecting our arts, our schools, our teachers, and our kids. And, finally, we win because of our volunteer and professional leadership. Heck, we invented the national standard! 

If this feels like the making of a great strategic plan for our arts...it is. Stir into this dream I just outlined the outlandish idea that Louisville could become the best city in America to begin your career in the arts and....voila:  Together through the arts we create a great American city! 

Thanks for listening.

Dear Friend,

If you were trying to define a contemporary saint, you might use words like caring, selfless, "against incomprehensible odds achieves greater good", "meets unending challenges", genuine, kind, admirable - in other words:  An elementary school principal.

So there I was a few days ago...in a room full of saints (principals) talking about our plan for a big, bold vision for our children and our Arts. EVERY CHILD should experience our Arts in EVERY YEAR of their public education. And, this should happen regardless of means - EVERY child. And, we should accept and expect no less. Whoo hoo!!

Even with our combined belt tightening, the Fund for the Arts will work to double our support and - right now - triple our commitment to the "Every Child Arts Initiative" and these principals have pledged to join us in this crusade!

Okay. I know this sounds like a mouthful of wishful thinking - and it is. But, here's the deal. Nearly every elementary principal in the JCPS system has already signed on as a partner with us with more to come. A giant step in the right direction!

And, while we're talking about giant steps, GLI - our chamber - is launching a very impressive community visioning process and in a few weeks will tackle arts and culture as a dimension of this community visioning. So, I was wondering what you see for the future of our community's cultural life? Write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and share your thoughts and I'll pass them on.

I'm off to a national meeting on the arts in America so I'll skip next week but will fill you in on what I learn on my return.

Best,

Dear friend,

Obviously, Andrew Adler's coverage of the 2010 Fund for the Arts campaign in yesterday's Courier-Journal is a story I wish we didn't have to tell. But, I was thinking....there really were some amazing and fantastic stories worth telling about our 2010 campaign. For example, individual donors who gave in 2009 and 2010 were twice as likely to increase their 2010 arts support. Our Charles Farnsley 1949 Founders Society donors - individuals giving $1,949 and above - increased from 188 in 2009 to 212 in 2010. Over 5,500 NEW donors gave in 2010. Without exception, donors were excited, engaged, and eager to support our Arts.

So let's look at the Arts group side of the equation for a minute....

Attendance has stayed strong throughout this period of economic indigestion - unlike past recessions. Largely a result of our "Big Deal challenge initiative" of the last two years, and attributable to the work of the Partnership for Creative Economies project, the economic health of our Arts - while fragile - has definitely improved. The Louisville Ballet, for example, sold more tickets than ever last season! Consider the Kentucky Opera. After a cycle of reinvention which reduced the Opera's budget by one-third, a 2010 season move to the Brown Theatre and an office relocation to ArtSpace, we now find the Opera with a balanced budget! And, the crowning jewel of our story is that the cooperation and innovation among our Arts is at an all-time high. Just look at Stage One, MTL, the Kentucky Opera, and Louisville Orchestra with their combined co-op business operations. Measure our Arts by quality and you'll find that Actors Theatre continues to thrive artistically. The Louisville Youth Choir - which nearly ceased to exist only a few years ago - has righted its ship thanks to brilliant leadership and the cooperative support of the Ursuline Schools.

Sure, things are different today. Growing up in the 1950's I remember that it seemed we measured economic prosperity in terms of bigger cars with bigger fins and bigger engines. Well, you and I both know that doesn't make sense any longer. And while we have an astounding history of nearly three and one-half decades of increases - with only three exceptions - today we measure success within a new reality of innovation, cooperation and productivity.

Yes, I have to begrudgingly admit, there simply are things beyond my control. Local and state governments are stretched. Some companies which were outstanding donors to our Arts are simply no longer in Louisville. Consolidations in some industries simply mean less employees and less opportunities for support. But remember, we live in a community where public education employees provide more support of our arts than anywhere in America! That fact alone speaks volumes about our community.

So do me this favor: Thank Jim Welch at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it m for chairing this year's campaign. And if you support the Fund for the Arts Campaign - as a donor or volunteer - try our own Barbara Sexton Smith's favorite prescription for recognition: Raise your right hand high...reach back...and give yourself a great big pat on the back for a job well-done!

Best,