FRANKFORT, Ky. — With concerns over job creation and business growth holding a prominent position on policy agendas today, governors are increasingly finding innovative ways to support economic growth, according to the recently released report “New Engines of Growth: Five Roles for Arts, Culture, and Design.” Kentucky is cited on several occasions in the National Governors Association (NGA) report for arts marketing programs and the arts and cultural districts initiative developed by the Kentucky Arts Council.
“We expect that the Cultural District Certification Program will create benefits that extend far beyond the arts and cultural sector to benefit the Commonwealth as a whole,” said Gov. Beshear. “The NGA report will attract national recognition for the program, as well as promote the use of Kentucky’s existing assets and infrastructure to generate economic activity, encourage business and job development, and facilitate community development.”
“Kentucky communities are working very hard to put the arts at the center of downtown revitalization efforts,” said Lori Meadows, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council. “We are very proud to have this national recognition and serve as a model for other states’ economic and community development.” The Kentucky Arts Council’s new cultural district initiative is also included in “State Policy Briefs: State Cultural Districts,” published by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), which serves as a clearinghouse for data and research about public funding and the arts.
Dr. Jonathan Katz, CEO of NASAA will address a group of Kentucky tourism, agriculture, arts and business leaders this week at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in Frankfort. He will speak about the national movement of state-certified cultural districts, the growing importance of arts-based placemaking and economic development strategies among state arts agencies.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, creates opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Founded in 1908, the National Governors Association (NGA) is the collective voice of the nation’s governors and one of Washington, D.C.’s most respected public policy organizations. Its members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the administration on key federal issues to developing and implementing innovative solutions to public policy challenges through the NGA Center for Best Practices.
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