CHAPTER 1: ESTABLISHING A CONTEXT FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies ranks Kentucky as 43rd in the country in per capita funding for the arts. For 2020, the amount funded to the Kentucky Arts Council was estimated at $2.7 million, an increase over 2019’s $2.5 million but a 23% decrease in funding from 2018. Despite limitations in funds, communities throughout the state have developed into arts and cultural destinations, recognized nationally for arts and crafts, architecture, history, music, bourbon, and beyond. In developing a strategy to advance the arts in Frankfort and establish it as a regional arts destination, the City was benchmarked against three comparably sized Kentucky arts and cultural communities: Bardstown, Danville, and Paducah. All three of these communities are recognized as ‘Vibrant Communities’ by the Kentucky Arts Council and all three have state-designated Creative Districts.
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Frankfort ARTS Master Plan
