The Kentucky Center Board e-News MAY 2018
KIM’S CORNER There are many things to report on! First, as you all are aware we finalized all agreements on the Brown Theatre, moving to resolution on easements, past donor acknowledgements and, of course, the purchase price. We have moved to a suitable lease arrangement working between Foundation and Center executive committees and plan to ratify at the June board meetings. We received considerable press and I have heard many, many positive comments from community members. Thanks to you all for your support as we internally discuss ways to increase programming activities. In fact, I’ll be attending the Broadway League with Leslie Broecker in mid May with the specific purpose of landing more theatrical performances in the Brown. More to come! We were all thrilled to hear that the Whitney Hall received the ranking of #14 in the Pollstar 2018 first quarter ranking of top 50 theaters. Pollstar is the top industry trade magazine for the concert and touring business. The ranking finds us ahead of some well-known venues like the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis and Bass Concert Hall in Texas, Radio City Music Hall in New York and the Ryman in Nashville.
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The Kentucky Center May 2018 Board eNews
us well and many of the initiatives have been accomplished. However, much has changed since 2014. We soon will have responsibility for three distinct sites, the community has embraced the Imagine 2020 master plan for the arts and we are looking at a comprehensive campaign to support The Center and all its programs for the future. As we reviewed the framework we felt confident we have the strategic plan that can continue to guide our work into the next five years, with a few updates. I’ll be sending this plan out soon with a document to provide context and will offer some roundtable discussions here at The Center to answer any questions and gather board feedback. Our goal is to pass the refreshed strategic plan at our June board meetings along with our annual budgets, so keep on the look-out for this important document in the coming weeks.
It’s exciting to watch the Paristown Point venue turning into something more than a giant hole in the ground. A few days ago, concrete was poured and now there is a basement floor! The site supervisor said that all went beautifully. Please feel free to drive by and take a look. We will hopefully have an official name soon. Old Forester is working with their intellectual properties department so that we can make an announcement in short order.
The roof work continues but that doesn’t mean our theaters are dark. Over the next several months, we have the Orchestra, Broadway, Kentucky Center Presents and a variety of other private rentals and community celebrations. A few recommended events to check out include the ArtsReach Annual Performance Showcase on May 20, ArtPlace America and Theater of War Productions presentation of The Addiction Performance Project May 21, Vice President Joe Biden June 7 and the return of legendary singer-songwriter Jackson Browne June 12. Check out all that’s happening at www. kentuckycenter.org and come join us for some great events that are sure to broaden your mind, ignite your spirit and entertain you all at the same time!
In other news the staff is working on a refresh of our strategic plan. The current five year plan, created in 2014, has served
Enjoy reading about all that’s happening at The Kentucky Center!
BOARD UPDATES •
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Please welcome Bruce Flannery to The Kentucky Center Foundation Board. Bruce is Manager of Data Center Operations and Capacity Management for LG&E and KU Energy. Wendy Anzalone and Kent Lanum have both resigned from The Kentucky Center Foundation Board. We thank them for their service.
1. In two words: How would you describe yourself? How would others describe you? Witty and thoughtful. 2. As a community leader, why do you want to volunteer at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts? My goal in life to to help make other people happy. The arts in a community play a major role in bringing joy to the lives of children, adults and seniors. In Louisville, the Kentucky Center for the Arts is the centerpiece of the endeavor to bring a diverse repertoire of art forms to the community, to broaden perspectives on all aspects of the arts, and to show children how they can excel in new ways. As a board member of the Kentucky Center Foundation, I can apply my professional skills in finance to help the Center achieve its goals.
4. What advice would you give a young professional in today’s workplace who wants to become involved in community non-profit boards? Identify your passions. Volunteer to show your interest. Contribute to validate your interest. Find one or more individuals who do what you would like to do, and establish a mentoring relationship. Then have fun making things happen. betterment of the community and the citizens and residents of metro Louisville. I find this old-adage to be true, “It is better to give than to receive.” 5. When you die, what do you want written on your tombstone? He did his best and made people smile.
3. What was one of your major life experiences that prepared you to be a competent and capable board member? I have been fortunate to serve on several corporate boards, public sector boards and authorities, and not-for-profit boards. These diverse experiences have increased my appreciation of good board governance practices, and the importance of having a passion for the mission of the board on which one serves.
CHARLIE MOYER
serves on The Kentucky Center Foundation Board and is Professor of Finance and Entrepreneurship, Dean Emeritus College of Business at the University of Louisville
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Dance Out Loud The Kentucky Center’s ArtsReach program presented the second annual Dance Out Loud event on April 29. This free, community event featured ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, African and lyrical dance performances by dancers ranging from preschoolers to professionals from New York City. Jeremy McQueen’s Black Iris Project presented an excerpt from their new ballet “A Mother’s Rite” and “Party People.”
WAVE 3 News Anchor Dawne Gee hosted the event
ArtsReach Dance Ensemble, choreographed by Marcellus Love and Portia White, debuted three new works, one of which blended music, video and dance to grapple with the topic of bullying. Intergenerational D.E.S.T.I.N.E.D. Dance Company opened the show with an African piece, and later presented a lyrical selection. Genesis Arts from Shawnee Arts & Cultural Center showcased work by pre-school and elementary students. Adult company Keen Dance Theatre presented contemporary works and this spirited performance concluded with a hip-hop dance by Shively students under the instruction of Safiyyah Rasool.
ArtsReach Performing Arts Showcase will be held in the Bomhard Theater May 20. We hope to see you there! Courtney Celeste Spears with The Black Iris Dance Project performing “A Mother’s Rite”
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WE Day
Festival of Faiths
On April 17, The Kentucky Center was once again, proud to host WE Day Kentucky. This day long celebration of service brought 2,400 students from all over the Commonwealth together at The Center and culminated in a 4,000 person Walk For Compassion through the streets of Downtown Louisville. To see photos and videos of the event, click here.
April 25-28, the 23rd Annual Festival of Faiths activated every corner of The Kentucky Center with a multi-faith celebration of music, poetry, art, film and dialogue. This year’s event explored practices, insight and teaching rooted in Feminine wisdom.
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AT A
GLANCE
to be successful in their roles as new leaders at The Center. We will offer principles for leaders to know more about and understand the history, structure, and culture of The Center, as well as learn about policies, procedures, and processes. In support of the program, all existing leaders will be attending Leader Orientation on July 10th & 11th.
FINANCE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, FACILITIES, PRODUCTION AND THE BROWN THEATRE Amber Halloran, Chief Financial Officer
HUMAN RESOURCES
• Barrel roof repairs continue. Once the exterior is repaired, crews will begin repair work on the interior. In preparation for this, the lobby artwork has been protected. Scaffolding will be in place for several months during this process.
Terri Montgomery, Senior Vice President
• Currently working with staff to prepare the FY19 budget, which will be presented to the Finance committee and boards in June.
• As a business imperative, the Diversity and Inclusion initiative is well underway. The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce is in session and includes representation of diverse employees who will tackle diversity and inclusion initiatives at The Center. Areas of concentration will include Board Support, Arts & Education, Recruitment & Retention, Programming, Access Services, and Workplace Diversity & Equity. The taskforce will also collaborate with community partners to further enhance diversity and inclusion programs external to the organization.
• Purchase of the Brown Theatre was completed April 20, 2018. Thanks to everyone who made this happen. We look forward to the new opportunities this purchase will create. • The concrete pour at Paristown is complete. We now have a basement! Steel will be in place beginning May 18.
• The Recruitment & Retention function now has the capability of running background checks electronically, resulting in lowering risk and real-time legal compliance while improving the results of candidate selection. Background checks now include Social Security Trace/ Address Locator, County Criminal, Multi-State Multi-Jurisdictional Database Search: 50 State Criminal Records Locator, and a Registered Sex Offender Search. Background checks will be administered for all new hires and volunteers. • HR has developed a two day Leadership Orientation for new leaders of The Kentucky Center. This two-day workshop will provide a tool kit to ensure leaders have the skill and knowledge 6
The Kentucky Center May 2018 Board eNews
Concrete pour at the Paristown venue site.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PROGRAMMING, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ARTS, PATRON SERVICES AND TICKETING Heather Weston Bell, Senior Vice President
Marketing and Communications • The Kentucky Center garnered a lot of media attention in the month of April. Between the Joe Biden announcement, WE Day, Thunder at the Center and the Brown Theatre announcement, we reached 236,611,956 viewers/web views with an advertising value of $57,343. • The next time you are walking down Fourth Street, take a moment to check out Louisville Downtown Partnership’s new interactive information kiosks. The initial rollout will have eight locations along Fourth Street and part of Main Street up by the end of May. As LDP partners, The Kentucky Center is able to post information about our venues and upcoming performances at no charge. This provides an exciting, new interactive way to showcase our offerings to both locals and tourists. • • •
Education & Community Arts The Kentucky Center staff has many artists in every art form. Every once in a while, Jeff Jamner (Senior Director of Education & Community Arts, and pictured with students at Manual High School) has an opportunity to draw on his background as a concert pianist with a Doctorate in Piano Performance. In the Anne Frank Bearing Witness Project, Jeff introduced a new lesson which interweaves stories of his family’s survival of the Holocaust as it relates to Elie Weisel’s Night. At Manual High School, Jeff explored with students what European classical music meant to his parents, to many Jews from Europe, and to the boy named Juliek, who Wiesel describes playing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto on the night he died. In addition to Manual High School, Jeff has led this session for students in Paintsville and Lexington. This program is funded by a grant from the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence.
The Kentucky Center Governor’s School for the Arts • GSA has announced it’s 2018 summer program class! While class demographics may shift slightly in advance of the program, 256 students have been selected from 50 counties across Kentucky. This year’s summer program will take place June 17–July 7 at Centre College in Danville, KY! If you are interested in visiting the program, email GSA Director Nick Covault at ncovault@kentuckycenter.org.
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DEVELOPMENT
VISUAL ARTS
Julie Roberts, Vice President
Diane Tobin, Special Assistant to the President
• We are thrilled to announce another major gift for the Paristown project with a $1 million commitment over five years from Old Forester and Brown-Forman. As we work through details of this agreement, please note that this information is to remain confidential until we make a public announcement later this spring. In the meantime, please do share congratulations and thanks with Kentucky Center Foundation Board Chair Phil Lynch, who was instrumental in this effort, along with Campaign Chair Mary Nixon, and the BrownForman leadership team. With this gift, we are at the halfway mark toward our $5 million campaign goal.
In preparation for the extensive ceiling repair work happening in the Main Lobby, the Art Collection needed protection from potential damage, dust and debris. Bonsai Fine Arts has built and installed protective coverings for all of the lobby pieces. When all repairs are concluded and the coverings removed, conservators will return to continue their work on the collection.
• Efforts to better highlight fundraising needs for our mission programs is paying off, with a recent gift of $25,000 from an individual donor who is designating the gift for support of ArtsReach, Arts in Healing, and Governor’s School for the Arts. • Be on the lookout for details related to a Member reception prior to the Beach Boys concert on Sunday, May 13. It’s a great chance to chat with our donors while also enjoying great food and drinks.
GSA Director Nick Covault, 2017 GSA Visual Art alumnus Adrian Partridge, Gov. Matt Bevin, Annie and Jeff Partridge
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Gracehoper at Waterfront park during flooding.
Glenview Trust Enriching Life Series The Beach Boys May 13 The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall
ArtPlace America and Theater of War Productions present The Addiction Performance Project May 21 The Kentucky Center-Bomhard Theater
Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Main Street Association and Commonwealth Bank and Trust A Taste of Main Street May 18 The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall
Miss Kentucky’s Outstanding Teen Scholarship Pageant May 26-27 The Kentucky Center-Bomhard Theater
Theatre 502 How Water Behaves May 18-June 3 The Kentucky Center-MeX Theater
Vice President Joe Biden: American Promise Tour June 7 The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall
Jessica Lang Dance May 18 The Brown Theatre
Jackson Browne June 12 The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall
Gilda’s Club Louisville Night of a Thousand Laughs March 19 The Kentucky Center-Bomahrd Theater
Nick Swardson June 15 The Brown Theatre
ArtsReach Annual Performing Arts Showcase May 20 The Kentucky Center-Bomhard Theater
Floyd Central Theatre Arts Disney’s Newsies June 22-23 The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall
Kosair Charities and The Kids’ Center present The Magic and the Wonder May 20 The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall
PNC Broadway in Louisville Waitress June 26-July 1 The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall
A/Tonal May 20 The Kentucky Center-Clark-Todd Hall
Johnnyswim + Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors July 5 The Brown Theatre
Upcoming Shows Louisville Orchestra Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert July 7-8 The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall Kentucky to the World in collaboration with The Kentucky Center Republic Bank Foundation Speaker Series Life of an Olympic Champion: Mary T. Meagher & Kelsi Worrell Dahlia July 10 The Kentucky Center-Bomhard Theater R.U.D.E. presents A Murder Burlesque July 14 The Kentucky Center-MeX Theater Miranda Sings Live...No Offense July 28 The Brown Theatre The Kentucky Center May 2018 Board eNews
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Dan and Phil World Tour 2018-Interactive Introverts August 2 The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall Ace Metaphor Productions presents The Future Wife Tour Two: Are You Ready for Him? August 3 The Kentucky Center-MeX Theater Coors Light Iroquois Amphitheater Concert Series An Evening with Lindsey Stirling August 7 Iroquois Amphitheater David Cross: Oh Come On August 9 The Brown Theatre
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The Kentucky Center May 2018 Board eNews
Visit KentuckyCenter.org/all-shows to see everything that is happening.