LexArts

History

LexArts has been a part of the Lexington community for over 50 years. With its mission to support and grow a thriving arts scene, LexArts has become an essential cornerstone of the city’s cultural life.

LexArts was founded in 1972 as the Lexington Council of the Arts, aiming to support a thriving arts community through advocacy, funding, and programming.

In 1989, it merged with the Fund for the Arts to become the Lexington Arts and Cultural Council. In 2005, the organization was renamed LexArts.

LexArts now serves as the local arts agency for the greater Lexington area, providing funding to artists and arts organizations, organizing events like the LexArts Gallery Hop, and operating ArtsPlace, a multi-purpose arts center and former YWCA building.

Key Milestones

  • 1972: Founded as the Lexington Council of the Arts.
  • 1989: Merged with the Fund for the Arts to become the Lexington Arts and Cultural Council.
  • 2005: Renamed LexArts.
  • 1980-1983: ArtsPlace, the organization’s headquarters and a multi-purpose arts center, was renovated after LexArts purchased the former YWCA building.

LexArts Past Projects

250LEX Tribute

Created in partnership with LexArts & the University of Kentucky School of Art & Visual Studies.

Thank you to the artists and arts organizations whose contributions and programming made 250LEX a remarkable celebration of the arts.

Art direction under Lee Ann Paynter and Nathan Zamarron

SAVS Students
-Megan Christian
-Vincent Donahue
-Jonathan Felty
-Michael Nerswick
-Ruby Sullivan
-Marissa Talbert

LexArts Staff
-Ame Sweetall
-Nathan Zamarron
-Arden Barnes
-Lorenzo Herrera
-Kay’mon Murrah
-Skylar Scott
-Anthony Smallwood
-Hannah Spahn

LexArts Interns
-Ian Carrick
-Kylie Fulton
-Melody Gross
-Natalie Holmes
-Wyatt Stafford

Contributing Artists
-Tom Banahan
-Wylie Caudill
-Jonathan Jonathan
-Basil Watson
-Richie Wireman

Items donated by:
-Georgie Medina Marcano
-Tee Dee Young

Book Benches

LexArts, Arts Connect, and the Carnegie Center have teamed up to create thirty five book-shaped functional benches, painted by Kentucky artists to represent books by Kentucky authors. The Book Benches will be placed throughout Lexington for the duration of summer 2018.

Horse Mania

Horse Mania has been a well-known recurring public art project created by LexArts in 2000, 2010, and 2022. Based on Chicago’s “Cows on Parade,” Horse Mania’s goal was to provide the community the opportunity to enjoy the arts through its most famous symbol, the horse.