Supporting Providers. Empowering Families. Strengthening Communities.

We are committed to supporting providers, empowering families, and strengthening communities by expanding access to high quality child care, resources, advocacy, and training.

With over 40 years of experience, we connect families, early care professionals, businesses, and community leaders with the training, resources, and advocacy needed to build a stronger future—for every child.

Our History
1984 - The Child Care Council of Kentucky was founded in Lexington as a hub for child care resources, dedicated to making quality care and education accessible and affordable for all.
1997 - CCCKY expanded rapidly, growing from 5 staff to nearly 40, after being awarded the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) contract for 22 counties in Central Kentucky.
2012 - CCCKY achieved statewide impact by securing the CCAP contract for all 120 counties in Kentucky, growing to over 200 employees. That same year, the agency expanded its training and technical assistance services to the FIVCO and Lincoln Trail Area Development Districts.
2017 - Administration of CCAP transitioned back to the state, but CCCKY continued its mission as a trendsetter in Early Childhood, focusing on professional development and quality learning opportunities for early care and education professionals.
Today - Child Care Council of Kentucky remains a trusted resource for early childhood training, technical assistance, and advocacy. Every day, we work to empower child care providers with the knowledge and skills they need to offer safe, high-quality care. We support families in finding the care they can trust, and we advocate for policies that strengthen early childhood education across our state.

• Cultural/Multi-Arts
• Arts Education/Youth Arts
• Literary Arts
• Performing Arts
• Visual Arts
• Public Art

The Child Care Council of Kentucky requests $5,000 to expand The Art of Healing, a free, participatory community arts event connecting children and families with local artists, youth performers, and arts organizations through hands-on creative experiences, live performances, and collaborative artmaking.

The 2027 Art of Healing will transform Phoenix Park and the outdoor spaces surrounding the Lexington Public Library’s Central Library into an interactive arts experience where children are not simply audience members—they are artists, makers, movers, musicians, and active participants in the creative process. The September 18th event will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and is designed primarily for families with children ages 10 and under. All activities and performances are free.

Families create their own experience as they move throughout the event. A child may paint alongside a local artist, explore rhythm and music, watch young dancers perform, experiment with movement, and contribute to a collaborative artwork. Caregivers are encouraged to create alongside children, making art a shared family and community experience.

Programming is intentionally multidisciplinary. Visual and teaching artists introduce children to color, texture, mark-making, collage, and other creative processes. Musicians engage children in rhythm and sound. Movement artists encourage creative expression, while youth dancers, musicians, actors, and other performers share their work. The goal is not for children to complete identical crafts, but to explore artistic processes, make creative choices, and experience themselves as creators.

In 2027, The Art of Healing will place greater emphasis on artist-led programming and paid artistic opportunities. LexArts funds will directly support stipends for local artists, nonprofit partners providing participatory arts experiences, and youth performance groups.

A significant new component is an open-call collaborative community art commission. The Child Care Council will issue a Request for Proposals inviting local artists to design an original participatory artwork created with children and families during the event. Proposals will be reviewed for artistic quality, originality, feasibility, participatory design, accessibility for young children, and alignment with the event’s themes. The selected artist will receive a paid commission to develop the concept and guide participants in creating a shared work. Individual contributions from children and caregivers will become part of a larger collective piece, demonstrating how individual creative voices contribute to a shared artistic vision.

LexArts provided early support for the first Art of Healing, helping establish the event and demonstrate community interest in accessible, family-centered arts programming. More than 300 children and caregivers participated in the inaugural event. The Child Care Council and its partners sustained the event in its second year through sponsorships, community partnerships, and nonprofit collaboration while continuing to evaluate and strengthen the experience.

The 2027 project is not a repeat of the program initially supported by LexArts. Previous events demonstrated strong engagement with hands-on creative experiences and identified opportunities to increase direct interaction with artists, expand youth performance opportunities, and create more shared artmaking experiences. In response, the 2027 event will deepen investment in artist-led programming, increase support for youth performers, and introduce the collaborative artist commission. These changes strengthen artistic quality rather than simply adding more activity stations.

The Child Care Council will lead implementation through collaborative planning with artists and community partners. Artists, arts partners, and youth performance groups will be recruited through community arts networks, existing partnerships, and direct outreach. Proposed experiences will be reviewed to ensure a variety of artistic disciplines and meaningful participation. Performances will be scheduled throughout the three-hour event while families explore at their own pace.

The requested funding will provide $2,000 for nonprofit partner stipends supporting artist-led activities and materials, $2,000 for local artist and youth performance stipends, and $1,000 for the open-call artist commission and collaborative artwork. Every dollar requested will directly support artists, performers, and participatory arts experiences.

In 2027, The Art of Healing will move into its next stage by investing more intentionally in artists, elevating youth performance, and commissioning an original collaborative artwork created with the Lexington community. Children and caregivers will paint, draw, move, make music, experience live performance, meet local artists, and contribute their creativity to a shared work of art—making the arts visible, participatory, and accessible.

The Art of Healing benefits the Lexington community by removing barriers to arts participation and creating a welcoming public space where children and families can experience the arts together. For many families, the cost of arts classes, performances, materials, and other cultural experiences can limit participation. By offering artist-led activities, live performances, materials, and collaborative artmaking at no cost, The Art of Healing ensures that financial circumstances do not determine a child's opportunity to create.

The event also brings artists directly into the community. Children and caregivers interact with local artists, musicians, performers, and arts organizations in an informal environment where they can explore artistic processes and create alongside others. These interactions introduce families to artists and creative resources in Lexington while helping children see art as something they can actively participate in rather than simply observe.

The multidisciplinary format creates multiple pathways into the arts. Children can explore visual art, music, movement, performance, storytelling, and collaborative artmaking based on their interests and comfort levels. No previous artistic experience is required, and children are encouraged to experiment, make creative choices, and express their own ideas. Caregivers are invited to participate alongside children, turning artistic creation into a shared family experience.

The Art of Healing also strengthens Lexington's creative community by providing paid opportunities for local artists, nonprofit arts partners, and youth performers. The 2027 open-call artist commission will create a new opportunity for a local artist to develop an original participatory work with community members. Youth performances provide emerging artists with a supportive public platform while allowing younger children to see their peers engaged in dance, music, theater, and other artistic disciplines.

More than 300 children and caregivers participated in the inaugural event, demonstrating community interest in free, family-centered arts experiences. Through partnerships with Fayette County Public Schools, childcare programs, the Lexington Public Library, arts organizations, and community partners, the 2027 event will expand outreach to families who may not regularly participate in traditional arts programming. The event aims to engage more than 500 children and caregivers.

The benefits of The Art of Healing extend beyond a single afternoon. A child may discover a new artistic interest, a family may connect with a local arts organization, or a caregiver may discover new ways to create alongside a child at home. Young performers gain confidence and visibility, artists build relationships with new audiences, and families experience downtown Lexington as a place for creativity and community connection.

By making the arts free, visible, participatory, and welcoming, The Art of Healing strengthens access to creative experiences while building connections among artists, families, and community organizations. The event contributes to a more vibrant Lexington arts community in which children and families are not simply audiences for the arts but active participants in its creative life.

The Art of Healing uses a partnership-based communications strategy to reach families across Lexington. A consistent event brand and social media campaign will feature artists, youth performers, partners, and creative activities through shareable graphics and stories. Participating organizations and sponsors will amplify promotion through their networks. Outreach through Fayette County Public Schools, childcare programs, the Lexington Public Library, and community partners will directly reach families with young children and new audiences who may not routinely participate in arts programming. LexArts and local arts networks will promote artist opportunities and the open-call commission. Additional outreach will include community calendars, newsletters, press releases, local television and radio, and downtown partners. This layered strategy combines digital, media, and trusted community networks to engage new and returning families.

The primary audience for The Art of Healing is Lexington families with children ages 10 and under. The event also welcomes caregivers, siblings, grandparents, educators, and community members. Outreach will focus on families who may have limited access to fee-based arts classes, performances, and cultural experiences or who do not routinely participate in traditional arts programming. Through Fayette County Public Schools, childcare programs, the Lexington Public Library, and community partners, the event reaches families through trusted networks. Local artists, nonprofit arts partners, and youth performers are also key audiences, gaining paid opportunities, public visibility, and meaningful connections with new community audiences. The 2027 event aims to engage more than 500 children and caregivers from across Lexington.

Since its first year, The Art of Healing has intentionally engaged a diverse mix of artists, performers, and community arts partners representing different backgrounds, artistic disciplines, perspectives, and lived experiences. This diversity has enriched the event and allowed children and families to experience many forms of creative expression. In 2027, organizers will continue intentional outreach through local arts organizations, community partners, and the LexArts Arts and Health Alliance to broaden artist participation. The new open-call community art commission will further expand access by creating a transparent opportunity for local artists to propose original work. Artist and partner recruitment will prioritize broad representation and a range of artistic voices, ensuring the event reflects the diversity and creativity of the Lexington community.

Partnership and collaboration have been central to The Art of Healing since its first year. The Child Care Council of Kentucky has maintained many of the artists, arts organizations, and community partners involved in the inaugural event while expanding participation in Year 2. Continuing relationships provide stability and shared experience, while new partners bring additional artistic disciplines, perspectives, and connections to Lexington families.

LexArts has been a valued partner since the event's inception, and members of the LexArts Arts and Health Alliance provide connections among artists, arts organizations, and community leaders. The Lexington Public Library provides a visible, accessible community setting and assists with promotion and family outreach. Fayette County Public Schools and childcare and early childhood partners help connect the event with families across Lexington.

Non-arts partners are equally important. Organizations representing behavioral health, child and family well-being, education, and community services contribute creative experiences, outreach, volunteers, and community connections. Partners have included New Vista, Kentucky Youth Advocates, the City of Lexington, and other organizations whose participation broadens the event's reach.
Youth arts and performance organizations provide opportunities for young dancers, musicians, actors, and other emerging artists to perform for a public audience. Local artists and nonprofit arts partners lead participatory experiences that allow children and caregivers to create alongside artists and explore a variety of artistic disciplines.

In 2027, The Art of Healing will continue expanding partnerships with an intentional focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Organizers will seek artists, arts organizations, and community partners representing a broader range of cultures, backgrounds, abilities, artistic traditions, and lived experiences. Partnerships with organizations trusted by diverse communities will help broaden artist recruitment and family outreach. The open-call artist commission will provide an additional opportunity to engage new artistic voices and strengthen an event that reflects Lexington's creativity and diversity.

The Art of Healing integrates the arts into the Child Care Council of Kentucky’s work to strengthen children and families. By October 2027, the project will: (1) engage at least 500 children and caregivers in free, participatory arts experiences; (2) offer at least 25 artist- and arts partner-led creative experiences and six youth performances; (3) commission one local artist through an open RFP to lead a collaborative community artwork; and (4) achieve at least 85% positive participant responses regarding opportunities for creativity, self-expression, and family connection. These goals advance the Council’s mission by integrating visual art, music, movement, and performance into family engagement and positive childhood experiences while strengthening connections among artists, families, and community partners.

The Art of Healing will build on evaluation methods established in Year 1, allowing the Child Care Council of Kentucky to compare participation, engagement, and program quality from year to year. Attendance data will document the number of children and caregivers, artist- and arts partner-led experiences, youth performances, and participating organizations. Staff and volunteers will use structured observations to assess family engagement, interaction with artists, participation across artistic disciplines, and activity use.

Brief participant surveys will measure satisfaction and whether families experienced opportunities for creativity, self-expression, and family connection. Artists, performers, and partners will provide feedback on artistic quality, participant engagement, event organization, and opportunities for improvement.

Activities will be documented through attendance records, surveys, observation notes, partner and artist feedback, photographs, and video. Following the event, organizers will review findings to assess the strength of the arts focus, quality and creativity of programming, success in reaching the target audience, and feasibility of program design and resources.
Evaluation findings have guided changes to artistic activities, youth performances, artist engagement, and family participation since Year 1. Comparing results annually will continue to identify strengths and gaps and ensure The Art of Healing evolves as a high-quality, responsive community arts experience.

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