Elevate Arts KY is a Lexington-based nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities through meaningful performances, robust educational programming, and the creation of professional creative spaces where artists and civic organizations can thrive.

Elevate Arts KY, Inc. is a Lexington-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2025 to use the arts as a catalyst for community development, workforce development, education, and economic revitalization.

Founded by Gregory Turay, an international opera singer, educator, and Kentucky Governor's Award for the Arts recipient, Elevate Arts KY was established in response to the need for greater access to arts education, creative workforce opportunities, and collaborative civic space in Central Kentucky. The organization believes the arts are a powerful tool for strengthening communities, fostering economic growth, and creating opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Since its founding, Elevate Arts KY has assembled a diverse board of leaders representing the arts, business, education, government, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors. The organization has developed partnerships with local arts organizations, educational institutions, neighborhood leaders, and public agencies to advance its vision of a vibrant, inclusive creative community.

Elevate Arts KY's signature initiative is the proposed Civic Community Arts Center, a multidisciplinary arts and community hub that will provide performance venues, arts education, workforce training, meeting space for nonprofit and civic organizations, and opportunities for creative entrepreneurship. While the permanent facility is in development, the organization is committed to expanding public arts programming, fostering meaningful community partnerships, and increasing access to high-quality arts experiences throughout Lexington.

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

Summary

Elevate Arts KY requests $5,000 to support the Elevate LEX Arts Showcase, a free public celebration of Lexington's performing and visual arts community that brings artists, organizations, and residents together through collaborative performances, exhibitions, and interactive arts experiences.

Project Description

The Elevate LEX Arts Showcase is a community-wide arts event designed to celebrate the extraordinary depth and diversity of Lexington's creative community while fostering meaningful collaboration among local arts organizations. Presented by Elevate Arts KY, the Showcase will feature performances, visual art exhibitions, artist demonstrations, and interactive experiences that invite residents of all ages to engage directly with the arts in an accessible, welcoming environment.

The Showcase will bring together approximately 12–14 performing and visual arts organizations representing music, theatre, dance, visual arts, and arts education. Participating organizations will each contribute performances, exhibitions, demonstrations, or interactive activities, creating a dynamic experience that reflects the breadth of Lexington's cultural landscape. Rather than attending a single performance, visitors will experience an immersive celebration of the arts where multiple disciplines are presented side by side, encouraging exploration, discovery, and collaboration.

Planning for the Showcase will begin in March 2027 with the recruitment of participating organizations, development of programming, community outreach, and collaborative planning sessions. Throughout the spring and summer, Elevate Arts KY will work alongside participating artists and community partners to coordinate performances, exhibitions, marketing, and audience engagement strategies. The Showcase will culminate in August 2027 with a free public event designed to welcome residents from every part of Fayette County.

A central goal of the project is to strengthen relationships among Lexington's arts organizations while expanding public access to high-quality arts experiences. Many organizations operate independently, limiting opportunities for shared audiences and collaboration. The Elevate LEX Arts Showcase creates a unique opportunity for artists and organizations to work together, introduce audiences to one another, and demonstrate the collective strength of Lexington's arts community.

The project will intentionally remove barriers to participation through free admission, broad community outreach, and partnerships with neighborhood organizations, educational institutions, and civic groups. Marketing efforts will encourage participation from families, youth, first-time arts attendees, and residents who may not traditionally engage with local arts programming. By bringing together artists and audiences in one collaborative event, the Showcase will celebrate Lexington's creative identity while strengthening connections across the community.

The Elevate LEX Arts Showcase also introduces the long-term vision of the Civic Community Arts Center by demonstrating the collaborative spirit that will define the future facility. Rather than focusing on the building itself, the Showcase highlights what matters most: the artists, organizations, and residents who together create a vibrant cultural community. The event serves as both a celebration of Lexington's existing artistic excellence and an invitation for the community to imagine an even more connected and collaborative future.

The Elevate LEX Arts Showcase will strengthen Lexington's cultural community by expanding public access to the arts, fostering collaboration among local arts organizations, and creating an inclusive event that celebrates the creativity and diversity of our city.

The Showcase will bring together performing and visual artists, arts organizations, educators, neighborhood leaders, and residents for a free community-wide celebration of the arts. By presenting multiple artistic disciplines in a single collaborative event, the Showcase encourages audiences to discover organizations and artists they may not otherwise experience, broadening participation and appreciation for Lexington's vibrant cultural community.

The project also benefits local artists and arts organizations by creating opportunities for collaboration, cross-promotion, and relationship building. While many organizations provide exceptional programming, they often do so independently. The Showcase offers a unique opportunity to share audiences, strengthen partnerships, and demonstrate the collective impact of Lexington's creative sector.

Free admission and intentional outreach to neighborhoods, families, youth, and first-time arts attendees will reduce financial and social barriers to participation. By welcoming residents from across Fayette County, the Showcase will foster meaningful community connections while ensuring that more people see themselves reflected in Lexington's cultural life.

Beyond a single event, the Showcase will serve as a catalyst for ongoing collaboration among artists and organizations while introducing the community to the long-term vision of the Civic Community Arts Center. It demonstrates how the arts can unite people across neighborhoods, backgrounds, and generations while contributing to a stronger, more connected, and more vibrant Lexington.

Elevate Arts KY will promote the Elevate LEX Arts Showcase through its website, social media, email newsletters, and printed materials, with participating arts organizations amplifying the event through their own communications. We will pursue earned media through local television, radio, print, and digital outlets, while utilizing community calendars and tourism partners to broaden awareness. Outreach will include neighborhood associations, schools, colleges, libraries, civic organizations, and community centers to engage families, youth, and first-time arts attendees. Consistent branding and collaborative marketing will emphasize that the Showcase is free and open to the public, leveraging the combined audiences of participating organizations to expand access, attract diverse audiences, and celebrate Lexington's vibrant arts community.

The Elevate LEX Arts Showcase is designed for the entire Lexington community, with an emphasis on families, youth, students, emerging and established artists, arts patrons, and residents who may not traditionally participate in arts programming. Through partnerships with local arts organizations, schools, colleges, neighborhood associations, libraries, and community organizations, we will intentionally engage diverse audiences from across Fayette County. Free admission and broad community outreach will help remove financial and social barriers to participation, ensuring the Showcase is welcoming and accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds, abilities, and levels of arts experience. Our goal is to connect new audiences with Lexington's vibrant arts community while fostering a greater sense of belonging, creativity, and civic pride.

The Elevate LEX Arts Showcase is committed to reflecting the diversity of Lexington's artistic community by inviting participation from artists and organizations representing a broad range of cultural backgrounds, artistic disciplines, ages, and lived experiences. The Showcase will feature established and emerging artists in music, theatre, dance, visual arts, and multidisciplinary work while partnering with organizations that serve historically underrepresented communities. Free admission, an accessible venue, and community-based outreach through neighborhood organizations, schools, and civic partners will help reduce barriers to participation for both artists and audiences. By creating a collaborative platform where many voices and artistic traditions are celebrated together, the Showcase will foster inclusion, broaden representation, and strengthen connections across Lexington's diverse community.

The Elevate LEX Arts Showcase is built on collaboration. Elevate Arts KY will partner with performing and visual arts organizations throughout Lexington to create a unified event celebrating the breadth and diversity of our community's creative talent. Participating organizations will contribute performances, exhibitions, artist demonstrations, and educational experiences while helping shape the programming and outreach strategy.

Arts partners will include organizations such as the Lexington Philharmonic, Lexington Singers, Lexington Ballet, Kentucky Ballet Theatre, Central Kentucky Youth Orchestras, Uniting Voices Lexington, Lexington Art League, UK Opera Theatre, Green Room Exchange, Arts Connect, SCAPA, LuigART Studios, and other local artists and cultural organizations. These partnerships will encourage cross-promotion, shared audiences, and new collaborative relationships that extend beyond the Showcase itself.

The project will also engage non-arts partners, including neighborhood associations, Fayette County Public Schools, Bluegrass Community & Technical College, Transylvania University, the University of Kentucky, libraries, civic organizations, and community leaders to broaden participation and ensure the Showcase reflects the diversity of Lexington. Central Bank Center will serve as the host venue, providing a centrally located and accessible space for the event.

By bringing together artists, educators, nonprofits, civic organizations, and community partners, the Showcase demonstrates how collaboration can strengthen Lexington's cultural ecosystem while expanding access to high-quality arts experiences for residents throughout Fayette County.

The goals of the Elevate LEX Arts Showcase are to expand public access to high-quality arts experiences, strengthen collaboration among Lexington's performing and visual arts organizations, support local artists, and engage new audiences through a free, inclusive community event. These goals directly reflect Elevate Arts KY's mission to use the arts as a catalyst for community engagement, education, workforce development, and economic vitality. By bringing artists, organizations, and residents together in a shared cultural experience, the Showcase demonstrates how the arts can build stronger communities while advancing collaboration across Lexington's creative sector.

levate Arts KY will evaluate the success of the Elevate LEX Arts Showcase using both quantitative and qualitative measures. Attendance will be tracked through event registration and on-site counts, while participating artists and organizations will complete post-event surveys evaluating collaboration, event quality, organization, and overall impact. Audience surveys will measure participant satisfaction, perceived quality of programming, and whether attendees discovered new artists or organizations through the Showcase.

Additional evaluation metrics will include the number and diversity of participating artists and organizations, media coverage, social media engagement, website traffic, and participation generated through community partnerships. We will also assess success in reaching families, youth, first-time arts attendees, and residents from diverse neighborhoods.

Project activities will be documented through professional photography, video, printed materials, attendance records, media coverage, social media analytics, and participant testimonials. The results will be reviewed by Elevate Arts KY and project partners to identify strengths, opportunities for improvement, and future collaborative programming. These evaluation methods will ensure the Showcase fulfills its mission of expanding public access to the arts, strengthening collaboration across Lexington's creative community, and delivering a high-quality, inclusive cultural experience.

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• Lexington-Ballet-support-letter-for-Elevate-LEX-showcase.pdf
• LexArts-Grant-Letter-of-Support-ElevateArtsKY.docx