Program News Archives - Kentucky Arts Council

The Kentucky Arts Council Welcomes New Kentucky Crafted Artists

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 10, 2025) – The Kentucky Arts Council has accepted 26 new artists into its prestigious Kentucky Crafted program. The Kentucky Crafted initiative supports visual and craft artists with business training, networking, exhibitions and promotional opportunities to help grow their small businesses.  The program offers participants the chance to showcase their work at … Continued

Emerging Artist Award Recipients FY 2026

Kentucky Arts Council is happy to announce the Emerging Artist Award recipients for Fiscal Year 2026.

Individual Artist Fellowship Recipients FY 2026

Kentucky Arts Council is happy to announce the Individual Artist Fellowship recipients for Fiscal Year 2026.

The Kentucky Arts Council Awards $466,000 in America250KY Grants

Funding will support 39 arts organizations and 16 artists across the commonwealth FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 1, 2025) – Building on the momentum of the New Kentucky Home initiative and the commonwealth’s commitment to commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, the Kentucky Arts Council (KAC) has awarded $466,000 to support artists, arts organizations, communities and cultural institutions in … Continued

Performing Artists Directory Applications are Now Open

The Kentucky Arts Council is accepting applications for the Performing Artists Directory (PAD), an adjudicated roster of professional Kentucky performing artists who have an established performance history. The deadline to apply is Oct. 15. It is a marketing program that offers roster artists professional development and a variety of opportunities to promote their performance work. Additionally, the … Continued

Applications open for second round of Kentucky Arts Council America250KY Grants

The Kentucky Arts Council is now accepting applications for the second round of America250KY Grants through August 24, 2025, for projects taking place within the grant period of Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 1, 2026. As the United States prepares to commemorate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, the commonwealth … Continued

Registration for Poetry Out Loud 2026 is now open!

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Participating students must be in grades 9 through 12, and any representative of a Kentucky public or private high school may apply. Each participating school receives … Continued

Applications are Now Open for the Kentucky Crafted Program

The Kentucky Arts Council is now accepting applications for its Kentucky Crafted Program, the commonwealth’s premier marketing initiative for professional visual and craft artists. Kentucky Crafted provides networking, promotional and sales opportunities, as well as arts business training, to support the success of Kentucky artists. Adjudicated artists accepted into the program receive statewide and national exposure … Continued

Teaching Art Together Grant application is open!

The Kentucky Arts Council is now accepting applications for the 2025-26 school year for the Teaching Arts Together Grant. With the Teaching Art Together Grant, teachers can implement one to 10-day teaching artist residencies in their PreK-12th grade classrooms. All artists have been carefully juried by a panel of arts education professionals and selected for inclusion in the Teaching … Continued

Applications open for Kentucky Peer Advisory Network

Applications are now being accepted for the Kentucky Arts Council’s Kentucky Peer Advisory Network (KPAN). The network is open to all arts organizations, community groups and eligible individual artists interested in arts-related technical assistance. Applicants must be Kentucky residents, Kentucky-based organizations or serve Kentuckians in a significant way. Organizations do not need to be Kentucky … Continued