Program News

Gov. Beshear: Kentucky Arts Council Awards $1.2 Million in Grants to Nonprofits

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 15, 2026) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that 112 nonprofit arts organizations across the commonwealth will benefit from more than $1.2 million in funding in the 2026 fiscal year through the Kentucky Arts Council’s Kentucky Arts Partnership (KAP) grant.  “The arts are essential to Kentucky, our people and our future. Not … Continued

Kentucky Crafted Market: an invitation to wholesale buyers

Dear Wholesale Buyer,  We look forward to welcoming you to the 2026 Kentucky Crafted Market, the premier wholesale buying event for Kentucky-made art, craft and specialty products. This year’s wholesale buyer’s day will take place March 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.    The Kentucky Crafted Market … Continued

Applications open for new Kentucky Arts Rising Grant  

The Kentucky Arts Council is now accepting applications for the new Kentucky Arts Rising (KAR) Grant, a program created to support small, community-based arts and cultural organizations that provide year-round arts programming for Kentuckians. Kentucky Arts Rising offers $1,500 in operational support to help strengthen and sustain grassroots arts organizations with limited operating budgets. This … Continued

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

Beechwood High School champion wins Poetry Out Loud state title

Last week, Javontae Cranmo from Beechwood High School took home the championship title for the 2025 Poetry Out Loud state competition. Cranmo will advance to the  Poetry Out Loud national finals in Washington, DC, scheduled for May 5-7. In the final round, Cranmo performed “I Am the People, the Mob” by Carl Sandburg, one of the … Continued

Now Accepting Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant Applications  

Do you know a tradition-bearer who is ready to teach someone in their cultural group? They might be a good candidate for the Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant. This program provides up to $4,000 to a Kentucky mentor folk or traditional artist to teach skills, practices and culture to a less experienced artist from the … Continued

America250KY: Exploring 250 Years Through the Arts 

With support from the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky General Assembly, the Kentucky Arts Council is offering grant funds up to $10,000 arts and cultural organizations, communities, or other nonprofit entities and up to $5,000 for individual artists.  As the United States prepares to celebrate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of … Continued

Kentucky Touring Grant application now open

The Kentucky Arts Council is accepting applications for the FY2026 Kentucky Touring Grant (KYT), a matching grant supporting public performances statewide. The grant helps presenters book performers from the council’s Performing Artists Directory. 

Press Release: 28 New Artists Join the Kentucky Crafted Program 

Team Kentucky has accepted 28 new artists into its prestigious Kentucky Crafted program.

Governor’s Award in the Arts Recipients Past to 2023

Kentucky Arts Council is happy to announce the past Governor’s Award in the Arts Recipients.

TranspARTation Award Recipients FY 2025

Kentucky Arts Council is happy to announce the TranspARTation Award recipients for Fiscal Year 2025. Eastern Elementary SchoolBarren CountySKyPACAward: $305 Bowen Elementary SchoolPowell CountyLexington Children’s TheatreAward: $1,000 W.B. Muncy Elementary SchoolLeslie CountyArt Center of the BluegrassAward: $440 F.T. Burns Middle SchoolDaviess CountyRiverPark CenterAward: $180 Owen County High SchoolOwen CountyThe Speed Art MuseumAward: $320 Phelps High … Continued

TranspARTation Award Recipients 2023-2024

FY 2024 Recipients Catlettsburg Elementary SchoolBoyd CountyLouisville OrchestraAward: $752 William G. Conkwright Elementary SchoolClark CountyEastern Kentucky University Center for the ArtsAward: $1,118 Pulaski Elementary SchoolPulaski CountyEastern Kentucky University Center for the ArtsAward: $440 Fancy Farm Elementary SchoolGraves CountyCarson Center for the Performing ArtsAward: $116 Newton Parrish Elementary SchoolDaviess CountyRiverPark CenterAward: $80 Strode Station ElementaryClark CountyThe … Continued

TranspARTation Award Recipients 2015-2016

Franklin County Collins Lane Elementary School: $2,888 Fayette County Jesse Clark Middle School: $2,432 Grayson County Jefferson County Laukhuf Elementary School

Emerging Artist Award Recipients FY 2025

Kentucky Arts Council is happy to announce the Emerging Artist Award recipients for Fiscal Year 2025.

Emerging Artist Award Recipients 2009-2024

Individual Artist Fellowship Recipients FY 2025

Kentucky Arts Council is happy to announce the Individual Artist Fellowship recipients for Fiscal Year 2025.

Individual Artist Fellowship Recipients 2010-2024

Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeships

Archive of Folk and Traditional Arts Apprentices