KyArtsCast

With Kentucky's Healthy at Work guidelines gradually reopening sectors of the state's economy, we talk with folks from three of our sister agencies in the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet - Gwen Heffner of the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, Erin Palmer of Kentucky Performing Arts (formerly the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts) and Nick Covault of the Governor's School for the Arts. Each of them talks about how their agencies have adapted to the social restrictions put in place to combat COVID-19 and about what reopening might look like. Nick specifically talks about the shape this summer's Governor's School for the Arts will take. The program, which, since 1987, has been an intensive summer residential program for rising high school seniors, will be conducted virtually for the first time in its history.

You may not have known that award-winning Kentucky writer Maurice Manning has been the Kentucky Arts Council's featured artist. The spot on the arts council homepage usually reserved for the featured artist has been used to communicate valuable COVID-19 related resources for artists and arts organizations throughout the pandemic. But we wanted to put Maurice out front and center in a meaningful way, so we're giving you this chance to learn more about him on this episode. Arts council staff member Tamara Coffey spends time chatting with Maurice about what he's been up to during self-isolation, who his influences are and asks him to share some of his work with the audience.

We're paying tribute to former Kentucky First Lady Phyllis George, who died last month at the age of 70. Phyllis was integral to starting what is now known as the Kentucky Crafted arts marketing program. Our guests, Mary Reed, Fran Redmon, Tim Hall and Judy Geagley, each have their own personal reflections on what Phyllis' belief in Kentucky-made art and craft meant to them. Join us as we celeebrate the life of this inspiring woman.

NOTE: Since the recording of this episode, the Native Reflections exhibit tour has been put on hold. You can see work in the exhibit by visiting the Kentucky Arts Council website and viewing a slideshow.

The Kentucky Arts Council, in partnership with the Kentucky Heritage Council and the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission, is presenting Native Reflections: Visual Art by American Indians of Kentucky. This traveling exhibit will feature inspiring pieces of art by Kentucky residents who identify as either members of a recognized tribe or as native inspired. On this episode of the podcast, we talk with two of the artists whose work is included in the exhibit, Brigit Truex and Jannette Parent; Tressa Brown of the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission; and Mark Brown of the Kentucky Arts Council.

Episode footnotes

• Story on jingle dancing, which Brigit Truex referred to on the podcast.

It's Poetry Month across the country and it's also the month we celebrate Kentucky Writers' Day, April 24. On this episode, Kentucky Arts Council staff member Tamara Coffey talks literature, self-isolation and inspiration with current Kentucky Poet Laureate Jeff Worley and former poets laureate George Ella Lyon and Richard Taylor.

To learn more about Kentucky Writers' Day, visit the Kentucky Writers' Day Facebook event page or the arts council website.

Episode footnotes

• The Writer's Almanac
• The Slowdown podcast

It's been a year since we debuted KyArtsCast, so we wanted to take a few minutes to acknowledge the occasion and shine a spotlight on the folks here at the Kentucky Arts Council who collaborate every day to bring outstanding arts programs and grants to every corner of the Commonwealth.

We also want to hear from YOU! As we enter the second season of the podcast, we'd like to know what you'd like to hear on the podcast. Email Tom Musgrave, arts council communications director, at [email protected] or leave a comment below with your topic. We can't guarantee we'll follow up on every idea, but we will read them.

Thanks for listening, and join us in the new year for the second season of KyArtsCast!

Chris Cathers, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council, and Todd Finley, executive director of the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, chat about the importance of shopping local and how and where to find wonderful examples of art and craft by Kentucky artists. It's your guide to shopping local this holiday season!

Rick Hill, the resident artist at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources who has painted original covers for the department's publication Kentucky Afield, talks about how he started as a nature artist and his creative process.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Kentucky Arts Council recently partnered to present an exhibit of Rick's work at the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort. The exhibit runs through Nov. 26 during normal Capitol visitor hours.

Episode footnote

• Link to more information about the "Kentucky Afield Illustrated" exhibit.

Listen and learn how to win FREE tickets to the Kentucky Creative Industry Summit, Dec. 6 at the Clay Community Center in Mt. Sterling!

For this episode, Emily Moses, Kentucky Arts Council executive staff advisor, talks with Mitzi Sinnott, Heather Pontonio, Kurt Gohde and Kremena Todorova, all of whom will be among the presenters at the 2019 Kentucky Creative Industry Summit.

This year's summit theme is Race, Equity, Access, Diversity and Inclusion, and our presenters will lead interactive discussions around those topics and more!

Episode footnotes

• Agenda for the Kentucky Creative Industry Summit
• Register for the Kentucky Creative Industry Summit ($30, includes lunch)

Emily Moses, Kentucky Arts Council executive staff advisor, continues her chat with Beth Flowers, executive director of the AIR Institute of Berea College. In part two of this episode, that was recorded in July, Beth and Emily discuss the AIR Institute's 2 1/2-day workshop called AIR Shift. The workshop brings artists and members of the business community together to develop a worthwhile and achievable community improvement project, and gives participants the tools to repeat that collaboration to achieve valuable community goals.

For more information on AIR Shift, visit the AIR Institute of Berea College website. To find out how to bring AIR Shift to your community, contact Emily Moses at [email protected].