July 8, 2011

Kentucky: Cultural Districts Certification Program

The Kentucky Arts Council (KAC) has launched a new Cultural Districts Certification Program. Announced by Governor Steve Beshear, state certification will recognize and support local districts that use the arts to promote civic and economic revitalization. The program will build on qualities that make Kentucky communities unique, including their abundant cultural assets, their historic resources, a strong agricultural heritage and “pride in place.”

KAC will administer the process using a range of certification criteria that will set statewide standards for district development. Extensive training and technical assistance services will be provided to help approved districts advance their plans, market their districts, develop further resources and incorporate arts education components into their activities. A technical assistance team coordinated by KAC will work with each district to facilitate its efforts and develop specific benchmarks for measuring success. An evaluation team will assess all districts once each year.

For more details, review the new program’s guidelines and contact KAC Program Branch Manager Chris Cathers.