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Fund for the Arts Launches 2015 #ArtIs Campaign to Raise $8.3 Million

Louisville's Fund for the Arts is kicking off its 2015 campaign—themed #ArtIs—on Tuesday with the announcement of a an $8.3 million goal.

If reached, it will be the most raised by the Fund in the last five years.

The #ArtIs theme speaks to how art affects everyone’s lives in a different, yet equally impactful way, said Christen Boone, who enters her first annual campaign as president and chief executive of the Fund for the Arts.

“The idea is that art is different for everyone, everyone interacts with art differently and everyone has a different artform that is special to them,” Boone said.

“Everybody has their own participation in art, whether it’s listening to music, going to concerts, playing an instrument or someone who is a patron and supports the arts in lots of different ways.”

The fund gives financial support to Louisville arts community staples, including Kentucky Shakespeare, the Louisville Orchestra, the Kentucky Opera and the Louisville Ballet, along with awarding grants to more than 162 schools and community organizations throughout the region.

“I think that is one thing that’s important to understand is that this year we will raise over $8 million—that’s from 20,000 donors, and what that means is that there are many people that make that possible,” Boone said.

She said 14,000 people gave a dollar a day to the Fund last year.

"And those people are what makes that possible," Boone said. "It’s really about people who give through their hearts, and they give through their paychecks—making Louisville competitive with other cities its size.”

Louisville ranks among top cities for per capita giving to the arts, resulting in a thriving arts scene entertains more than 1 million people annually, creating an economic impact of more than $259 million; it is also one of only 10 cities nationwide that can boast a resident opera, ballet, orchestra and theatre, according to a news release from the Fund.

“It makes us the kind of city in which we want to live, work, raise our children and grow our business,” Boone said.