Apr 24 Arts and Culture Fund for the Arts Names Smith Permanent President, CEO The Fund for the Arts board of directors announced today their unanimous decision to approve Barbara Sexton Smith as president and CEO of the organization. The decision follows a year-long search to replace former president Allan Cowen. In a statement, board president David Calzi said the board was committed to finding the best candidate during […] By Erin Keane Apr 24 Arts and Culture Fund for the Arts Names Smith Permanent President, CEO Erin Keane
Jan 16 Local News U of L Optimistic Former Fund for the Arts CEO Cowen Will Help Build Downtown Presence University of Louisville officials say former Fund for the Arts CEO Allan Cowen is the ideal person to develop the school’s downtown presence. The university announced that it had hired Cowen’s consulting firm last week. The school has the option to buy city land on the former Museum Plaza site, and Cowen is looking into […] By Gabe Bullard Jan 16 Local News U of L Optimistic Former Fund for the Arts CEO Cowen Will Help Build Downtown Presence Gabe Bullard
Apr 17 Arts and Culture Philadelphia Orchestra Latest to File for Chapter 11 The Philadelphia Orchestra is the latest and largest orchestra to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The legendary ensemble follows those in Louisville, Syracuse and Honolulu, among others, in seeking court assistance and protection to reorganize finances. As in Louisville, the musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra opposed the declaration. They’ve suggested ways to preserve musician […] By Gabe Bullard Apr 17 Arts and Culture Philadelphia Orchestra Latest to File for Chapter 11 Gabe Bullard
Mar 25 State of Affairs State of the News STATE OF AFFAIRS 03/25/11: It's been a busy news week & we'll talk about it all on State of the News. An explosion in Rubbertown and a hazardous leak in Butchertown have many residents calling for improvements to the emergency response system. The interim director of Louisville Metro Animal Services has stepped down with no replacement yet selected. Also exiting is Allan Cowen, who announced his retirement as CEO of the Fund for the Arts, effective at the end of April. Join us for these metro stories, plus a check-in on the Kentucky & Indiana General Assemblies. Listen to the Show By Laura Ellis Mar 25 State of Affairs State of the News Laura Ellis
Mar 22 Arts and Culture Fund for the Arts Committee Discusses Search for New CEO The executive committee of the Fund for the Arts board of directors met Tuesday to discuss changes in the organization that will follow CEO Allan Cowen's retirement. The committee debated how best to replace Cowen, and whether the fund needs to consider further changes to how it operates. By Gabe Bullard Mar 22 Arts and Culture Fund for the Arts Committee Discusses Search for New CEO Gabe Bullard
Mar 22 Arts and Culture Murphy Says Fund Campaigns Will Not Be Hurt by Cowen’s Retirement In a statement Monday, board chair Ron Murphy praised Cowen's management of successful fundraising campaigns, and Tuesday, he said interim president Barbara Sexton Smith will be capable of taking over. "The campaign is institutionalized at this point," he says. "The running of the campaign over the last number of years, Barbara has really driven it. Allen has been involved in more niche arrangements and thinking and strategy discussions. It's pretty well been run by the staff." By Gabe Bullard Mar 22 Arts and Culture Murphy Says Fund Campaigns Will Not Be Hurt by Cowen’s Retirement Gabe Bullard
Mar 21 Arts and Culture Cowen’s Retirement Won’t Address All Artists’ Complaints Visual Art Association board chair Benton Keith was among the loudest voices calling for Cowen's dismissal. He says the retirement is welcome, but inequities still exist. By Gabe Bullard Mar 21 Arts and Culture Cowen’s Retirement Won’t Address All Artists’ Complaints Gabe Bullard
Mar 21 Arts and Culture Cowen Steps Down From Fund for the Arts The embattled President and CEO became the center of protests several weeks ago, when an angry voicemail he left Louisville Visual Art Association director Shannon Westerman was made public. By Gabe Bullard Mar 21 Arts and Culture Cowen Steps Down From Fund for the Arts Gabe Bullard
Mar 17 Arts and Culture Burnside Says Reaction to Fund for the Arts Letter Has Been Surprising Burnside says her concern is with how the fund distributes money. She says the organization should distribute it evenly among performing, visual and other types of arts and the fact that the fund more heavily supports performing arts should be widely known By Gabe Bullard Mar 17 Arts and Culture Burnside Says Reaction to Fund for the Arts Letter Has Been Surprising Gabe Bullard
Mar 11 Arts and Culture Demonstrators Call for Cowen’s Resignation Cowen's supporters tout his fundraising skills, but the demonstrators say they won't give up until the CEO is fired or resigns. By Gabe Bullard Mar 11 Arts and Culture Demonstrators Call for Cowen’s Resignation Gabe Bullard
Mar 11 Arts and Culture Calls for Fund for the Arts Leadership Changes Continue The protest is meant to encourage the fund's board to fire CEO Allan Cowen. Cowen threatened the job of the director of the Louisville Visual Art Association in a voicemail last month after the director and others criticized the fund for giving little or no money to visual arts groups. By Gabe Bullard Mar 11 Arts and Culture Calls for Fund for the Arts Leadership Changes Continue Gabe Bullard
Mar 9 Arts and Culture Artists, Advocates to Protest Fund for the Arts Artists and arts advocates, who have been outspoken about his frustrations with the Fund for the Arts CEO Allan Cowen, will demonstrate outside the fund's offices later this week. Complaints about Cowen have increased after a message he left the unsatisfied director of the Louisville Visual Art Association became public. By Gabe Bullard Mar 9 Arts and Culture Artists, Advocates to Protest Fund for the Arts Gabe Bullard
Mar 8 Arts and Culture Visual Artists Criticize Fund for the Arts Following a recent flap with Fund for the Arts CEO Allan Cowen and the Louisville Visual Art Association, a group of visual art leaders has begun publicly questioning how the fund distributes money, specifically to visual art groups. By Gabe Bullard Mar 8 Arts and Culture Visual Artists Criticize Fund for the Arts Gabe Bullard
Mar 7 Arts and Culture LVAA Board Chair Says Cowen Reprimand Is Not Enough, Will Ask for Meeting With Fund’s Board Cowen was rebuked for allegedly threatening the job of Louisville Visual Art Association director Shannon Westerman in a voicemail last month. Westerman and others had published a letter in Business First saying many visual arts groups receive little or no money from the Fund for the Arts. Visual Art Association board president Benton Keith says Cowen should've been fired for his actions, because they're part of a pattern of bad behavior. By Gabe Bullard Mar 7 Arts and Culture LVAA Board Chair Says Cowen Reprimand Is Not Enough, Will Ask for Meeting With Fund’s Board Gabe Bullard
Mar 5 Arts and Culture Fund for the Arts Board Takes Action on Cowen, Will Update Strategic Plan The action stems from a voicemail Cowen left the director of the Louisville Visual Art Association last month. The message allegedly threatened the director's job over a letter that appeared in Business First. In the letter, the director and others wrote that many visual arts groups do not receive money from the Fund for the Arts. Cowen has apologized for his actions By Gabe Bullard Mar 5 Arts and Culture Fund for the Arts Board Takes Action on Cowen, Will Update Strategic Plan Gabe Bullard