#ArtIs: In Your Hands

FUND FOR THE ARTS LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE

By Jason Applegate | Photos by James Eaton

The arts have always been “near and dear” to Angela Higdon’s heart.

Be it music, theater, poetry or visual arts, the Jeffersonville resident hopes her kids and others find that passion. “Art is everywhere,” said Higdon. “The more you pay attention, it deepens your life.”

Higdon’s love for creativity, expression and appreciation is what the Louisville-based Fund for the Arts hopes others – regardless of age or demographic – will embrace in ever-increasing numbers.

Started in 1949, the Fund has raised money through its annual campaign to support the arts throughout the region. “The education program that we support reaches into Southern Indiana,” said Christen Boone, president and CEO. “The Fund for the Arts brings arts into the classroom” in a variety of ways. “Arts are a fundamental part of a child’s education. It helps inspire and engage students.”

 Christen Boone, Fund For The Arts President and CEO

Studies show incorporating the arts assists with academic success. “The arts also help build creativity, empathy, problem-solving and self-confidence,” Boone said. “I think it’s really exciting when you get to see kids experience the arts for the first time and see that first moment of awe and wonder and understanding in their eyes, and it’s also the understanding of what art can bring a classroom of children.”

Sometimes that means delivering a history lesson through drama or working through math problems in unconventional, art-based ways. “The opportunity to see the lightbulb turn on because we were able to bring it (education) to kids in a different medium (via the arts) … that’s a real gift that lasts a lifetime,” Boone said.

How Can You Help?

The mission of Fund for the Arts is to maximize the impact of the arts on education, economic development and the quality of life for everyone. You can donate or find out more at www.fundforthearts.com or by calling 502.582.0100. You can also join us on June 26 for our brand-new #ArtIs: In Your Hands initiative. It’s easy, fun and can only be achieved if we have participation.

What is #ArtIs: In Your Hands?

#ArtIs: In Your Hands is a new initiative from Fund for the Arts that aims to increase both awareness and donations by showcasing the impact of arts throughout the community. On June 26. This day of giving will serve as a final campaign push for the Fund for the Arts campaign, which ends four days later. On June 26, we will visit and highlight planned arts and cultural events happening in all corners of our community, from Southern Indiana to the south end of Louisville and everywhere in between. On this day, we will tour diverse arts institutions, events and locations from dawn until well after dusk as the community follows along via Twitter, Facebook, the new app Periscope, and various other social media channels, and we’ll give updates on our travels and the Kentuckiana community response via local media, news and bloggers. Our plan is to cover the full spectrum that the arts community has to offer in a way no one ever has. Plus, we’re bringing Extol’s Editor-in-Chief Angie Fenton along. You can learn more by liking us on Facebook and following us at @fundforthearts on Twitter and Instagram. Just don’t forget to use the hashtag #ArtIs. Art Is in YOUR Hands – and so is this first-ever social media support campaign.

#ArtIs A Collective Effort

Nearly 60 percent of employees working at Jeffboat in Jeffersonville contribute to Fund for the Arts. In 2014, they collectively raised over $71,000 for the nonprofit organization.

Your Community Bank employees invest an average of $159 each with Fund for the Arts every year. In 2015, their corporate support is underwriting the Fund for the Arts’ 5X5 program, which ensures free arts experiences for students in our region.