BOARD eNEWS

MAY 2015

KIM’S CORNER

There has been a great deal in the news about the closing of the Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) and what that might mean for downtown Louisville.

As a member of the tourism arts and heritage cabinet, I am fully supportive of the Fair and Expo Center and the Convention and Visitors Bureau decision to close the KICC in order to open again as soon as possible. But I think closing the KICC was absolutely the right call, allowing for a better experience for our convention attendees; who we don’t want navigating through a disruptive construction zone during their stay in Louisville. The Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC) will be closed for nearly two years, some feel the construction schedule for the downtown center should have been extended past 2 years, allowing it to remain open for less disruption to the existing schedule of conferences. If you’ve been following the story, you’ll see there’s concern about how this might impact the local economy and you might even wonder how the Kentucky Center will be impacted, as a 1% recipient of the local hotel tax. Based on the information I have received, I am not worried about a significant loss of business to our city or a reduction in sales tax to the Kentucky Center. Ultimately, more events are expected to schedule with the KICC once it reopens in 2018. In fact, the $180 million dollars in renovations is already creating a buzz in the convention circuit with calls coming in to book the technically superior and modern center; and utilization is expected to increase 25%. This, along with the addition of the Omni, Embassy Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, and the aLOFT means nothing but good news for the Kentucky Center and downtown Louisville.

Though it is true that the bed tax will be impacted during the closure, we are not estimating a significant overall impact to the Kentucky Center. The CVB has relocated nearly all the customers affected by the closure so the city is really not losing much business. And, the Kentucky Center is one of the sites working with the CVB to host displaced conferences which means an increase in utilization (and revenue) for us.

It is important that the Kentucky Center support these efforts and our partners in tourism. Their success is critical to our ability to maintain our world class programming and facility, helping raise the visibility of arts and culture in our city and Commonwealth. When you see Karen Williams, give her a big pat on the back and thank her for all she is doing to support the city, and our Center, in her effort to increase downtown’s capacity to host visitors. It has been a massive undertaking to secure this funding and manage the logistics of the closure, and we are thankful we have Karen at the helm working on the tourism industries behalf.

Q: In two words: How would you describe yourself?A: Passionate, High- Energy

Q: As a community leader, why do you want to volunteer at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts?

A: We (our teams) need to be in step with each other at all times. You create and add value to our leisure and convention business. You mimic our mission statement ---We promote and market the destination. The Kentucky Center promotes, houses and markets all the arts groups in the city and throughout the state.

Q: What have you learned from or about board service?

A: How things happen behind the scenes….we just see the final product – a lot of work, time and energy occurs with each event Staff is limited so we need to be good stewards as board members to assist and volunteer when called upon.

Q: What other community causes and organizations do you support?A: Greater Louisville Hotel Association, Downtown Partnership Board of Directors, GLI Board of Directors,

Kentucky Tourism Industry Association Board of Directors, Kentucky Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus

Q: Best performance you have seen at the Kentucky Center? A: That is hard – so many are wonderful but up at the top of my list would have to be CATS.

Q: What is your life motto? A: To use the phrase that I learned (while working as an employee of Ritz Carlton Hotels) and adopted

throughout my career in the hospitality industry . . .“We are ladies and gentlemen - serving ladies and gentlemen.”

PROFILEBOARD MEMBER

PRESIDENT AND CEO-LOUISVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

Karen Williams

For more than a decade, Chris Long has served The Kentucky Center and the Performing Arts community. From mass communication to data analysis, Chris plays an integral role in keeping The Kentucky Center’s mission top of mind both locally and regionally.

EMPLOYEEPROFILE

Q: What do you like best about working at The Kentucky Center?A: I like the opportunity for continuous learning. I started out at the Center almost 12 years ago

handling Group Sales for our Kentucky Center Presents series. Then I took on our email program and became the Tessitura Super User for the Marketing Department. Today I am the Digital Marketing Manager and also deal with pay-per-click advertising, social media, and monitoring our web analytics.

Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?A: My mother tells me I used to draw pictures as a child of me “dancing my way to fame and

fortune.” I was also very entrepreneurial, making things and selling them for quarters from a card table on our front lawn.

Q: When did you discover your love for the arts?A: No “discovery” phase. I cannot remember a time when I wasn’t interested in music, visual art,

textiles, creative writing…the list goes on. Thank goodness for wonderful public school teachers who nurtured my “book worm” side as well as the “arts gypsy” in me.

Q: When someone is asked, “What’s Chris like?” you hope they answer…A: “Passionate, knowledgeable, and funny. I love to laugh, but my natural frivolity gets crushed

sometimes by the weight of creating, analyzing, and responding to multiple time-sensitive items. I need to learn to breathe deeper and laugh more!

Q: Best performance you have seen at the Kentucky Center? A: Tough call! Can’t narrow it down to a single show. I don’t have a background in performing arts, so

I attend mainly the Kentucky Center Presents shows. I am a fan of live music (Vince Gill, Earth Wind & Fire, David Byrne/St. Vincent) and contemporary dance (Diavolo, Pilobolus, Momix, Complexions).

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER

Chris Long

COMM

UNIT

Y NEW

SCOMMUNITY NEWS

The Kentucky Center was represented in the annual Pegasus Parade. Louisville Magazine invited all of its Best of Louisville winners to participate. It was a lot of fun and really good exercise.

PEGASUS PARADE

BLOCK PARTY

JUDY CHICAGO

The Louisville Orchestra’s season ended with a bang with a block party inside and outside the Kentucky Center. There was an added treat for fans as the River City Drum Corps Da’Ville Classics and the LO held a drum battle on the front steps. Click here to see the story.

Special thanks to Madeline Abramson and the National Council of Jewish Women for bringing Judy Chicago, the American feminist artist, art educator, and writer to The Kentucky Center. This was a great event for the Center and our community.

PEGASUS PARADEOnce again, The Kentucky Center hosted Mini-WE Day, the comprehensive educational program that inspires a generation to care about social issues and gives them the tools to turn that inspiration into action. The building was filled with young people working hard to make a difference in our community. The event kicked off the Mayor’s Week of Service, where Kentucky Center staff once again stepped up, teaming with Brown-Forman to help with beautification efforts at Bernheim Forest and StageOne Family Theater to help clean up the Belvedere.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

WHAT

’S N

EWWHAT’S NEW CONSTRUCTION AND

DECONSTRUCTION

NEA GRANT

WELCOME AMBER!

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts was recognized as a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant. The Center will receive a $15,000 award to present The Kentucky Center Integration of the Arts and Literacy Academy in June 2016 for Kentucky teachers. The Academy will provide 30 teachers from across the Commonwealth with 30 hours of professional learning that will help their students more fully engage in the study of literature through the integration of the arts.

The Kentucky Center is thrilled to announce that our new CFO, Amber Halloran, started Monday, May 4. Amber brings with her over 24 years of experience, most recently as Vice President and Treasurer with the Louisville Water Company, where she managed a staff of 27 and was responsible for all aspects of finance and accounting for capital and operating budgets of $167 million in revenue and $89 million in capital. During her tenure, she amassed a stellar record of accomplishment including leading the LWC team to implement an Oracle financial application to replace the COBAL legacy system and was one of three executive sponsors for a $30 million Oracle technology project to replace LWC’s customer service system. She steered the organization through a complete restatement of master bond covenants requiring collaboration with LWC Board and Metro Government which led to an upgrade to AAA rating from Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s for utility debt. She also led the LWC team to apply for and receive 501(c)3 status for the Louisville Water Foundation.Prior to LWC, Amber served as Vice President and Bank Operations CFO for PNC Bank where she supervised a staff of nine accountants in providing

The brick wall in front of The Kentucky Center Drive-Thru is no more. After years of freeze and thaw cycles, the brick joints have separated, allowing water to migrate into the building and causing damage. The removal and cleanup resulted in the drive-thru closing down for several weeks. Thanks to Dan Wolf for overseeing the job. Meanwhile, on the Belvedere, repairs continue. Roof work is underway and interior work will follow.

all financial support to the Bank Operations Division of PNC Bank Corp. Through demonstrated leadership and her reputation for innovation, she was recognized by Business First as a Finalist for 2012’s CFO of the Year. Amber holds an MBA from Bellarmine University and is an active community player, sitting on numerous Boards including the Audit Committee for Goodwill Industries, as Treasurer on the SPOT Board (Louisville Metro animal welfare) and as Executive Committee member and Treasurer of the Louisville Sports Commission.

On your next visit to the Kentucky Center, be sure to stop and pay a visit with Amber.

THANKS TO OUR BOARD AND GSA COUNCIL MEMBERS, GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING!

YOGA AT THE KENTUCKY CENTER: PARTNERSHIPS, FUNDRAISERS & REACHING FAMILIES

GOVERNOR’S SCHOOL ALUMNI UPDATE

PACC MEETING

NEA GRANT

• Diane Tobin stewarded a great relationship with Tim Huval, Chief Human Resources Officer and SVP at Humana, Inc. and his wife Brenda during Disney’s The Lion King. We now welcome them as new individual members!

• Eric Slavinsky’s relationship and cultivation efforts have secured a $25,000.00 gift from World Wide Technology for The Kentucky Center Governor’s School for the Arts.

• A strong relationship between Toyota and GSA continues thanks to Nila Wells, who secured a renewed total gift of $50,000.00 for this program year.

• Karen Williams has secured a new $15,000.00 Corporate Membership gift from the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau.

• Carol Farmer hosted GSAC’s spring meeting at Keeneland, and helped secure $15,200.00 from the Keeneland Foundation for 4 GSA Keeneland artists to attend our summer program.

KC is partnered with Festival of Faiths to provide Mediation and Motion sessions on the front steps of

GSA 2013 Visual Art alum, LaNia Roberts, recently had an article printed in Cosmopolitan Magazine. Click here to read her inspiring words. LaNia is a Central High School grad who received a full scholarship to Syracuse. She is an amazing young woman who is a true inspiration to us all.

In mid-April , Heather Weston Bell, Senior Vice President of Community Engagement, attended the Spring meeting of the Performing Arts Center Consortium (PACC) in Toronto. This small group gathers two times a year to discuss trends in the performing arts industry. This meeting focused on organizational transition. New leaders, such as Jed Bernstein at Lincoln Center and Deborah Rutter at The Kennedy Center, shared their newly formed visions, while several long-time members of PACC prepare

KC Wednesday- Saturday, May 13th-16th, with yoga in Whitney Hall, Friday, May 15th. The sessions included Tai Chi and other movement activities.

Saturday, July 20th, from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon, 502 Power Yoga will hold a class at The Kentucky Center to benefit Arts in Healing.

Our weekly Friday series continues through the summer, with an additional class added monthly for families as part of the Mayor’s Cultural Pass.

for retirement, accepting other career opportunities or begin the process of succession planning. Also in transition is the performing arts center (PAC) as an institution. Takeaways from the discussions:

• The evolved performing arts centers are providing transformative individual benefit to members of their communities (think GSA, ArtsReach, School Programs and Arts in Healing) and serve as drivers for increased quality of life and economic vitality.

• PACs are uniquely positioned to be a part of community branding; urban planning and redevelopment; and, creating collective impact.

• Our challenges are shared: The collective data shows declining audiences for traditional arts programming and growing capital planning and technology needs for centers.

• As an industry, we must invest our marketing dollars on community relevance and value proposition, in addition to selling shows. Just one example of this is KC’s focus on branding.

SUPPORT THE CENTER WHILE YOU SHOP!

STAFF NEWSWEST END POETRY OPERABig congratulations to two Kentucky Center employees. Dawn Driskell, Director of Accounting, has officially completed her course work for her MBA from U of L and graduated in Mid-May. Carly Schmidt, Director of Corporate Relations, will soon have a new title…Mrs.! The proposal is amazing, you can see the video here.

The Kentucky Center partnered with the artist collective Roots & Wings to present the West End Poetry in the Bomhard Theater. Playing to a full house, this candid, unflinching and uplifting work shined a light on the needs of Louisville’s West End and helped solidify the Kentucky Center’s place as a community partner and artistic leader.

By signing up for Kroger Community Rewards, you can help The Kentucky Center’s Education and Community Arts programs earn rewards in the form of a monthly donation from Kroger each time you swipe your Kroger Plus card.

Help support ArtsReach, Arts in Healing, the Governor’s School for the Arts, Programming Outreach, and our School Programs each time you go to the grocery.

How to Enroll:1. Visit www.kroger.com/communityrewards

2. Sign in to your online account, or have your Plus Card handy to create one.

3. Click Enroll, and enter The Kentucky Center’s enrollment ID: 11226

4. Select The Kentucky Center, and click “save”.

Questions? Email Laura Berube at lberube@kentuckycenter.org Thank you for your support!

FUNFACT

GRAND DRAPE

“Grand Drape”, the original main curtain in Whitney Hall was designed by the late, great architect Michael Graves as a favor to Wendell Cherry. Graves was doing the Humana Building at the time. As the story goes, after enjoying several cocktails, Graves spent an evening watching the Falls of the Ohio which served as his inspiration. “Grand Drape” was retired in 2007.

UPCOMING EVENTSPNC Broadway in LouisvillePippinJune 2-7The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall

Rich GirlJune 12-14The Kentucky Center MeX Theater

Todd SniderJune 18The Kentucky Center-Bomhard Theater

Arts + Healing + YogaJune 20The Kentucky Center

Rachel Grimes and EnsembleJune 22The Kentucky Center-Todd Hall

Acting Against CancerCollaborACTJune 26The Kentucky Center-Bomhard Theater

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band & Jonny LangJune 28The Kentucky Center-Whitney Hall