Kentucky Performing Arts Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Community Celebration at The Kentucky Center

Kentucky Performing Arts (KPA) kicks off its 40th anniversary season celebration with a community-wide event on Sunday, August 27 at The Kentucky Center (501 West Main Street). The Community Open House will welcome the entire city and state to the building where it all began. The event will be free and open to the public and will take place from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Sponsored by Brown-Forman, the event will feature activities for family entertainment, including live performances by local artists, appearances by Governor’s School for the Arts alumni, a silent disco, backstage tours, dance classes and more.

“We are incredibly proud of our history as an institution and organization that has brought the performing arts to life for so many people,” said Kim Baker, president and CEO of KPA. “This is a moment that allows us to look proudly at our history and also look forward at the next 40 years of creating groundbreaking arts experiences and opening doors through our community education and outreach efforts.”

The Kentucky Center officially opened its doors on November 19, 1983. Since then, it has welcomed performers and performances of every imaginable genre, including plays, comedy, Broadway musicals, dance and orchestral, rock, folk music and more, along with international dignitaries including two U.S. Presidents and the Dalai Lama. It is this robust mix that has made the venue one of the best known and most beloved arts facilities in the region.

Evolving over the course of the last 40 years, the organization was renamed Kentucky Performing Arts in 2019 to represent its vast impact across multiple local, regional, and statewide arts education and community programs, as well as the expansion to three venues: The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts on Main Street, The Brown Theatre on Broadway, and Old Forester’s Paristown Hall on Brent Street.

The Open House will include performances and events from a wide range of artists and activities to reflect the community KPA serves. These include:

YAPA

Redline Performing Arts

Sweet G & the Shine

The Jesse Lees

LaNita Rocknettes

River City Drum Corp

StageOne Storytellers

Keen Dance Theatre

Louisville Silent Disco

Healing Walls Project art activity

Art Resource Fair

Free parking will be available in The Kentucky Center Garage. For more information, visit KentuckyPerformingArts.org.

YAPA is a musical journey inspired by many rich cultures. From indigenous melodies of the Andes Mountains to the traditional and popular dance musics of the world, Yapa! features musicians from Ecuador, El Salvador, Canary Islands, Mexico, and the US.

Redline Performing Arts is committed to creating a safe space where the arts are accessible and affordable to all. Redline remains intent on fostering community through arts justice by incorporating the four pillars of their organization: live productions, Redline Education Department, Redline Players Conservatory and Performance Troupe and their community action program, Produce and More. Redline produces a thriving culture for underserved, often marginalized communities, putting people over profit and elevating action onstage and in our community.

River City Drum Corp Cultural Arts Institute, Inc. programs are designed to enhance the development of African American families with children through education, arts, and culture.  Providing a structured environment and support system to stimulate youth as community leaders and create a community where live music is enhanced and strengthened through the "Spirit of the Drum."

The LaNita Rocknettes School of Dance provides cultural arts & educational programming during non-school hours in various locations throughout Louisville for children and ages 3-18 and their Parents. The LaNita Rocknettes School of Dance has been a safe haven for young people offering more than just dance classes.

Louisville band Sweet G & The Shine is fronted by powerhouse singer Gina C.  Gina got her start singing with her family doing gospel gigs at area churches for years. As an adult, she accompanied anybody who needed a great singer for backup or harmony, including The Zach Longoria Project, Carly Johnson, Nick Dittmeier, and several others.

The Jesse Lees are a group of Louisville based outcasts that provide a timeless and powerful energy with elements of psychedelic rock, soul, and hip-hop. It is just when you think that you have figured out their style that they show a new side of themselves, and scratch an itch you never knew you had. Led by the unique and powerfully soulful vocals of Otis Junior, this rock outfit is undeniable and unforgettable.

StageOne Storytellers is a 40-minute storybook program that takes children’s favorite books and brings them to life in a way that’s as unique and exciting as the stories themselves. At these events, caregivers and little ones sit on the floor around the performers for a truly immersive theatre experience. Audiences help tell the story through music, interaction, and LOTS of imagination! Recommended for Ages PreK-10.

John Keen envisioned and created Keen Dance Theatre in September 2008 in New York City, performing throughout the New York area and traveling to Guyana as US Ambassadors. In 2014, KDT moved to John’s hometown of Louisville, KY. Rooted in Black dance expression, Keen Dance Theatre welcomes company members of any race/ethnicity. KDT is also diverse in regards to age, gender, LGBTQ+, occupation, body shape, education level, and socioeconomic status.

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