LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Five Louisville area organizations are receiving grants to help elevate the arts.

What You Need To Know

  • Five Louisville area organizations are receiving grants to help elevate the arts

  • In November, the Louisville-based organizations received a grant of $25,000 each from the National Endowment for the Arts

  • Louisville Metro Government’s Office of Arts and Creative Industries identified these organizations as part of their mission to help spread the arts

  • Three other Kentucky cities received similar funding, including Lexington, Berea and Mount Sterling

In November, five organizations, Louisville Youth Choir, Looking for Lilith Theatre Company, Louisville Folk School, StageOne Family Theatre, and 300FOR300 received grantS of $25,000 each from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Louisville Metro Government’s Office of Arts and Creative Industries identified the organizations as part of its mission to help spread the arts.

“I started when I was a child,” said Jennice Butler, a professional actress.

Butler remembers her first role.

“The first thing I did was play a grandma in a Bear Christmas pageant show in elementary school. And I never gave it up,” Butler said.

That’s why the theater is important to her.

“I also think that theater can give kids something way beyond just having an acting career. It talks about community. It talks about discipline. It talks about focusing and talking to each other,” Butler said.

She’s a professional actress working with StageOne Family Theatre, which brings stories to life with opportunities for predominately young actors.

“I’ve been with StageOne for 24 years,” said Andrew Harris, producing artistic director for StageOne Family Theatre. “These are, these are young minds. So the Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a holiday tradition for StageOne.”

Thirty-two young actors are teamed with six adults to put on this annual performance. It’s the 14th season.

“The fact that our audience also gets to see themselves reflected on the stage authentically helping to share this message is just something that’s so exciting and something we’re proud to do every year,” Harris said. “From being able to put on shows like this to the education programs that we take into the schools, to the ticket underwriting program that we have that removes cost as a barrier to school-aged students that might not have access to the work that we do, so that they have an opportunity to come.”

Three other Kentucky cities received similar funding, including Lexington, Berea and Mount Sterling.

“StageOne has such a beautiful thing going on. Because we can have the professionals come to the kids, and the kids can learn so much from that beyond just acting.”

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