21c Brings Ozkaya’s David to Louisville’s Main Street
As if there was enough happening during the busiest seven days on Louisville’s calendar, the city just welcomed a new addition to its catalog of public art with the installation of Turkish artist Serkan Ozkaya’s David (inspired by Michelangelo). The 30-foot-tall golden figure, closely modeled on Michelangelo’s famous work, is certain to be the subject of debate and controversy. The sculpture is now located outside of 21c Museum Hotel on the corner of 7th and Main Streets. 21c acquired the work by Ozkaya in 2010, and in 2011 commissioned the sculpture’s journey from Istanbul to New York and on to the museum’s home in Louisville, Kentucky. Read More
Flame Run's Move Puts Focus of Louisville Glass Art into Key Location on West Market Street
FLAME RUN GLASS STUDIO AND GALLERY MOVING TO THE GLASSWORKS BUILDING
Flame Run’s Move Puts Focus of Louisville Glass Art into Key Location on West Market Street Two of Louisville’s glass studios will be merging soon, as Brook Forrest White, Jr., glass artist and local owner of Flame Run TM Glass Studio and Gallery, is formally announcing the relocation of his studio and gallery to West Market Street. The Louisville Glassworks building at 815 West Market Street is where Brook began the Louisville portion of his career. The gallery at 828 E. Market St. will begin moving into the new space later this month. A 10-year anniversary celebration of the Glassworks building with a kick-off grand opening of Flame Run at Glassworks is planned for some time in the spring. “I have signed a contract with Louisville Glassworks to take over their hot shop, a welding shop, the gallery, and gift shop and will operate all as Flame Run at Glassworks,” said White. “This move gives us a chance to continue our growth, recalibrate and reorganize. Plus, the move to a new location will give us the fresh air and impetus to create something new.” As an early investor and supporter in the redevelopment of Downtown Louisville’s arts districts, Flame Run enjoyed its East Market Street Arts District “NuLu” space. White continues to remain committed to the success of the arts in Louisville, and the move to the Glassworks building, which is walking distance from the Louisville Slugger Museum, the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, the Frazier Historical Museum and the Louisville Science Center, will allow more strolling visitors to watch glass being blown, and to enjoy arts and gifts made from glass. The increase in daily walk-in traffic will create further opportunities for Flame Run to engage directly with others in glassmaking and the enjoyment of glass as art. Activity at Louisville Glassworks has been somewhat erratic since a change in management more than a year ago, and the new partnership should help stabilize and reestablish the prominence of the Glassworks name in the Louisville cultural community. Brook White and Flame Run have developed a strong reputation in recent years, exhibiting at SOFA in 2010 and winning some high-profile installations such as the Kosair Children’s Hospital and the rotunda of The Falls of the Ohio. Louisville has achieved no small degree of importance in the world of glass art, with the glass studio art program run by Che Rhodes at U of L’s Cressman Center and being chosen to host the Glass Art Society’s 40th Annual Conference in July, 2010. Flame Run Hours are: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and by appointment. Log on to www.flamerun.com or call (502) 584-5353 for more information.
“Another Opening – Another Show” - The Only Elementary Performing Arts School in Louisville Opens New Wing
Lincoln Elementary School sits between Main and Market in an area of Louisville identified as NuLu, a recently-burgeoning corridor of arts and cultural businesses. For the past two years Lincoln Elementary has been re-branded as a Performing Arts Magnet, and this week the school’s brand new performing arts wing was officially opened with a ceremony and performances to recognize this day. Read More
Conversation, Community, and the Arts: Post-show Discussions at Actor’s Theatre
On Thursday, January 12 and 19, Actors Theatre of Louisville hosted community conversations, following the performances of The Elaborate Entry of Chad Deity, with an invited panel of community activists engaging in a dialogue with audience members. Read More
Fund for the Arts Leadership Attempts to Address Louisville Arts Community Concerns in Public Forum
Shortly after 10:00a.m. on Thursday, November 29, Actors Theatre of Louisville announced that Les Waters is the third Artistic Director in the company's almost fifty-year history.
Almost a year after controversy that resulted in the departure of long-time Fund for the Arts president and CEO Allan Cowen, Interim president and CEO Barbara Sexton-Smith participated in a Public Forum at the Louisville Visual Art Association at the Louisville Water Tower on January 12. This fairly unprecedented event was a unique opportunity for those who have been most critical of the Fund’s operations to put their questions and concerns directly to the leadership, and was attended by a cross-section of artists representing visual and performing arts in Louisville and Southern Indiana. We have observations from two of our contributors who also attended. Read More
ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE ANNOUNCES LES WATERS AS NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Shortly after 10:00a.m. on Thursday, November 29, Actors Theatre of Louisville announced that Les Waters is the third Artistic Director in the company's almost fifty-year history.
Gathering in the Bingham Theatre were ATL staffers who had just heard the news the previous afternoon, together with a sprinkling of board members, Actors Associates (volunteers), and members of the arts community. Managing Director Jennifer Bielstein introduced Board Member and Search Committee Chair Todd Lowe. Mr. Lowe spoke briefly about the comprehensive and inclusive process the committee undertook, including an advisory committee of playwrights with ATL connections - a recognition of how important the Humana Festival of New American Plays is in the cosmos of the company.
Les Waters brings impressive credentials to Actors Theatre of Louisville. Announcing that he's British -- in case those in the audience were confused on that point -- he listed his association with the iconic Royal Court Theatre as well as the National Theatre and his production of Caryl Churchill's 'Fen' which first brought his work to this country. A stint at the University of California, San Diego, attests to his commitment to developing the next generation of theatre artists. For the past eight years he has been the Associate Artistic Director at Berkley Repertory Theatre, and is also an associate artist of The Civilians. In 2009, his production of Sarah Ruhl's 'In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)' marked his Broadway debut (this play is also featured in ATL's current season).
Mr. Waters' ATL connections include two Humana Festival productions, the site-specific 'At The Vanishing Point' by Naomi Iizuka and Charles' Mee's 'Big Love'. He spoke passionately about the power of telling stories, both the mega-stories of kings and presidents and the stories of ordinary people in their communities, citing his experience in the Butchertown area for the Iizuka piece. The ATL press release accompanying today's exciting announcement quotes Mr. Waters' commitment to, "making theatre here that is passionate and intelligent, funny and heartfelt...I look forward to being a part of this community, to making a new home in Louisville, and to continuing Actors Theatre's incredible legacy of local and national acclaim."