Grant program hopes to lower costs of some of Louisville’s largest venues

Through KPA Spaces For All grants, community-based artists and arts organizations are eligible for aid to cover venue expenses at Kentucky Performing Arts locations.

Eligible venue expenses include rental, staffing and equipment costs.

Venues covered under the KPA Spaces for All program include the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts’ Whitney Hall, Bomhard Theater and MeX Theater, the Brown Theatre and Old Forester’s Paristown Hall.

Awards range between $1,500 to $5,000 and will be applied in-kind to cover facility expenses with the exception of the deposit. That means the grantees won’t get cash in hand, but will have to pay less overall to use the space.

KPA officials said the goal of the grant program is part of an ongoing effort to make it easier for smaller artists and art organizations to reach audiences.

“KPA Spaces For All, along with our ArtsReach Community Stages and the MeX Project initiatives, help reduce barriers for artists to share their work on our stages,” said Kim Baker, president and CEO of KPA, in a news release

Artists and organizations must have an operating budget lower than $500,000 to be eligible and meet one of the following criteria:

• Be a registered 501(c)3
• Be mission-based
• Represent and serve youth or historically underrepresented communities
• Present underrepresented art forms

Applications must be submitted at least 90 days before an event is set to take place. Organizations and people who have received funding for Kentucky Performing Arts in the past are eligible to apply, but the work for the event must be unique.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and applicants will find out within 30 days if they received funding and how much.