KyArtsCast Kentucky Arts Council

It's been my pleasure for the past five years to produce this podcast. It started out as a wild idea, and has evolved into an amazing mode of communication that allows us to more thoroughly tell the Kentucky Arts Council's stories.
Today, my time as producer and host comes to an end. I've had a wonderful time on this podcast journey, and now it's time to turn it over to other voices as it continues.
There are some people I'd like to thank publicly for their support of this endeavor. When I went to Chris Cathers in 2018 with the idea to start a podcast, it was a half-formed idea. He said yes, though, and backed my efforts to seek out training opportunities.
Mark Brown has been a patient teacher and source of advice on audio engineering. I've not always gotten it right, but I've done my best, thanks to Mark's wisdom.
If you're a Kentucky Crafted artist, you know Dave Blevins for his work administering that program, and as executive producer/grand poobah/illustrious potentate of The Kentucky Crafted Market, but did you know he's also a composer? He wrote and performed the intro and outro music you hear on each episode.
And then there's former coworkers Tammie Williams and Katie Lewis. That's Tammie's voice you hear at the beginning and end of each episode and Katie created the KyArtsCast logo which has served us well the past five years. I still get a kick out of seeing it whenever Apple lets me know a new podcast episode has uploaded (yes, I subscribe to my own podcast).
I hate the sound of my own voice, so I'm grateful to the coworkers who have graciously sat in the host's chair for some great episodes. I fear leaving any out, so I'm not listing them here. But they know I appreciate their service, and when you hear them, you should feel free to tell them you appreciate them too.
And Sarah Schmitt, most recently my supervisor, has been instrumental in helping come up with a production schedule that helped us get back on regular track coming out of the pandemic.
I could go on, but this episode summary might be longer than the actual episode, and I don't want that. Thank you to my coworkers, all the guests over the past five years, and, of course, to you, the listeners. It's been a fun ride. 

Amy Roblero-Perez is ending her one-year term as the first Kentucky Youth Poet Laureate. We chat with her about her reaction to beign named to the position, what she's been doing the past year, and hear readings of her work. We'll also talk with Jordan Campbell, executive director of Gateway Regional Arts Center in Mt. Sterling, which sponsors the Kentucky Youth Poet Laureate program. He'll discuss how it got started and what young Kentucky poets can do to apply for the program in the future.
Episode footnotes
Learn more about Kentucky Writers' Day

Watch the commencement of the National Youth Poet Laureate livestream, which includes the announcement of the next Kentucky Youth Poet Laureate

Learn about the Kentucky Youth Poet Laureate program

LISTEN TO BONUS AUDIO: Amy asks Jordan why he came back to Kentucky to serve the arts community

For a long time, the world of school band directors was largely dominated by men. This demographic has shifted over the years to include more women and increased diversity. Dr. Sue Creasap, professor emeritus and former associate director of bands at Morehead State University, leads a robust conversation that includes retired Jefferson County Schools band director Nan Moore, University of Louisville music professor and associate band director Dr. Amy Acklin, retired Fayette County Schools band director Lois Wiggins, and Harrison County Middle School band director Julie Lucky. They talk about changes in attitudes over the years, influential women they look up to, and challenges they've faced in their careers.
Episode footnotes:
Learn more about the careers of these five women featured on this episode
Dr. Sue Creasap (host) Nan Moore Dr. Amy Acklin Lois Wiggins Julie Lucky

We are getting closer to The Kentucky Crafted Market, March 9-10 at the Kentucky Horse Park's Alltech Arena. It is. perhaps. the Kentucky Arts Council's most visible event each year. In this episode we chat with four artists in the Kentucky Crafted program who are exhibiting and selling work at The Market: Dodie Wrocklage-Harp, Rob Bridges, Addison Williams and Michelle Hayden. Learn about their work and what they like about exhibiting at The Market.
Episode footnotes:
Learn more about the 2024 Kentucky Crafted Market View a digital version of the Market program to find out which artists will be there

What should Kentucky's public school students know about the arts by the time they have graduated? Jessica Greene, a performing and visual arts consultant to the Kentucky Department of Education, discusses that topic and talks about how Kentuckians can weigh in on those standards. Cynthia Warner, the Kentucky Arts Council's arts education director, interviews Jessica for this important conversation about the arts in our schools. 
Episode footnotes:
Kentucky Department of Education Academic Standards Review Process Visual and Performing Arts Standards Resources Kentucky's Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Email Jessica Greene - jessica.greene@education.ky.gov

Kentucky Arts Council spring intern Ashanti Grace Castleberry and arts council communications director Tom Musgrave learn more about Hip Hop Into Learning (HHN2L), a Louisville-based nonprofit arts education organization that received a $500,000 Accelerator Award from The Lewis Prize for Music. Ashanti chats with The Lewis Prize CEO Dalouge Smith and Tom continues the conversation with HHN2L cofounder Nyree Clayton-Taylor. 
Episode footnotes:
HHN2L homepage

The Lewis Prize for Music

2023 Accelerator Awards cohort