Feb. 4, 2026
Dear Friends of the Arts,
This year has opened with a reminder of how quickly life can change. Ice and snow have closed roads, darkened homes and disrupted routines across the commonwealth. We are grateful for state and local leaders who are putting safety first, and we encourage everyone to do the same. Check on your neighbors, especially elders and those without power, and take care as you move through the days ahead.
Many of us are carrying more than the weight of winter. In moments like these, it becomes even more important to insist on our shared humanity; to see one another, to speak with care, and to refuse indifference. One way we do that is through art, by supporting the artists in our own communities and by permitting ourselves to create. In the stillness of snowbound days and in the long hours of winter darkness, art can be a quiet act of renewal: a poem begun at the kitchen table, a sketch by lamplight, a song hummed to pass the time. Creating and choosing to value the work of those who create among us reminds us that we are more than what threatens us.
The arts have always been a place where communities gather in times of hardship. They remind us that every person has a story, that every life has value, and that connection is an act of resilience. Even in the coldest weeks of the year, creativity keeps us warm.
Here at the Kentucky Arts Council, we are planning to attend many events this month. Our annual Poetry Out Loud State Finals will be held Feb. 12, starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Farrish Theatre in Central Lexington Public Library. Planning for The Kentucky Crafted Market (March 7-8) and Writers’ Day (April 24) is well underway. We invite you to follow us on Facebook or Instagram for updates and announcements throughout the month.
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 Chris Cathers
Executive Director
Kentucky Arts Council |
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