Kentuck Art Center Nets $20K Grant From National Endowment For The Arts

NORTHPORT, AL — Kentuck Art Center on Wednesday announced it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $20,000.

The nonprofit says the project grant will support Kentuck's year-long programming season titled "Repurposed," which aims to promote women's voices in art and community through visual art exhibitions, music, and a series of speakers.

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"We are so excited that Kentuck Art Center has received its first-ever Project Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts," Kentuck Art Center Executive Director Exa Skinner said. "National recognition for Kentuck Art Center's year-round programming is a huge milestone for our organization, and the community and artists we serve."

Mary Bell, program director of Kentuck Art Center, also said Kentuck's programming team has been working for over a year on its plans for 2024.

"As an all-women department, this project is near to our hearts. Because of our experience as women in the arts, we know how important it is to give a platform to women to share their work and their stories," she said.

Kentuck went on to say that throughout the 2024 programming season — February-December — exhibitions at Kentuck's three galleries in Historic Downtown Northport will feature women artists who create innovative art with media that traditionally has been deemed "women's work," or features themes surrounding the lived experience of women.

Additionally, Kentuck's monthly Art Night will offer an opening reception for artists, artist talks, and live music by women vocalists and musicians, while workshops and community outreach throughout the year will incorporate themes of the current exhibition or feature women artists

"Our programming team has worked with a diverse group of women artists to prepare this season, and we have seen first-hand the dedication, talent, creativity, and grit of these women," Skinner said. "We are thrilled to invite you to attend Art Nights, workshops, and our galleries to experience the incredible year we have planned. Thank you to the National Endowment for the Arts for making this possible."

The programming season will launch with Art Night on Feb. 1 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.

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