Lexarts

Lexarts regrants funds raised through its annual fund for the arts to five partner organizations that receive general operating support (gos) and 20+ arts organizations in the form of program and project grants. The application processes for these grants are rigorous, requiring evidence of financial stability and artistic quality. Service to youth, diverse and underserved audiences is emphasized as are audience size, community participation, collaboration, and evaluation. Written applications and financial information are vetted by Lexarts staff, evaluated on paper and in an open public process by a panel of peer reviewers, further reviewed by the grants committee of the Lexarts board of directors and finally approved by the Lexarts board as a whole.

Lexarts' public art initiative, horsemania, consisted of purchasing white fiberglass horses and foals and allowing individuals and organizations the opportunity to sponsor artists to design them, and ultimately have them placed throughout the city before being auctioned off and sold.

Lexarts provides a wide range of programs and services designed to integrate the arts into the daily lives of all citizens, including the free Lexarts gallery hop, lexington youth arts council, and artscope weekly email arts calendar. Lexarts staff and board work closely with community leaders on public art projects in obtaining funding, developing plans, soliciting proposals, facilitating artist and site selection processes, and gathering public input. Lexarts also operates artsplace, a facility in downtown lexington with a high quality visual arts gallery as well as performance, rehearsal and office space for nonprofit arts organizations.