Danville artist forum invites artists, art supporters to caucus and chart a plan of action 

Published 1:15 pm Friday, January 13, 2017

Frank X Walker invites “all creatives” to an artist forum Saturday in Danville. 

“It makes sense to me to have such a gathering in the same community that was the original capital of Kentucky,” said Walker, a Danville native who was Kentucky’s 2013 Poet Laureate. “Especially if the collective wisdom is to start something brand new that serves the whole state. We also hope visitors will discover that our small town is a model pro-arts city.” 

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An artists forum will be noon-3 p.m. Saturday in Gravely Hall Performing Arts Center at Danville High School, 203 E. Lexington Ave., Danville. 

The forum, Walker says, is for attendees to meet and network with artists from around the state, and Tennessee, from all disciplines. “And to be involved in a community conversation that is about the importance of individual artists to the commonwealth.” 

Attendees will hear about actions they can be involved in to enhance their survival as artists and quality of the arts of their communities. 

The invitation to the event, on Facebook, states: 

Jazz pianists, poets laureate, book lovers, poets, thespians, musicians, grass roots activists, photographers, filmmakers, arts organizers, arts administrators, writers, artists, art patrons, barbers, hair stylists…Do you care about the future of the arts in Kentucky? What if your party affiliation was the ARTs? Do you believe the creative class is committed enough to gather together for an afternoon to explore our collective potential? Do Governors School For the Arts faculty, staff and alumni still care about the arts? 

CALLING ALL CREATIVES to Action.

It’s time to join hands and move towards realizing our full collective potential. Please join us in Danville High School’s Gravely Auditorium on January 14th for our first public forum.

“We are expecting artists of every stripe, arts educators, arts administrators, art patrons, arts lovers, poet laureates, thesbians, writers, actors, dancers, woodworkers, painters, sculptors, glass blowers and more,” Walker says.

The goals are not local, he says — they are statewide. 

“These kind of gatherings are always important, regardless of the national political climate,” Walker says. Too often, he says, artists don’t feel empowered to impact their own quality of life. 

“I’m hoping that participants will see that there is strength in numbers and begin to feel like they are every bit as important to the state as horses and bourbon,” Walker says. “And then chart a plan of action that reflects that importance.” 

Walker is an associate professor of English in the Department of English at the University of Kentucky. He’s co-founder of the Affrilachian Poets.