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To make a contribution to the Kentuck Festival Forever Fund, please click the link below or mail checks to: 

Kentuck Art Center

503 Main Ave

Northport, AL 35476

help kentuck keep the #festivalforever

Out of concern for the health of our community, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to cancel the 49th Kentuck Festival of the Arts. Read the full statement below.

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Dear patrons, guests, volunteers, and supporters:

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Thank you. Thank you for caring about Kentuck. Thank you for sticking with us for 49 years, and thank you for filling out the survey we sent out regarding the Kentuck Festival this year. Passionate responses came in from all corners of the country, and despite the many different opinions, there was one undeniable commonality: every single one of the respondents cared about the arts and the survival of Kentuck. The staff read every single response and took into consideration everything that was said. Truly, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

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The Kentuck Staff and Board of Directors spent an extensive amount of time reviewing local and national medical data, financial projections, and survey responses from the public. We spent hours trying to develop a financially-feasible socially distant festival that would still be the Kentuck Experience—for both our artists and our guests.

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Out of concern for the health of our community, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to cancel the 49th Kentuck Festival of the Arts. This was always a worst-case scenario for our organization—we never imagined it would come to this. The fact is, the Kentuck Festival of the Arts has always continued, no matter what bad times or growing pains our organization or our world was enduring. The Kentuck Festival is our favorite weekend of the year, and we are heartbroken we had to make this decision.

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Besides risking the health of thousands, our survey results and financial projections have indicated that an in-person version of the Kentuck Festival would not be profitable for our artists or our organization. The regulations and extra equipment needed to keep our artists, staff, volunteers, and guests safe would be financially detrimental to Kentuck Art Center & Festival. The socially distanced version of the Festival is not the Kentuck Experience that has come to be known and loved.

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Kentuck is still planning to provide our community with a modified, virtual celebration of our artists. More details regarding this celebration will be announced the first week of August. Many of our artists rely solely on in-person sales for their livelihood and are having trouble pivoting to a virtual method for a variety of reasons. The Kentuck Staff is earnestly looking at ways to make this as successful as possible for our artists, patrons, and our organization.

 

So, what exactly does this mean for Kentuck Art Center & Festival?

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It means we are in for a rough time. The Festival is our largest source of revenue and represents a significant portion of our budget for the next year. As an organization, we are estimating revenue losses in excess of $200,000. Our 270 artists are losing thousands of dollars of sales they need to make ends meet. Our local businesses are losing a two-day economic impact of more than $5,000,000. Our residents, artists, volunteers, and patrons are losing the joy of art and celebration of community when they need it most. But we will not sit idly by and let the Kentuck Festival—which has become a symbol of creativity and love in our community—slip through our fingers without a valiant fight.

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Introducing: The Kentuck Festival Forever Fund

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This Festival cancellation is the biggest existential threat Kentuck Art Center and Festival has faced in our 49-year history. Kentuck’s Board of Directors and Staff have sprung into action, formulating ways to continue bringing art to our community and empowering our artists. One leg of this plan is the introduction of the Kentuck Festival Forever Fund. The Kentuck Festival Forever Fund will ensure that the Kentuck Festival continues for years to come. Whether you’ve supported Kentuck for 49 years or you were planning to go this year for the first time, Kentuck has called you part of our family, and we meant it. You have stuck with us, and we ask that you continue your support now, when we need it most.

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Your contribution will not only help to secure the future of the Kentuck Festival but will also support our efforts to develop new, sustainable programming that empowers our community and artists. Though we are all navigating tumultuous times, times with many disappointments and much uncertainty, Kentuck offers a comforting respite of positivity. Art—the urge to create it and the inspiration it brings—is not going anywhere. Neither is Kentuck. Our staff is looking towards the future and working ardently on new experiences that fulfill our mission to perpetuate the arts, engage our community, and empower artists. We will continue to be a positive force in our small corner of the world, connecting art with those who love it and offering a safe space for creativity to flourish.

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Your support is crucial to Kentuck’s efforts to adapt and thrive under these extraordinary circumstances. Kentuck has faced other hardships, challenges we have overcome thanks to your love and support. We will get through this together, and our future will be brighter than ever before.

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Throughout all these years, our community has stuck with us. Our organization will get through this because of you.

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If you would like to contribute to the Festival Forever Fund, please click here.

 

Sincerely,

The Kentuck Staff, Board of Directors, and Festival Steering Committee

help kentuck keep the #festivalforever

To make a contribution to the Kentuck Festival Forever Fund, please click the link below or mail checks to: 

Kentuck Art Center

503 Main Ave

Northport, AL 35476

thank you to our donors!

Adelaide Drennen

Adrienne Wiggins

Agnes Wozniak

Alexander Brown

Alison Hudnall

Allison Kavanagh

Allyson West

Alma Wolff

Alyssa Fleming

Amanda Klein

Amber Williamson

Amber Wiseman

Amy Collins

Amy Durant

Amy Sides

Amy Traylor

Ana-Lee Murphy

Ann Gibson

Anna Lyle

Ashley Kavanagh

Austin Price

Bambi Smith

Barbara & Lex Grimes

Barbara Lee Black

Bea Powell

Bear Jones

Becca Murdoch

Becky & Bruce Atkinson

Beth & Daniel Western

Beth Chapman

Beverly Phifer & Frank Wingard

BF & Robin Hollingsworth

Bobby Prince

Brian Bohanan

Brooklyn Chickering

Bruce Berger

Cara Desvigne

Carol & Dwight Lammon

Carole Jayne

Carrie Kerr

Cathy Lovett

Charlotte Gattozzi

Cheryl Crispino Gill

Chris Armstrong

Christine Colburn

Christopher Greenman

Christy Diane Bobo

Cindy Holt O'Neil

Claire Collins

Claudia Dreifus

Cokie Thompson

Craig McMillin

Craig Wilkes

Dale Fleishmann

David & Dianna Shaw

David Merzbacher

De Wells-Middleton

Deane Kellogg

Debo Groover

Deborah & Fred Keene

Deborah Crocker

Deborah O'Keeffe

Dee Bozeman

Deirdre Lewis Mason

Denise & Dan Feinstein

Dennis & Carolyn Dahl

Dr. Joe & Frances Fritz

Dr. Stephen & Pamela Burgess

Elizabeth & Price McGiffert

Elizabeth Brock

Elizabeth Lahart

Elizabeth Papish

Elizabeth Swift

Ellie Craven

Elliot Panek

Emma Knapp

Erika Harvell

Erin Brooks

Francine Marasco

Frannie James

Gail Cook

Gayle Hurley

George Taylor

Glenda & Charlie Hood

Glenda Kilgore

Grace Soyon Lee

Hillary Sletten

Holly Terrell

Jack Carey

Jake Asuit

Jamie Bennet Poole

Jan Pruitt

Jane Archer

Janet Beerman

Janice Eubank

Jason & Melissa Guynes

Jeanie Holland

Jennifer Cooper

Jennifer Jo Davidson Davis

Jeremy Butler

Jill & Mickey Miller

Jill Friedman

Jim E. McLean

Jim Merrell

Jim Kopp

Jim Nolan

Jim Weaver

Jimmy Criddle

Jo Anne Gentine

Joan Rasmussen

John Burgess

Josh Eyer

Julie Friedman

Julie Noble

Julie Schwarz

Karl Stelzer

Kate Beck

Kathy Grissom

Kathy Oths & Bill Dressler

Katie Grayson

Kay Smith

Kayla Moring

Kelley Montgomery Sartain

Kent Ambler

Kerry Leasure

Kiera Gillock

Kim & David Hudson

Kim McKinney Reid

Kimberly Sartain

Kip  Ramey

KL Grayson

Kristy Andrews

Kylie Henson

Landon L. Nichols

Lara Townsley

Laura Crum

Laura Millican Parker

Lee Hallman

Lee Thomas & Anne Sondergaard

Leigh Ann Hurst

Linda & Charlie Munoz

Linda James

Lindsay Fishbaugh

Lindsey Elmore & Jennifer Collins

Lisa Rains Underwood

Madeleine Hill

Marcia Weber

Margaret Luttrell

Maria Crawford

Marion During

Martha Ban

Martha Hocutt

Mary Jacquin

Marysia Galbraith

Meg Strickland

Meredith Parks

Mia Fiterman

Micah McKibben

Michael Holt

Michelle Michaels

Michelle Ottley

Michelle Woodward

Mike Chatham

Mikie Blumentritt

Mojo & Phillip Weaver

Monte Perry

Nancy Eaves

Oleg Skuja

Pat Parker

Patricia Patterson

Paul & Kitty Whitehurst

Paul Andrews

Paul Huber

Rachel Hammonds

Rachel Wagner

Randy Shoults

Ray & Camille Brignac

Rebecca Allen

Rebecca Ballard

Rebecca Bethea

Rick Lovelady

Robert Hughes

Robert Lanoux

Robert Olin

Robin Metz

Robyn Davis

Ronald A. Wilson

Roy Donaldson

Sam Collins

Sandee House

Sarah Miller

Sarah Scott

Sarah Verzino

Shannon O'Neil

Sharon Carey

Sharon & George Shelton

Shay Lawson

Sheila Crawford Hayes

Sheila Snow-Croft

Sherri Gilbert

Sonja Weber

Sonya Lang

Stacey & Joseph Messina

Stacy Morgan

Stephanie Kirkland

Steve & Susan Johnson

Steve Smith

Susan Duff-Koniak

Susan Fleming

Susan Goostree Allen

Susan Herndon Caples

Susan Lyons

Susan Shoemaker

T.R. Reed

Teresa Ledbetter

Teresa Merriman

Terri Vogl

Terry Corrao

Tom Henry

Trish Shantz

Turner Woods Cargile

Valerie Piette

Vicki Grossman Wyrick

Vicki Turnage

Victor Edwards

Walker Ferry

Wendy & Joel Rawlings

William F. Hawkins

Woodworkers Association of West Alabama

Wyatt & Becky Collins

Xander Booker

Did you know you can make a donation in honor of someone? You can! The following are donations in honor of:

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The Artists of the Kentuck Festival from Michele Clark

The Asman Family from Natalie Asman

Amy Echols from Carl & Pat Clements

Arch Pike from Susan Brown Freeman

David L. Abel from Susan Brown Freeman

Ellen Goode from Susan Brown Freeman

Georgine Clarke from Susan Brown Freeman

James Morris, Jr. from Brian Gray

Glenn House, Sr. from Sandee House

Davey Williams from Hank Lazer

David R. Mauritson from Eleanora Mauritson

Candy Stephens from Deborah Parker & Steve Burch

Chaney Daniel Partrich from Barbara Partrich

Amy Echols from Bobby Prince

Amy Echols from Cathy Randall

Helen Elledge Riner from Celesta Riner

James Morris, Jr. from Joshua & Rebecca Rothman

Harriet & Carl Adams from Susan Rue

Brandon Cooper from Susan Rue

Sharon Wise from Gary Wise

James Morris, Jr. from Bryant Bank

Ellis Teer from Janet Teer

photos from the 2019 kentuck festival