About the Plan
Louisville Metro Government's Office of Arts + Creative Industries has partnered with Designing Local, Artful Places, Jon Stover & Associates, and Doe Anderson on a cultural planning process for Louisville.
This process builds on existing plans like Imagine Greater Louisville 2020, Imagine Greater Louisville 2025, Plan 2040, and Growing Louisville Together. Louisville Metro aims to set concrete goals for growing the creative industries and their economic impact.
Key components of the Cultural Plan include:
LOUISVILLE CREATES: Economic Impact, an analysis of the city’s creative economy.
LOUISVILLE CREATES: Public Art, a new Public Art Master Plan
LOUISVILLE CREATES: Culture (coming soon), recommendations to drive the arts and culture ecosystem forward.
What is a Cultural Plan?
Cultural plans serve as a roadmap for a community’s arts and culture initiatives, guiding investments, partnerships, and programming. They also create a vision that captures the aspirations of local artists, organizations, and residents.
Why does this matter for Louisville?
The Louisville Creates Comprehensive Cultural Plan will help to create a community-wide vision while also advising on Louisville Metro Government’s arts initiatives. The plan will seek to ensure that Louisville remains a thriving cultural hub that is accessible and equitable for all residents.
Economic Impact
LOUISVILLE CREATES: Economic Impact is a study that assesses the economic and fiscal impact of cultural assets in Louisville, Ky.
Key Sections:
Project Background & MethodologyEconomic & Fiscal Impact AnalysisSummary of Impact Analysis Findings
Public Art
LOUISVILLE CREATES: Public Art is a master plan that charts the next chapter for public art in Louisville. This guiding document sets goals that reflect the most recent trends and standards of practice for public art. It also offers more practical information about how Louisville Metro Government’s public art program is administered.
Key Sections:
Visions, Goals, & RecommendationsFunding & AdministrationCommissioning Public ArtProject Development
The Planning Process
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Kick Off
Discovery
Begin Analysis
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Round 1 Engagement
St. James Art Festival (2024)
Festivus for Culture Creators (
St. James Art Festival (2025)
Presentation to Kentuckiana Cultural Consortium (
Community Popup Office
Cultural Pass Kick Off
Focus Groups
Select a discipline to learn what each community group contributed to the conversation.
Continue Analysis
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Round 2 Engagement
Comprehensive Cultural Plan Framework Review
Develop & Present Vision and Guiding Principles
Develop Cultural Plan Framework
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Develop & Present Initial Recommendations
Develop & Present Cultural Plan
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Final Engagement
Public Art Master Plan Public Comment
Adoption of Cultural Plan
“Art and culture is the gist that makes a city a place people want to live in, not just a place they must.”
— Louisville Survey Respondent