Extension
It Starts With Us
Arts and Creativity
Community Arts Engagement
Moses, Daniels, 4H
Community Design/Creative Placemaking
Financial & Marketing Literacy for Artisans
Arts Engagement
Building Healthy Coalitions
The Whitley County Extension Fine Arts Council has identified enhancing artisan skills, community poverty rates, citizen engagement, and a qualified workforce as pressing concerns for Whitley County Extension to address. According to Americans for the Arts, “The arts are integral to the lives of our citizens. The arts are essential to the health and vitality of our communities and our nation.” In the rapidly changing (and challenging) times in which we live, the arts can address county poverty, resident vitality, and a vibrant local economy.
Data from The College Board shows that students who take four years of arts and music classes while in high school score 98 points better on their SATs than students who took only one-half year or less. It is clear that the arts, music, creative writing, drawing, and dance, provide skills that contribute to increased quality of life. Not only does participation in arts programming and artisan entrepreneurship create a skilled and educated workforce for local community businesses to have quality employees, but it also contributes to resilient families and communities, vibrant culture, and significant economic impact to local residents. Without Fine Arts Extension the Whitley county citizens would have to drive 1 hour for a comparable art experience. There are very little opportunities in the arts in Whitley county and Extension Fine Arts fills this gap at a free or affordable cost.
Whitley County residents will recognize Extension Fine Arts as a valuable provider of educational, economic, and social opportunities and skills within the arts and develop an increased appreciation for the arts.
Whitley County will have a strong, healthy community arts coalition that meets 3-4 times a year and supports artists through preparing bi-annual arts exhibits and developing the annual Appalachian winter market.
Whitley County will grow artistically in conjunction with our economic growth, making Whitley County an increasingly vibrant place to live.
They will share their interests and skills with others in their homes or within their support group.
Local Artist will artistic skills such as dancing, sculpture, drawing, music, theater, creative writing to residents of Whitley County.
To increase recognition of the arts and the importance of the arts within Williamsburg, Corbin, and all rural communities within the county.
Whitley County will identify opportunities for creative placemaking and community design.
Residents gain new skills in the arts.
Residents will recognize that art is an intergral part of life.
Create a sense of connection to community through the arts.
More citizens aspire to volunteer in in fine arts programing and events.
More students believe they can carve an artistic, yet financially solvent career.
Initial Outcome:
Indicator: Continue and growth of established events and local participation
Method: Focus Groups?Surveys
Timeline: 2017-2018
Intermediate Outcome:
Indicator: Growth in Participation
Method: Focus Groups/Email lists/Social Media numbers/Conversations/Newspaper Articles/Radio
Timeline: 2017-2020
Long-term Outcome:
Indicator: Knowledge of organization and resources
Method: Surveys
Timeline: 2019-2020
Audience: Residents, Artists, Farmers
Project or Activity: Appalachian Winter Market
Content or Curriculum: Event Coordinators
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent
Date: November- Ongoing
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Community Wreath Making
Content or Curriculum: Natural Resource Publication, 4-H curriculum, AG curriculum, Hort Curriculum
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Hort Agent, Volunteers
Date: December-ongoing
Audience: School Age
Project or Activity: Extension Field Days
Content or Curriculum: UK publication, curriculum
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, UK faculty, Volunteers, Artists, 21st century, 4-H, FCS, Horticulture, Agriculture, SNAP, EFNEP
Date: Yearly-ongoing
Audience: General Public/Families
Project or Activity: Dance Classes: Line Dancing, Belly Dancing, Choreography
Content or Curriculum: Artist Curriculum, KET Dance toolkit
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Volunteers, Artists
Date: Yearly-ongoing
Audience: General Public/Families
Project or Activity: Artistic Skill Development: Visual Arts-Textile, Sculpture, Painting, Drawing, Printmaking, Design, etc.
Content or Curriculum: UK publication, KET, curriculum, Artists
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, UK faculty, Volunteers, Artists
Date: Yearly-ongoing
Audience: General Public/Families
Project or Activity: Open Mic Night
Content or Curriculum: Local Musicians
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Volunteers, Artists, Fine Arts Assistant
Date: Yearly-ongoing
Audience: General Public/Families
Project or Activity: Open Pottery
Content or Curriculum: UK publication, KET, curriculum,
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, UK faculty, Volunteers, Artists
Date: Yearly-ongoing
Audience: General Public/Families
Project or Activity: Arts Wellness Hike
Content or Curriculum: UK physical activity publications, Horticulture Publications
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Hort agent, 4-H, Ag
Date: Spring-Summer-Fall- monthly
Audience: General Public/Families
Project or Activity: Earth Day Celebration
Content or Curriculum: UK publication, Fine Arts, KSU, SNAP, NASA, 4-H, Horticulture, Agriculture, FCS
Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, Soil Conservation Service, Adult Education Service, Save the Children, Local Recycling organizations, schools, City Government, Farmers Market, EFNEP
Date: April-ongoing
Audience: General/Families
Project or Activity: Exhibits: Whitley County Meets Art
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Arts Council, UK publications,
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Kentucky Arts Council exhibits, Arts Organization, Whitley County Schools, Professional Instructor, Local Artists
Date: Yearly-ongoing
Audience: Families and Children
Project or Activity: Early Childhood Development through Creativity
Content or Curriculum: Art to the Heart-KET, Fine Arts Curriculum
Inputs: Fine Arts agent, Whitley County Health Department, UK, Volunteers
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: Whitley County Residents
Project or Activity: Community Arts Education Classes
Content or Curriculum: Music, Art, 4-H youth activities etc.
Inputs: Agents, Assistants, Community Leaders, Local Artist
Date: 2016-2020
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Enhancing Business and Marketing Skills of Eastern Kentucky Artist
Content or Curriculum: Artisan Education Curriculum, STLW
Inputs: Fine Arts agent, Local Artist
Date: Winter
Audience: Whitley County School Teachers
Project or Activity: Professional Development for Art Teachers
Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts Classes, 4-H curriculum
Inputs: Fine Arts agent, Volunteers
Date: Ongoing
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Old Fashioned Trading Days Quilt Show
Content or Curriculum: Tourism/CEDIK
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Homemakers, FCS Agent, Fine Arts Assistant
Date: September 2016-2020
Audience: General Public, Youth and Families, Farmers
Project or Activity: Extension Arts Corner at the Whitley County Farmers Markets
Content or Curriculum: Art activities, Artist Demonstrations, Educational materials
Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent, Fine Arts Assistant
Date: Summer-Thursdays, Weekly, April-August
Audience: General Public, Youth and Families, CEC
Project or Activity: Paint the Town with Murals
Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts, 4-H,
Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent, All Agents, CEC members, Schools, Local Government
Date: Summer 2018-2020
Audience: General Public/Artists
Project or Activity: Fine Arts Groups- Art Journaling, Mountain Textiles, Pottery
Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts, University, Volunteer
Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent, community input, Fine Arts Assistant
Date: Ongoing monthly 2017-2020
Audience: General Public, Youth and Families
Project or Activity: Drama Camp
Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts, School
Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent, Whitley County High School Drama Teacher
Date: 2018-2020
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Yoga/ Chair Yoga
Content or Curriculum: Healthy Activities, SNAP
Inputs: Community Members
Date: 2018-2020
Audience: General Public/Artists
Project or Activity: Artist of the Month
Content or Curriculum: Local Artist
Inputs: Community Members, Artists, Fine Arts Agent, Fine Arts Assistant
Date: 2018-2020
Author: Cortney Moses
Major Program: Artistic Skill Development
Among Whitley County residents there exists a strong desire to make baskets. This desire could stem from our handy Appalachian roots, a need to carry on traditions, or simply admiration of the beauty baskets possess. Whitley County Fine Arts has been providing basket making educational opportunities including basket making demos at schools and field days as well as providing classes at the Extension Community Arts Center averaging 3 per year over the last 8 years. This has been made possible due
Author: Cortney Moses
Major Program: Arts Engagement
Environmental awareness is an extremely important topic and Earth Day is a great opportunity to spread climate education as well as many other environmental stewardship topics within the community. This year’s Earth Day celebration was quite different than years past. With the Covid-19 pandemic at a critical point the Whitley County extension office needed to improvise. The Extension Fine Arts Agent, Cortney Moses, has always strived to make the celebration a community partnership and this
Author: Cortney Moses
Major Program: Increasing Access to Quality Arts Experiences
In order to be responsive to Whitley County Residents’ needs during Covid-19, the Whitley County Arts Extension team identified an opportunity to continue to provide hands-on arts instruction through socially distanced learning by creating take-home art packets for residents to experience. These packets were targeted toward families confined within their home that have traditionally received instruction in-person at the art center. The Arts Extension staff created 410 packets t
