Arts and Creativity
Community Arts Engagement
Moses, Daniels, Robinson, Dengel
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: General Public/Families
Project or Activity: Pottery Program
Content or Curriculum: UK publication, KET, curriculum,
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, UK faculty, Volunteers, Artists
Date: Monthly-ongoing
Audience: General Public/Families
Project or Activity: Hike and Sketch
Content or Curriculum: UK physical activity publications, Hort Publications
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Hort agent
Date: Summer-Fall
Audience: General Public/Families
Project or Activity: Earth Day/ Week celebration
Content or Curriculum: UK publication, Fine Arts, KSU, SNAP
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
Date: Ongoing
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Mobile Art Unit
Content or Curriculum: 4-H curriculum, Fine Arts Classes, Exhibits
Inputs: Fine Arts agent, Fine Arts Council, volunteers, local artists
Date: 2019-2020
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Old Fashioned Trading Days Quilt Show
Content or Curriculum: Tourism/CEDIK
Inputs: Fine Arts Agent, Homemakers, FCS Agent
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
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
Project or Activity: Fine Arts Groups- Art Journaling, Mountain Textiles, Pottery
Content or Curriculum: Fine Arts, University
Inputs: Artists, Volunteers, Fine Arts Agent, community input
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: Summer 2018
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Yoga/ Chair Yoga
Content or Curriculum: Healthy Activities, SNAP
Inputs: Community Members
Date: 2018-2020
Author: Cortney Moses
Major Program: Arts Engagement
Success StoryColor Wheel Community Art Project10/10/18In Whitley County, Kentucky, quality art experiences outside the Whitley County Extension Community Art Center and school are scarce. People are rarely exposed to the arts, not to mention the elements and basic fundamentals of visual art. As an opportunity to reach out to the community and expose them to arts experiences, Whitley County Extension Fine Arts participated in Williamsburg tourism’s Old Fashioned Trading Days, hosted by Will
Author: Cortney Moses
Major Program: Increasing Access to Quality Arts Experiences
Success Story: Christmas Trees from Around the WorldWhitley County is a unique county nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. According to Datausa, the population is 96% white with eight races and ethnicities represented. The Fine Arts agent, Cortney Moses, has a responsibility to search out this cultural diversity in her county and present it in a way that is inviting and educational for the community. She did this through Christmas Trees from Around the World event.For the event