Jim Clark, Executive Director of the Henry Clay Memorial Foundation, joins Kate Savage for a wide-ranging conversation about Ashland, the historic Lexington estate once home to Henry Clay. They discuss Ashland’s architectural evolution, the intentional landscape design echoing European traditions, and the site’s ongoing role as a gathering place for arts, culture, and community. The conversation also delves into Ashland’s layered history—including its legacy of slavery—and current efforts to address this past through initiatives like the forthcoming “Breath of My Ancestors” memorial by sculptor Vinnie Bagwell. Jim Clark shares insights on balancing preservation and progress, from contemporary sculpture installations to inclusive programming like the Traces Tour and the annual Candlelight holiday events, all aimed at keeping Ashland relevant and resonant for today’s audiences.

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Keelan O’Sullivan, writer, curator, and executive director of Institute 193, joins host Kate Savage to discuss Casey Joiner’s exhibition "Housekeeping," a dreamlike photographic meditation on family, grief, and the architecture of memory. Keelan explains how Casey’s images—rooted in the experience of losing her father and inheriting the family home—balance personal specificity with universal resonance, offering moments of beauty within the landscape of loss. The conversation pivots to the story and mission of Institute 193, a nonprofit contemporary art gallery and publisher dedicated to amplifying artists from the modern South and supporting their careers beyond regional boundaries. Keelan details the gallery’s history, founding by Philip March Jones, and its role as an incubator for emerging and established Southern artists, as well as its vibrant publishing program that brings Lexington’s creative energy to a wider audience through books and archives. The episode closes with insights into the institute’s unique fundraising model, upcoming projects, and lasting impact on the arts landscape both locally and nationally.

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In my conversation with Jeremy Kisling we talk about the importance of creating a sense of belonging for young people at the Lexington Children's Theatre. Jeremy emphasizes the universal need for all individuals to find spaces where they can be authentic and free from societal expectations. The discussion also explores the role of theatre in personal development, community engagement and the future vision for the theatre's impact on youth. We also talk about the evolution of themes for young people and the substances of contemporary theatre for youth.
The Lexington Children's Theatre has been in existence for 87 years, Jeremy having been there for 24 of those years.
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He has been a recipient of the Sara Spencer child Drama Award and the Tom Behm Award from the Southeastern Theatre Conference.
In 1986 The state legislators demed Lexington Children's Theatre the State children's Theatre of Kentucky.

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html