Cultural arts master plan
The Cultural Arts Master Plan (CAMP) is Louisville's plan for bringing arts, culture, and the humanities (subjects like history, literature, and language) into the way our community grows.
It connects the arts with things like community design, the local economy, education, and other projects. The aim is to strengthen the quality of life and the small-town character of Louisville.
The five goals of CAMP
- Expand visual arts, performing arts, cultural history, natural history, and natural sciences
- Provide diverse and engaging cultural activities in the City
- Foster Louisville's creative industries
- Strengthen the quality of life and small town character of Louisville
- Enhance Louisville's identity as a vibrant cultural destination
How the goals are achieved
To reach these goals, CAMP lays out specific strategies and action items (the steps to take). It also includes a matrix, which is a chart that:
- ranks the action items by priority
- names possible partners in the community
This gives the City a clear path to put the plan into action.
History of the Plan
In 2013, the City's Comprehensive Plan (Louisville's long-term plan for the future) asked the City to create a Cultural Arts Master Plan.
A CAMP Committee was formed to lead this work. It included members of the Louisville Cultural Council (LCC) and City staff. The committee's job was to:
- gather public opinion
- research best practices, meaning ideas that have worked well in other places
- write a set of recommendations for City Council
In 2015, the City asked the community for input. This included:
- a series of public meetings
- a survey of residents
- a survey of artists and arts organizations
After reviewing this feedback, four main areas of interest stood out:
- Facilities
- Marketing
- Public Art
- Professional Development Needs
Using these four areas, the City created CAMP. The plan gives background on the City's role in arts and culture. It also lays out a vision for growing arts and culture, both public and private, to meet the needs of the community.
On April 18, 2017, the Louisville City Council approved the Cultural Arts Master Plan with a unanimous vote.