"Now that the FEI torch has passed from Aachen, Germany, to Lexington, planning is shifting into higher gear in preparation for playing host to hundreds of thousands from all around the world for two weeks in the fall of 2010. We continue an ongoing chronicle of those preparations with a look at how leaders of Lexington's arts and entertainment and downtown redevelopment sectors are preparing.
If you've been in downtown Lexington at all in recent months, undoubtedly you've noticed an increasing number of construction zones, most of which are the skeletons of future residential and retail sites. According to Lexington Downtown Development Authority President Harold Tate, the Games aren't fueling the current development projects, which have been in the works since well before the announcement of the Games this past December. Whether or not the Games are the driving force behind the current development, the fact remains: when the influx of up to 500,000 visitors arrives in Lexington in 2010, it will be a different Lexington than the one we know today.
At the forefront of planning and implementing this new Lexington is Commerce Lexington's Transformative Initiative Physical Development Group, a group comprised of over 40 local leaders who meet bimonthly with the common task of helping Lexington move forward as a progressive, innovative community. As committee member Jim Clark, president of LexArts, points out, this a task that predated the announcement of the 2010 Games.
"I think we can come up with 2010 fatigue pretty quicklyWe need to be careful when we develop these initiatives and ideas to make sure that they're sustainable," he said, a sentiment echoed by Tate.
"I don't want to create a Disneyland," said Tate. "I think we just need to emphasize what Lexington is."
In addition to being able to physically withstand the volume of visitors the Games are expected to attract, an important part of Lexington lies in its investment in the arts. As part of the arts, culture, and heritage subgroup of the Transformative Initiative, and a longtime advocate of community art, Clark is pushing for an increase of public art in Lexington.
"I find it interesting that this town has so little public art," said Clark. He cited as a possible reason the fact that most cities acquired their public art (i.e., classic civic statuary) during the late 1800s, and that as a border state, Kentuckians were sensitive to both northern and southern commemorative statues.
LexArts is planning for HorseMania 2010, a follow-up to the 2000 public art project in which Lexington displayed 79 life-size fiberglass horses, sponsored by local businesses and decorated by regional artists. Clark believes this collective art project will be a great way to bring the community together and provide the visitors with incentive to get out and check out local galleries and art organizations.
The influx of tourists presents a once in a lifetime chance for local and regional artists to showcase their work. Lexington's population is expected to more than double for the two-week span, and the visitors will likely be eager to take home artifacts of American culture that they find in Lexington. Clark points out that of all the times for local arts organizations, such as the Lexington Art League, the KY Guild of Artists and Craftsmen, and the KY Council for the Arts, to showcase local artists, this is it. Tate and Clark both expressed a general sentiment toward showcasing local talent and regional talent during this time, such as bluegrass music, though no particular concerts or festivals have been planned as of yet.
At the same time, Lexington must grapple with the fact that many of the visitors aren't just visiting Kentucky for the first time, but visiting the United States for the first time as well. The UK Art Museum has chosen to embrace local and national culture with plans for an exhibit that will showcase the horse in American art.
"As soon as we heard (that the 2010 Games would be held in Lexington), we definitely started planning," said museum spokesperson Amy Nelson. The museum is currently working on a grant that would fund the project; museums typically start planning for exhibitions three years in advance.
Several local arts organizations profess a commitment to providing arts and cultural events for the Games, but most plans are in the early stages.
"We are planning to announce major improvements to be made at the Opera House in the coming year in preparation of the FEI Games," said Luanne Franklin, program director of Lexington Opera House. "We anticipate programming a substantial number of arts and cultural events during the Games and hope to be a dedicated venue for FEI functions."
"By 2007, we should be working on the 2009-2010 season," said Michael Grice, director of the Singletary Center for the Arts. The Singletary Center typically plans for events 18 months in advance.
LexArts intends to begin setting aside funds for 2010 next year. One of their first goals is to develop a cultural blueprint of the region, as one of their main concentrations continues to be improving communication between arts organizations and the public. Clark is also canvassing for a more subtle incorporation of the arts into everyday Lexington life; that is, employing a more artistic design into development projects than developers typically tend to. Incorporating patterns into the concrete on sidewalks, or installing artisan park benches rather than installations out of a catalogue, and creating tasteful gateways to delineate the downtown area from the Bluegrass are all discreet ways to improve the appearance and overall impression of a town - things that could potentially set Lexington apart from other places, according to Clark."