Musings of a young museum professional

A response to the Creative Cities Summit Lexington

I have exhausted my opinion on Twitter, but I wrote this and submitted it to ACE Weekly and wanted to share it here.

Many people are passing judgment on Creative Cities Summit Lexington. Those in attendance are comparing it to the next best thing since sliced bread (and rightly so) but some are calling it a waste of time, energy and money. Some people are criticizing the conference for more talk than action, which is something that we have seen a lot of in Lexington anyway. From what I have seen, there has been a great deal of discussion about harnessing a city's creative energies, making the most of the people who live in it. If you've lived in Lexington for awhile, or even if you're new to the city, you already know that there is large amount of creative energy here. With University of Kentucky and Transylvania University among institutions of hiring learning in the heart of the city, it is hard to ignore the amount of creativity that is coming from the college-age citizens. However, I haven't seen any students talk about attending the summit. This is strictly an outsider's perspective, but for an organization whose aim is to showcase the talent and creativity of a city, Creative Cities Summit Lexington did a poor job in tapping into that which college students held.

“But you didn't even go? How can you say anything about CCSLex?” Well, to be perfectly honest, I couldn't afford the $199+ in registration fees. I understand that CCSLex depended on sponsorships to make the conference happen. Having immense non-profit experience, I understand the importance of sponsorships. Conferences are expensive. I get it. However, I did not know that there was a reduced rate for students. Why was that not publicized? I was also made aware of certain partial scholarships. Partial, meaning they did not cover the entire $199 cost, however if one was able to register as a student, that partial scholarship for one person would have been a full scholarship for a student.

I was told via twitter that a resolution would have taken simply a telephone call, that someone should not have waited for the conference organizers to “reach out” to those less fortunate. I do not think that is a fair statement when you do not pursue something because you simply think that the $199+ registration is a static number. Also, when you go to the registration page, there is no mention of a student rate on the selection screen, so I believe it is fair to assume that there is one rate for the event, not to mention all of the “extras” (Young professionals conference @ $25, A Day at the Races @ $19, etc) that conference-goers had the option of participating in.

So, could someone have been given multiple scholarships? Well, I don't know, but no one ever said. Some people said they didn't know about scholarships at all. But to not give a stronger push toward the college student population was definitely an interesting point. On the “Why Attend?” page of the CCSLex website, there are lists with reasons why certain groups of people should have attended the conference. Among them, young professionals, members of the not for profit community, and entrepreneurs are listed. The reasons for college students to attend (all seven of them) were all about getting out of the classroom, learning from an experience other than college classes, thinking about how you can handle yourself in the community in the future. That's all well and good, but I know a lot of college students who are working to make Lexington (and the world) a better place right now. These students are incredibly creative and would have been perfect candidates to attend this conference. However, in reviewing the #ccslex tweets on Twitter and posts on Facebook, I am not sure if any college students attended at all. Two types of people were neglected in the planning for this event: creative people who have less money than others and college students. If you're a broke college student, like me, then forget it!

Preparations begin in Lexington arts community for FEI World Equestrian Games

With less than 200 days to go until the FEI World Equestrian Games, excitement has begun to build within the Arts community of Lexington and the Bluegrass. Plans are underway for exhibitions and shows featuring local and national talent in a variety of venues. From the Kentucky Horse Park to the streets of Lexington, equestrian art will be a feature of the World Equestrian Games. This makes sense, considering that horses have been an inspiration to artists since Prehistoric peoples were making art in caves. Here in horse country, artists are staying true to their cave-drawing forebearers. As the FEI World Equestrian Games draw near, equestrian art will be on display in many local galleries.

One art exhibit of 2010 will be unveiled at an evening reception on April 17 at the Lexington History Museum. “A Salute to the World Equestrian Games” the 2010 Invitational of the American Academy of Equine Art will be showcasing original art from both local and national artists alike. The Academy’s call to artists invited submissions of all types which will be displayed beginning April 17 through November 1. The American Academy of Equine Art was founded in 1980 by a group of artists famed for their work with equine subjects. The organization, though based in Lexington, presents exhibits all over the United States. The Academy sponsors an Artist in Residence and workshops at the Kentucky Horse Park each year. 2010 is of particular importance for this organization that prides itself on the appreciation of fine arts as a prominent part of fine arts in America. 

Museum officials cite this exhibit as a way to fuse important facets of Lexington: the arts, culture, and history. “With so many creative people in Lexington and the Bluegrass Region, we feel this is a great way to highlight their talents. Horses have been significant to the history of Lexington and an exhibit of equine art housed at a museum which showcases the history of Lexington is a perfect way to pay homage to the FEI World Equestrian Games.”  Admission to the exhibit is free and the Lexington History Museum is open to the public seven days a week 12-4 p.m. with extended hours on Saturdays from 10-4 p.m. For more information about the exhibit visit the museum’s website www.lexingtonhistorymuseum.org or call 859-254-0530.

“A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse” is an International blockbuster exhibit which will be opening at the International Museum of the Horse located at the Kentucky Horse Park, the host to the FEI World Equestrian Games. The exhibit, presented by the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation, will be open May 29-October 15 and will include 400 artifacts and works of art from twenty-five museums and private lenders including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the British Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oxford University, American Museum of Natural History, among others. The priceless works of art and artifacts are expected to be popular with equine enthusiasts and will be the cultural heart of the games for thousands of visitors to the Kentucky Horse Park.

The artifacts which make up “A Gift from the Desert” are very rare and this exhibition is the first time they have been displayed together. Among the priceless objects are the Standard of Ur (circa 2,600 BCE), the first depiction of equine driving, and the Kikkuli tablet, the world's earliest known treatise on horse care and training from the Hittite civilization. The exhibit will also feature a collection of Orientalist paintings by Delacroix, Schreyer and Fromentin, a large selection of the 19th century equestrian works of Polish painter Juliusz Kossak, and original documents relating to his historic importation of horses. These span thousands of years of artistry and enthusiasm in the equestrian arts.

John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park, observed, "Throughout history, horses have had a unique ability to dismantle the walls that exist between people and nations, particularly when those horses are possessed of extraordinary beauty, as are Arabians.  Those who love and admire horses share a deep connection with each other regardless of age, class, race or religion.  So we are very proud that the Kentucky Horse Park has developed this exhibition as a way to honor and celebrate the Arabian horse." This will be the third major exhibition that the Smithsonian affiliate has hosted and will close at the conclusion of the World Equestrian Games. 

Tickets are $21 for adults and $11 for children. For information on the exhibition or the museum, contact the International Museum of the Horse, 859-259-4232 or go to www.agiftfromthedesert.com. For group tour information, contact Ali Mihankhah, 859-259-4225 or [email protected]. 

Lexington, the horse capital of the world, will be brimming with equestrian art this year. Sculpture, painting, public murals, and more will be a part of the Kentucky experience of the FEI World Equestrian Games.

New Kentucky Proud partnership connects local business to Commonwealth

This is a sample article that I sent in to a local magazine. I hope to write for them in the coming months.

Lexington, KY -- Kentucky Proud is a brand that has become increasingly popular since the program was founded in 2002. The initiative, which was created by Kentucky Department of Agriculture, allows for the marketing of locally grown or crafted products and has made obtaining them easy for Kentuckians. Kentucky Proud products are as diverse as the citizens of the Commonwealth and a new partnership of three Kentucky businesses will make enable products to be distributed efficiently. Not only will this effort allow consumers to have new healthy, sustainable products available to them, but it will create new markets for farmers and food producers, stimulating the economy.

In the Bluegrass, Critchfield Meats is one hub for the network which is distributing beef raised by Kentucky farmers. The family-owned Lexington business has teamed with the Brown Foodservice in Louisa and Southern Foods of Bowling Green for this distribution network. “These [distributorships] are families that are deeply rooted in the state of Kentucky and proud to be Kentuckians. So this was a natural for us,” said Larry McMillan, CEO of Critchfield Meats. These businesses have a history in their communities and are dedicated to providing the highest quality products to their consumers and distributing beef and dairy products allows easy access to products rich in protein.

“This network addresses a long-standing challenge in the growth of Kentucky Proud,” Commissioner Farmer said. Linking counties from McCracken to Greenup, and those in between, Kentucky Proud beef products will able available for all consumers and will not be restricted to their immediate local areas. In turn, the awareness and demand for products under the Kentucky Proud brand will increase. “That means more sales for Kentucky producers and businesses, and that means more income for Kentucky farmers, more jobs for Kentucky workers, and better, fresher food products for Kentucky consumers.” Farmer said. “I’m grateful to these three Kentucky-based distributors for making it possible for Kentucky producers to find markets for their meat and dairy products.”

Many health benefits come from eating locally produced foods. By eating local, one knows where their food is coming from. The products distributed include beef raised by the Greathouse family of Midway and other Kentucky cattle purchased through Kentucky’s Certified Pre-Conditioned for Health (CPH-45) program. This program ensures that the cattle are raised on a strict health regimen. The scientists at Alltech in Nicholasville have developed a nutritional diet for the cattle, which is processed by PM Beef of Windom, Minnesota.

Alltech is committed to making sure that the cattle is healthy through the specialized diet it has developed, but also providing benefits for consumers who purchase the beef products. Local food tastes better and is better for you. Alltech beef contains organic antioxidants which are essential for health. 

Another aspect of this initiative that will be a driving force for awareness of the Kentucky Proud brand is a $125,000 grant which will be used for promotional items such as point-of-purchase signage, truck wraps and advertising. Kentuckians are connected by the Kentucky Proud program’s use of social media. The Kentucky Proud blog is updated with information about the availability of products along with Facebook and Twitter pages. “This program has the potential to eliminate the most significant challenge to the growth of Kentucky Proud – the ability to get products to the farthest reaches of the Commonwealth.” Farmer said.

Those involved with this distribution program have great hope for its potential. Though it is starting with beef, the expectation is that Kentucky Proud pork and poultry will be included soon and will be found in meat cases across the state. Farmer said that he is hopeful this network will distribute many other Kentucky Proud products in the weeks and months to come.

An introduction

My name is Natasha Collier and I am a student of History. I am now in my final year at Transylvania University, but I made the decision to study History and Anthropology half-way through my college career, which led to some backtracking. Anyway, I'll be done with my Bachelor of Arts in History and hopefully Anthropology by the end of the year and will be moving on to graduate school. I have yet to decide what it is I want to study first, as I have several interests including Museum Studies, Historic Preservation and Public History, the latter of which kind of combines the two. I am also interested in possibly obtaining my Masters in Business Administration, as my goal is to one day be a Museum Executive.

This blog will serve as a repository for my writing. I am Lexington Museum Examiner and am also listed on Associated Content. In this space, however, I also wish to write on the museum industry and what it is like to work for a museum.

Currently, I am a volunteer with the Lexington History Museum. I do quite a bit of work there actually. In my capacity as Museum Assistant, I work with the Museum Manager to implement our education programs including outreach. I research for exhibits, help design and construct them. A big responsibility is maintaining the museum's new media. I am the voice of the Bluegrass Historian, @LexHistory twitter, and our Facebook page. I am constantly looking for new ways the museum can expand its online presence and have focus in every century, even the 21st.

I want to take an opportunity to thank you for reading my blog. I've kept blogs for several years, but this will be the first that is so focused and direct. I hope I can both entertain and inform!

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