Living Arts & Science Center Inc

As educational budgets for arts and sciences are cut across the state of Kentucky, the Living Arts & Science Center makes a difference to over 40,000 individuals each year through more than 300 classes provided at our own inner-city location near downtown Lexington; guided field trip programs for over 7,500 Kentucky students; in-school and after school science programs, such as Science Explorers, Art Explorers, and Urban Ecology, for schools with high percentages of at-risk students; free monthly Discovery Night programs with guest artists and scientists; visiting Discovery Dome Planetarium shows and arts and science outreach; 7–9  rotating art exhibits and artist presentations; and numerous art and science programs provided at no-cost to pre-school children through adults at social service agencies, community centers and alternative schools.  In addition, we have a significant scholarship program which provides free classes for students with financial need.  During 2014, we provided nearly 300 full and partial scholarships to low-income students. With a mission to inspire participation in art and science by engaging the community through education, discovery, exploration and creativity, the LASC is a unique and special place where people of all ages can learn.

Imagine This - Our Capital Campaign:

The Need for Expansion

In recent years, the LASC has seen tremendous, steady growth. Over the past seven years, class enrollment increased 42% and field trip program attendance doubled. Five years ago, the LASC was working in 7 Kentucky counties. Last year, we reached more than 40 Kentucky counties. There is an obvious demand for arts and science enrichment and a need to expand. These programs are in such demand, that we physically cannot accommodate any more students in our current space.  However, the need for services continues to grow – we have waiting lists for many of our field trip and professional development programs, and summer class enrollment cannot be expanded because of limited space.

The LASC must expand its facility with an all new 10,000 square foot addition.The expansion will allow the LASC to better serve audiences via the following:

• Children’s Art Gallery - to professionally display and recognize the creative lives of children - from local exhibitions to cultural exchanges internationally.
• Lexington’s only Planetarium –to present earth, sky and star shows for students of all ages and families.
• Teaching Kitchen  - to partner with local food producers to teach healthy and creative food preparation for children and families.
• Digital Art Studio – to teach practical and professional execution of creative expression through digital arts and new technologies.

In addition, the LASC will gain additional green space on its grounds, an expanded Urban Orchard, rooftop gardens which adjoin classrooms, additional classroom space, more flexible exhibition space, a large multi-purpose room, and an expanded Discovery Exhibit for the thousands of students participating in field trip programs.

This expansion does not exclude the current historic home and grounds, but will celebrate, preserve and redefine it. This building is on the National Register of Historic Places and was built in 1847 by George Kinkead, an abolitionist and Abraham Lincoln’s attorney. The property was owned by the Kinkead family until their donation of the property to the LASC in 1981. This beautiful facility has served the LASC well but we must expand upon it in order to meet the need.

Community Support

This expansion effort has been enthusiastically supported by Mayor Jim Gray, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, Fayette County Public Schools, Transylvania University ,University of Kentucky, LexArts, Seedleaf, Blue Grass Community Foundation, the East End neighborhood, MLK neighborhood association, local corporations, and individuals.  One hundred percent of our Board of Directors has made a pledge or gift to the campaign.  We received a $1 million matching grant from the Lucille Little Foundation. An additional $3.2 million has been raised toward our $5 million goal. We are nearing groundbreaking for our project and are grateful to the many supporters who have stepped in early to help us take this from a vision to reality.

The LASC is uniquely positioned to effectively complete this capital project.  The LASC carries no debt, owns its building and grounds outright, has strong programming with a regional following, and is an important educational resource for children, adults, schools, teachers, artists, and other institutions.