Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning

Our Story

After Lexington's Public Library moved in 1989, a visionary committee appointed by the Mayor created a new use for the vacant 1902 building in Gratz Park. Following the beliefs of the building's original funder, Andrew Carnegie, they created a vibrant hub for community learning and the literary arts like none other in the country. 

Since opening our red doors in 1992, the Carnegie Center has inspired and empowered over 100,000 people of all ages, races, income levels, and educational backgrounds, helping them explore and express their voices, develop new skills, and share their stories.

The Carnegie Center offers a diverse lineup of affordable classes in writing, world languages, professional development, and family and educational programs to people of all ages and abilities, available in person at our historic building, online via Zoom, or at various outreach centers across Fayette County and beyond. Through partnerships with locations like libraries, social service agencies, and senior centers, we ensure learning is accessible to everyone, with scholarships available to those in need. 

Our Programs

We believe that art, learning, writing, and telling stories unlock new possibilities for individuals and communities alike. Each season, the Carnegie Center offers a diverse lineup of classes in writing, world languages, and professional development. The Carnegie Center has long been a haven for writers and readers, and we have built on that tradition to become a home to diverse groups of people who love to read, discuss, explore, play, create, and learn.

Supporting Young Learners & Their Fami

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s Family Fun and Learning Events feature engaging readings and free books from local children's authors, interactive learning activities, and crafts led by community partners and artists, all complemented with a healthy, free dinner for all attendees. The Carnegie Center addresses educational gaps through free classes for children in our building and online, and through community partners serving historically resilient communities. Led by passionate instructors, classes cover diverse subjects and make learning fun. Our award-winning tutoring program pairs K-12 students with a dedicated volunteer for weekly one-on-one sessions. Last year, participants demonstrated a 1.05-grade-level increase in reading after one year in the program. Camp Carnegie combats summer learning loss among middle schoolers and introduces them to exciting careers such as journalism, screenwriting, and fashion through engaging activities led by experienced instructors and field trips. Camp Carnegie and our tutoring program are offered at affordable rates, and scholarships are available to anyone in need. Our Youth Meeting Authors initiative brings authors to local schools to inspire students and answer their questions. Students receive free copies of their books to take home. Through our various children’s programs, we not only address the achievement gap but also empower the next generation with the tools, inspiration, and support they need to thrive academically and creativel

y.Lifting Marginalized Voic

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Throughout the year, the Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative, a free community of mentorship, advocacy, and celebration of Black writers across the Commonwealth, hosts events open to anyone. Burn the Mic is an open mic where writers of all levels can share their work in a supportive environment. Black & Lit is an online discussion of works by accomplished Black Kentucky writers. The author participates in the conversation when possible. Through these platforms and other special events, the Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative put over 60 writers on stage last year, and many for the first time. We also awarded over $20,000 in scholarships to Carnegie Center classes for Black writers through the Kentucky Black Writers Collaborati

ve. A Home for Kentucky Wri

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rsThe Kentucky Great Writers series showcases the talents of esteemed writers such as National Poet Laureate Ada Limón, Kentucky Poet Laureate Silas House, and National Book Award winner Nikky Finney. Annually, we partner with the Kentucky Arts Council to induct writers into the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame, which includes Pulitzer Prize winner Barbara Kingsolver, the first published African-American playwright William Wells Brown, and among the most recent class of inductees Crystal Wilkinson, winner of a 2022 NAACP Image Award. In the summer, we host our Books-In-Progress conference, where attendees immerse themselves in craft workshops led by acclaimed writers and editors. This conference offers Kentucky writers the invaluable opportunity to connect one-on-one with New York literary agents, pitch their works, and potentially change the trajectory of their writing careers. We are proud to uplift and celebrate Kentucky writers at all stages of their journey, enriching our literary landscap