Nicole Yates has a passion for making her community and the Commonwealth of Kentucky a better place, and the arts are a big part of that. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Fund for the Arts and is also the Vice President for Growth and Community Engagement for Passport by Molina Healthcare, where she leads teams around the state to ensure that the underserved people of Kentucky have access to quality health care. Her efforts lead to real results that have real effects, and we can’t thank her enough.
Audience Magazine caught up with Nicole to hear more about her life’s work as an advocate for disadvantaged populations.
Kentucky’s favorite autumn tradition, the St.James Court Art Show, is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 art shows in the nation. Annually attracting about 600 artists and more than 250,000 visitors to Old Louisville, people come from near and far to purchase one-of-a-kind handcrafted art directly from the artists that created them.
The annual celebration of art will take place Friday October 4 through Sunday October 6 and is held among the country’s largest collection of Victorian homes in the heart of historic Old Louisville. The 4-square block features six unique sections, one art show. St. James Court, Belgravia Court, Fourth Street, 3rd Street, 1300 Section, West End Baptist Church.
The Heart of Valjean – Nick Cartell on Fatherhood, Loss, and 1,200 Nights of Les Mis
Nick Cartell steps into the spotlight, alone on stage. For the audience, it’s a performance. For Cartell, it’s personal. After more than 1,200 performances as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, this role isn’t just a job — it’s a mirror. Every night, Cartell finds something new in the part: a glance, a note, a reaction. Each moment is a reminder that Valjean’s story is also his own.
It’s that kind of energy, authenticity, and vulnerability that audiences can look forward to when one of Broadway’s most iconic musicals, Les Misérables, comes to Louisville in October.
“If you haven’t seen the show yet, take the leap. Come and join us,” Cartell says. “You’ll come away thankful that you did, especially with everything happening in our world right now. An audience can come together, sit in one space and connect with these characters. There is a collective energy that comes with seeing theater.”
UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, Fund for the Arts will now host Celebration of the Arts (originally September 28, 2024) on April 19, 2025.
Originally part of the Paristown Fall Art Fest, Celebration of the Arts will now be a part of Paristown’s Spring into Derby Art Fest, in Christy’s Garden from 10 am – 4 pm on April 19. Paristown will then welcome Juicebox Heroes, who perform that night at 7 pm.
With the return of the regions largest music festival September 19 – 22, 2024, Bourbon & Beyond is ready to host over a hundred thousand fans to four days of amazing music across four stages as well as other entertainment and culinary experiences.
From the moment the line-up announcement came out for this year’s festival, fans have been on the edge of their seats for the final line-up and set times. Well, the wait is over, and the line-up is stellar as advertised. Featuring music industry icons such as Zach Bryan, Tyler Childers, Dave Matthews Band, Sting and more, tickets are few and far between and it seems that we are on the forefront of what will be another amazing weekend!
