Louisville’s arts scene is a vibrant mix of Broadway tours, symphony concerts, neighborhood festivals, gallery exhibitions, and school programs. Behind much of this activity is Fund for the Arts, a nonprofit dedicated to sustaining and strengthening the region’s arts ecosystem.
For more than 75 years, Fund for the Arts has raised funds, distributed grants, and championed programs that make arts and culture accessible to the entire community. Guiding that mission today is interim President and CEO Brett Shepherd, a longtime advocate for Louisville’s arts and cultural institutions.
We caught up with Brett for an interview to hear more about Fund for the Arts.
Fund for the Arts presents the third annual Celebration of the Arts on April 11 and will feature local performing and engagement artists, music, dancing, onstage and live artmaking and engagement activities for guests offstage—all from local artists and arts organizations. The event will take place at Christy’s Garden at Old Forester’s Paristown Hall.
Every year has been a great acknowledgement to the wealth of talent in the community and we look forward to another fantastic year.
Fund for the Arts’ Board of Directors has appointed Brett Shepherd as the Interim President and CEO of the organization, starting January 1, 2026. Shepherd has served as the organization’s Chief Development Officer since August 2022.
In June 2025, current President and CEO Andre Kimo Stone Guess announced his plan to depart Fund for the Arts at the end of June 2026, completing five years at the helm of the organization. Guess will work alongside Shepherd in the transition period.
“Brett has been critical to the success of Fund for the Arts since starting in 2022, and I am so grateful for him for stepping into this leadership role,” said Guess. “I’m excited to work together to ensure a smooth transition for our stakeholders and staff.”
Fund for the Arts will host performing artists and arts organizations at the Republic Bank Performance Village as part of St. James Court Art Show (October 3 – 5) in Old Louisville. This local performance village brings just a sampling of Louisville’s vibrant performing arts community to the beloved visual arts and craft fair, regularly attended by thousands of locals and tourists alike.
As he steps into his fifth year at the helm of Fund for the Arts, Andre Kimo Stone Guess recently announced that this would be his final year at the helm.
We caught up with him as he reflects on his journey with gratitude, a sense of mission, and an eye toward the future. “It’s hard to believe it’s already been four years,” he says.
