Jesse Agro

AAD 300 : Fundraising for the Arts

Eachus, Lee
Written Case for Support

The Speed Art Museum serves an important cultural role in the Louisville community,
providing enrichment opportunities for art amateurs and experts alike. As the oldest, largest,
and foremost museum in Kentucky, according to the Courier Journal, weve spent nearly 100
years building relationships with the community and the thousands of patrons that come through
our doors each year. By the end of this month, the Speed Art Museum will have welcomed over
200,000 individuals since its reopening in spring 2016- a greater audience than weve ever seen
before!
As a leading cultural institution, the Speed welcomes patrons from all walks of life. Our
community programs - from our Social Speed art lab workshops, to our Youth+Family learning
series- are designed with the cultural plurality of Louisville in mind, and as such, they are as rich
and diverse as our audience. We utilize visual arts as a way to facilitate creative exploration and
innovative problem solving, while educating our audiences about their community and how we
can best connect with one another. The Speed aims to give our city the tools with which we can
build a bridge over the issues that divide us, remembering our common values of creativity and
diversity. These are the values upon which the museum was founded, and the values we hope
to instill in the community.
Though the Speed has undergone many changes in the past few years, our mission has
always remained constant. The museum aims to invite and inspire diverse audiences to
experience the power of creativity utilizing art from around the world. It is through our friends
and patrons that we are able to achieve this mission. The Speed depends on the generous
support of community members to create innovative new programming and exhibits that foster a
deeper engagement with the arts. Our new building and exciting new season- including world
premiere exhibits and our new art cinema series- relies on the continued support of our
esteemed donors. Should you consider donating to the Speed Museum, you will help ensure
that the new Speed fulfills its historic role as a dynamic cultural resource within the Louisville
community.
Your support of the Speed will allow the continuation of our dynamic arts and cultural
programming, while also supporting the development of new programs to suit the growing
needs of our community. It will also increase opportunity for the Speed to bring in new art and
artists from around the world. Most importantly, your donations allow the museum to remain
open and accessible, sharing the gifts of the arts and education with the whole community.
While the Speed is proud to be a pillar for creativity and diversity, its is our friends and patrons
who are truly the driving force in shaping the cultural landscape of Louisville.