How Will Changes Downtown Affect Louisville’s Cultural Institutions?

The plan to revitalize downtown Louisville might seem straightforward — a tale of Midwestern savvy and Southern grit: Invest in the city center and residents and tourists will in turn invest in the local economy. But changes to downtown could have significant effects on our urban core, and in turn, our cultural institutions, many of which are non-profit organizations. Improvements to downtown need to involve these institutions.

One of only 13 cities in the U.S. with a professional theater, an orchestra , an opera, and a ballet , Louisville is lush with culture. From the Kentucky Science Center to the KMAC Contemporary Art Museum to the Frazier History Museum, Louisville's cultural ecosystem is diverse. An accessible and inclusive Downtown is vital to the social and cultural lives of residents and tourists alike.

Despite plans by Louisville Downtown Partnership to activate downtown, three major corporations — Humana, LG&E, and Fifth Third Bank — left the city center in 2023. Although the businesses are not leaving Louisville, these relocations have affected food, beverage, and other businesses that depend on pedestrian traffic, especially at lunchtime on business days. These conspicuous vacancies are cause for concern about cultural features of Downtown.

The Arts Keep Louisville Energized

Christian Adelberg, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Kentucky Performing Arts says the vacancies cannot diminish the energy of the arts in Downtown Louisville. "We certainly understand that these departures may impact the future of downtown Louisville, but we strongly believe a vibrant arts community is key to keeping downtown energized in spite of these changes."

Adelberg says that it is important to note that Kentucky Performing Arts' family of venues (The Kentucky Center, the Brown Theatre, and Old Forester's Paristown Hall) "play a critical role in both activating downtown and attracting tourism dollars that support retail, hospitality, and food service businesses – ultimately contributing more than $26 million to the state's economy."

Investing In Optimism

Founded in 1964 and designated "State Theater of Kentucky" in 1974, Actors Theatre of Louisville is a cultural fixture at 316 W. Main St. "We are invested in partnering with fellow social good organizations throughout the neighborhood and beyond to reimagine a healthy, dynamic, and mutually supportive ecosystem."

Actors Theatre is unruffled by the departure of the three corporations from the city center. Concerns about how the changing landscape might influence attendance and engagement are peripheral to the organization. In a prepared statement from Actors Theatre, they say they "recognize that the antiquated models for cultural institutions that assumed patrons would flock to our events after their work days at Downtown offices were defunct even prior to the pandemic and the relocation of major corporate offices."

In response to these changes, as well as to plans for future development in the central business district, Actors Theatre says they are "optimistic that investment in accessibility for downtown streets, an entrepreneurial spirit of collaboration rather than competition, and a philosophy of creating a space of belonging for all will put Downtown on a positive path."

Prologue To A 10-Year Epic

The non-profit organization Louisville Downtown Partnership was formed in 2013 and is a merger of two long-standing organizations: the Louisville Downtown Management District and the Downtown Development Corporation. Their shared vision is "to develop downtown Louisville into the economic catalyst for all of Louisville" so it will become a vibrant urban core that is recognized for its innovation and for being "an engaging destination."

Rebecca Fleischaker, Executive Director of Louisville Downtown Partnership, says that "a strong downtown plays a multifaceted role in representing the economic, cultural, and social fabric of a city." She explains that in any city, the function of a downtown area is to be the engine of local and regional economies, which she attributes to "the outsized financial impact from a concentrated generation of property, net profits, and sales taxes."

On March 21, the Louisville Downtown Partnership unveiled its 10-year economic plan , titled "A New Paradigm for Downtown Louisville." Its three focal points are "activating Downtown, reinforcing Downtown as a residential neighborhood, and enhancing the public realm." Plans to activate downtown include expanding attractions downtown with en emphasis on creative arts and entertainment. Plans to reinforce downtown as a residential neighborhood include the development of residential neighborhoods in the central business district as well as along the periphery of downtown.

Plans to enhance the public realm will prioritize downtown streets for pedestrians, reconnect underutilized spaces like surface lots, and strengthen the connection between downtown and Waterfront Park. For example, the Louisville Metro-owned surface parking lot that spans an entire city block between Jefferson and Liberty Streets, and 8th and 9th Streets, is proposed as an opportunity to help close the "9th Street Divide" and reconnect downtown with the historic Russell neighborhood.

Promoting Healing Downtown

Regan Nichols, Chief Marketing and Development Officer of Louisville Ballet, shared the company’s awareness that some visitors might be hesitant to visit downtown after mass shooting at the Old National Bank at Preston Pointe, which is adjacent to Louisville Ballet's headquarters. Motivated by that, Louisville Ballet is cultivating a Community Healing Garden outside their building at 315 E. Main St. to attract visitors and help nurture a sense of community in the area. It is intended to offer passersby a magical moment, like an organic set in a fairytale ballet.

Time will tell how Louisville Ballet's Community Healing Garden will blossom into a symbol of resilience and vitality downtown. But the optimism of cultural institutions in the Central Business District in conjunction with Louisville Downtown Partnership's ambitious 10-year plan offer a positive forecast.