ASHLAND —
Without the continued dedication of elected officials, people at Ashland’s Paramount Arts Center know their entire operation would be facing even greater challenges during difficult economic times.
“As the Paramount Arts Center closes its fiscal year, we are exceeding aware of the agonizing efforts, and great responsibilities that go into budgeting in lean economic times, not only for our organization, but for the community and the state,” said PAC executive director Kathy Setterman, later noting the former movie theater turned arts and cultural center was able to serve 120,000 individuals and more than 40,000 children last year alone.
“With that in mind, we want to recognize, commend and thank our partners in the Kentucky legislation who have been diligent in their efforts to continue providing support to the Paramount and to other organizations in eastern Kentucky.”
Setterman said PAC officials submitted an application for a $27,000 appropriation from the Kentucky Department of Local Government for Coal Severance Funds earlier this month. The application is still being processed.
When the arts center receives the allocation, the money will go to the Paramount Arts Center Youth Education Program, a large educational outreach that includes a myriad of projects.
“Funding keeps going down. It’s more and more difficult to keep up, but we want to continue to grow,” Setterman said.
Through the outreach, theatrical shows are produced, local school children are bused to and from the theater, the arts center hosts art academy classes, summer camps, acting and voice lessons and much more. The program has been around since 1972 and reaches about 55,000 children each year.
“It is through the hard work and persistence of our representatives: Rocky Adkins, Kevin Sinette, Walter Blevins, Tanya Pullin, Robin Webb and others that this $27,000 appropriation from coal severance revenue was earmarked for the Paramount and we are well aware of the efforts put forth to making this kind of appropriation possible,” Setterman said, explaining the appropriation is the first coal severance money the Paramount has received since 2005, in support of the continuing Kentucky Music Trail series.
“It is important that the people of Ashland, Boyd County and eastern Kentucky know that we have not been alone in our struggle to continue to provide great arts resources to agencies, individuals and schools, to serve our region through educational and public programming or to promote economic development in our area,” she said. “These challenges have been met through the constant support of our legislators who provide funding for the Kentucky Arts Council.”
TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.
com or (606) 326-2651.
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