Monday October 13, 2025
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SubscribeLouisville Mayor Greg Fischer and Fund for the Arts announced today that the popular Cultural Pass, an annual summer program that provides free arts access to youth and children in Greater Louisville, will now expand to year-round availability.
Thanks to a generous donation by Republic Bank, the Cultural Pass will continue beyond summer with a performing arts component, allowing young people to attend performances and engage in the performing arts throughout the year. Expanding the Cultural Pass to a year-round program gives children and families admission to free, curriculum-based performance arts and cultural experiences that enhance academic development.
“Cultural Pass creates an opportunity for lifelong learning by establishing longstanding relationships between our city’s arts and culture institutions and our youth, starting at age 0,” said the Mayor. “With the expansion of the program, Cultural Pass is poised to have a greater impact on the lives of more young people.”
Currently, residents of Jefferson and Bullitt counties in Kentucky and Floyd, Clark and Harrison Counties in Southern Indiana have access to the Cultural Pass. Performing arts venues confirmed so far for the Cultural Pass expansion include Actors Theatre, Louisville Ballet, StageOne Family Theatre, Commonwealth Theatre Company, Kentucky Opera, Louisville Orchestra, and Louisville Free Public Library.
The Cultural Pass was created in 2014 by Louisville Metro Government as part of Vision Louisville. It is one of several strategies designed to help prevent summer learning loss and to keep students engaged in educational activities. Since its debut, more than 200,000 passes have been distributed to Greater Louisville’s youth, allowing them to visit more than 59 arts venues and cultural institutions.
Last year, Cultural Passes were used for more than 35,000 visits to Louisville’s arts and cultural attractions, with low-income children accounting for 14,000 of those visits. Participation by low-income children increased 44 percent from the previous year.
Expanding the pass beyond the summer months into the performing arts seasons was a goal in the Imagine 2020 cultural plan, and an Ignite Louisville team of local professionals helped make it possible.
“This is the very definition of creating arts access,” said Christen Boone, President & CEO of the Fund for the Arts. “We are thrilled to expand the pass to the performing arts seasons so that our children can experience the power of live theatre, ballet, orchestra and more – further broadening their view of their community and the world.”
Fund for the Arts manages the program’s daily operations, with an oversight committee comprised of representatives from the Mayor’s Office, Arts and Culture Alliance, Louisville Free Public Library and Jefferson County Public Schools guiding the program.
Expansion of the program will allow Cultural Pass holders, ages 0 to 21, to gain access to one performance at each of the participating performing arts venues during the school year. One adult is provided a pass to accompany children under the age of 17. To learn more, visit www.fundforthearts.org/culturalpass.
“Republic Bank is honored and proud to support youth arts access,” said Steve Trager, CEO of Republic Bank. “We see this as an opportunity to invest in the future of our city by supporting the educational opportunities of young people. It’s truly a ‘win-win’ for everyone.”
Photo: Louisville Free Public Library
School is out for the summer, and Mayor Greg Fischer is reminding parents and caregivers that there are plenty of fun, low-cost or free learning opportunities available for Louisville area students of all ages over the next three months.
During a news conference at the South Central Regional Library in Okolona, the Mayor and partner organizations outlined a number of programs designed to keep kids engaged and prevent summer learning loss, including the Louisville Free Public Library’s Summer Reading program and the 2018 Cultural Pass presented by Churchill Downs in partnership with Metro Louisville, the Free Public Library, the Arts and Culture Alliance, and Fund for the Arts.
“Lifelong learning means year-round learning. And with our Summer Reading Program, Cultural Pass, and other programs, parents and children have plenty of fun options this summer to keep kids’ minds active so they’re prepared for success in school and beyond,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “I’m grateful to so many important partners in this effort, from Churchill Downs to the Fund for the Arts.”
In celebration of both the Library’s Summer Reading Program and the Cultural Pass, the Mayor announced the Main Library will host the Summer Reading Kickoff and Cultural Pass Showcase on Saturday, June 9, from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. This free, family-friendly event will offer a host of activities, performances, and crafts featuring more than a dozen members of the Arts and Culture Alliance. Participating groups will include the Louisville Zoo, Kentucky Science Center, Frazier History Museum, Kentucky Shakespeare, and more. For more information, please visit http://LFPL.org/Kids or call (502) 574-1620.
The Cultural Pass supports and encourages lifelong learning by providing free access to 50 Greater Louisville’s arts and cultural institutions for children and young adults to age 21.
New this year, residents in three surrounding counties—New Albany/Floyd County, Jeffersonville Township, and Bullitt County—will also be eligible to participate in the 2018 Cultural Pass through their public libraries. Southern Indiana residents are eligible for the Cultural Pass for the first time thanks to support from Bales Foundation, Duke Energy, and Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County.
The Pass is valid from June 1 to August 11 for one-time general admission at each of the 46 participating institutions. Also new this year, the Office of Advanced Planning developed an interactive map for enhanced user experience that can be found:https://fundforthearts.org/venues-cultural-pass.
“Our community is fortunate to have one of the most unique initiatives across the country to fight summer learning loss,” said Tonya Abeln, Director of Community Relations for Churchill Downs Inc. “Churchill Downs is proud to continue supporting arts & cultural experiences that make our city stronger.”
“This Cultural Pass is a passport for Greater Louisville kids and families to unlock boundless creativity at our world-class arts & cultural institutions,” said Christen Boone, Fund for the Arts President and CEO. “We are deeply grateful to our donors and partners who make this one-of-a-kind initiative possible. This is a critical investment for our region that allows kids to learn, play, and grow all summer long.”
The 2018 Cultural Pass and Summer Reading Program materials are available now at any Louisville Free Public Library branch. Pass holders can register and track the progress of their Cultural Pass online at LFPL.org/culturalpass and are encouraged to visit as many venues as they are able during the summer. Children with 5 or more documented visits are entered into a drawing for prizes, including a free stay at 21C Museum Hotel, tickets to area performances like The Christmas Carol at Actors Theatre or Louisville Ballet’s Nutcracker, family memberships to Bernheim Forest, the Frazier History Museum, Gheens Science Hall and Planetarium, and more.
“The Arts and Culture Alliance is proud to be the part of the Cultural Pass that provides access to arts and culture,” said Kim Baker, Chair of the Arts and Culture Alliance. “We invite our community and the new surrounding counties participating, to experience all our amazing arts and cultural organizations have to offer!”
To learn more about the Cultural Pass, please visit http://fundforthearts.org/culturalpass.
