The Louisville Visual Arts Festival (LVAF) is a cooperative effort engaging the best visual arts, arts organizations, galleries, and arts stake holders in the region. LVAF is an annual sustainable Festival, with a different theme each year, geared to raising awareness and the stature of the Louisville's Visual Arts community regionally, nationally and internationally.
The inaugural celebration highlights the photographic art and creative community surrounding Louisville's own Center for Photographic Studies (1970-1978). Established by photographer C.J. Pressma, The Center was an independent creative photographic school based in Louisville in the 1970’s. The Center attracted students from 35 states and foreign countries during it's existence, many of whom remain working artists in the Louisville Metro area. The 2009 LVAF focuses on the art surrounding The Center's community, featuring over 30 local galleries and museums exhibiting photography throughout the months of June and July. The exhibits reflect work by former students of the Center for Photographic Studies, as well as memorabilia from the students themselves, works of renowned artists such as Ansel Adams and Minor White who visited and exhibited at the Center's two galleries.
The LVAF kick-off gala begins June 5-7th. Participating Galleries and Museums include the Louisville Visual Art Association, Actors Theatre, Filson Historical Society, Galeries Hertz, Glassworks, Huff Gallery, 21c Museum Hotel, Mellwood Arts Center, Speed Art Museum, UofL Photographic Archives, Paul Paletti Gallery, Swanson Reed Gallery, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Kaviar Forge Gallery, and more. For a complete list of galleries/museums and updated events, visit louisvillevisualartsfestival.org
