Laura Petrie.....Your Paducah, KY Realtor

Paducah Artist Relocation Program

www.paducaharts.com

At a time when funding for the arts is constantly being cut, Paducah has established an environment where artists and the arts are flourishing. Paducah’s Artist Relocation Program was started in August of 2000 and is now a national model for using the arts for economic development. The Artist Relocation Program has been awarded the Governors Award in the Arts, the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence, The American Planning Association National Planning Award and most recently Kentucky League of Cities Enterprise Cities Award. Please see our awards section for more details.

The Artist Relocation Program is about artist ownership, thus giving the artists a vested interest in our community. To date we have relocated seventy artists who have taken us up on our financial and cultural incentives.

These artists have relocated from Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Okalahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Washington D.C. and Wisconsin. It is with the vision of Paducah as a thriving artist community that our local leaders endorse the Paducah Artist Relocation Program.

Lowertown, home of the Artist Relocation Program, is the oldest neighborhood in the Paducah and is the catalyst for a great deal of excitement, economic growth, and community pride. Lowertown, located just four blocks from the Ohio River and Downtown, is home to the Artist-Relocation-Program. This internationally known program has attracted artists from as far west as Hawaii and east as Germany. The impressively built homes influenced by Italianate, Gothic Revival, Romanesque, Queen Anne and Classical Revival architectural styles now house galleries and artists from across the country.

You'll meet the artists who create the fine works of art that you take home as treasures. Each one has a different story to tell about the successes of relocating to Lowertown, the challenges of restoring historic structures or building new ones, and the joys of being part of the rebirth of a vibrant community. Visit their galleries and you'll find fine art located in restored 1930's grocery stores and in elegant Queen Anne style homes. You can also stop by for a massage or to attend a Pilates class..

Walking is great for the appetite and Lowertown has a variety of places that satisfy; from Southern Style authentic Kentucky vittles to private dining in an exclusive art gallery/café with freshly made house specials. Or you may want to recharge with a rich cup of coffee or exotic teas as you unwind at a local import shop. This jewel of a town dazzles with culture, fine dining, and eclectic accommodations and welcomes you to step off the beaten path. Spend some time in Lowertown and you’ll experience what is great about America!

Like many small towns around the country, when the big shopping malls opened up on the outskirts of town, their Downtowns were devastated and many have never recovered. The difference between Paducah and many of these other towns is their vision and love of the arts. Paducah is now fast becoming the newest cultural destination in the country.