Special Exhibition
GREAT PERFORMANCES
ARE JUST THE BEGINNING
In addition to special exhibitions in the Grand Foyer Gallery, the Center boasts an expansive display of permanent art and sculpture year-round, including the Ex Astris sculpture, the Haven Gillespie Fountain and Plaza, and works by Auguste Rodin and Stephen Rolfe Powell ‘74.
Grand Foyer Gallery
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Free
Guided group tours are
available by request.

AN AMERICA250KY EXHIBITION
BE THE PEOPLE: PORTRAITS OF CONTEMPORARY AMERICA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JON CHERRY
Kentucky photographer Jon Cherry captures the true spirit of today’s America while analyzing the truths that define our time. In this new exhibition, Cherry asks, “What does it mean to be an American?” An impartial reflection on the last five years of life in the United States, it explores how political extremism, grief, pride, misinformation and faith collide to shape our headlines and our understanding of one another.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The founding of America was a revolutionary experiment: an experiment that we continue to shape for future generations. As Kentucky prepares to celebrate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, this exhibition invites patrons to examine new perspectives, as we all advocate for our inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Kentucky photographer Jon Cherry captures the true spirit of today’s America while analyzing the truths that define our time. A Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist and artist, his work spans a wide range of photographic disciplines and he frequently contributes to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press and Reuters.
In this new exhibition, Be The People: Portraits of Contemporary America, Cherry asks, “What does it mean to be an American?” An impartial reflection on the last five years of life in the United States, it explores how political extremism, grief, pride, misinformation and faith collide to shape our headlines and our understanding of one another.



PERMANENT COLLECTION
PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS
Photographs, videos, artist biographies and additional resources from previous special exhibitions are available.