Give for Good Louisville: Champion writers in The Arts Angle Newsroom

With Give for Good Louisville on Sept. 10, you help young writers

find their voice through reporting on the arts

Our goal is $10,000.

The 2026-2027 Arts Angle Newsroom at its first meeting in August.

Last spring, a high school reporter in The Arts Angle Newsroom grappled with completing

her first article about the spectacle and artistry of her first circus. She interviewed clowns and taken detailed notes and photos.

Writer's block set in. Weeks passed. Then Krystala realized Louisville was in the middle of a circus season, with performances from the Kosair Shrine Circus, Louisville Turners Circus, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. She found her angle and, with support from peer editors and mentors, finished the piece. LEO Weekly published it online and in print, and the newsroom celebrated — including on social media.

SEPT. 10: GIVE FOR GOOD HERE

The success hooked her. The next week, she dug into a story about an art show themed "doomscroll," and interviewed artists and community members. That piece was published, too. She was now drawn into reporting and storytelling, making connections with artists, and the newsroom’s camaraderie.

A juggler in Turners Circus. Photo by Michelle Haas Hutchins. Courtesy Turners Circus. Part of Krystala's article.

She also celebrated her cohorts, high school students from three counties across the Louisville region, who covered other subjects and received free tickets to events to write their pieces. Their articles covered a Kentucky Opera production, hardcore bands staging a political fundraiser, a romance bookstore in Jeffersontown, the touring Broadway production of “The Great Gatsby,” and more.

Why a free model? The Arts Angle Newsroom

All the articles mentioned grew out of The Arts Angle Newsroom, a free youth education and arts journalism program serving those ages 14 to 18 across Louisville and the surrounding counties.

The Arts Angle Newsroom is free. High school students from all backgrounds can learn about art and flourish in writing and media production.

Through weekly hands-on sessions students gain access to arts and build skills in writing, research, interviewing, editing, critical thinking, photography, audio storytelling, media literacy, and digital publishing. This empowers them to report on the local arts and cultural community.

A social media post about the Arts Angle Newsroom reviews of the touring production of the musical "The Great Gatsby."

Arts Angle developed this free model by running more than 25 workshops starting in 2018,

to give teens — many coming out of pandemic isolation — real opportunities for connection and creative expression. The arts help them explore complex ideas, encounter new perspectives, and build confidence in their own voice. As one participant put it: "Not only did it help me become a better writer, it helped me become a better person."

Confronting gaps in arts education, writing

Arts Angle's founders saw a gap: young people increasingly lack access to arts education and to local arts coverage, the result of a 30-year decline in arts education paired with a steep drop in media coverage. Research also shows that fewer than 25% of eighth- and 12th-graders nationally score "proficient" in writing.

The January 2026 inaugural meeting of The Arts Angle Newsroom in with guest speaker Giselle Rhoden, Louisville Public Medias arts and culture reporter.

But optimistic studies confirm young people involved in the arts and journalism perform better in school and participate in their communities. They set higher career goals for themselves, enjoy better work opportunities, and are more civically and artistically active as adults. The experience builds their capacity for self-expression, empathy, and problem-solving.

Keep Arts Angle Free

Your donations keep arts experiences and the program free for students.

Arts Angle's staff and instructors have deep roots in Louisville's creative community and a strong ethos of mentorship and belonging — many volunteer their time or offer services at reduced rates. That commitment is central to preparing teens for academic and career success.

MAKE YOUR INVESTMENT SEPT. 10

But growth requires investment. Many participants need computers, which we provide, along with DSLR cameras and other equipment for their reporting.

 YOU CAN HELP ARTS ANGLE MEET THIESE NEEDS.

Be part of whats next for Arts Angle

You have a once-in-a-generation chance to further Arts Angle’s mission. Give so that more youth from diverse backgrounds have access to the arts and empower them to use their voices to create more arts journalism for our community.

SAVE THIS LINK FOR SEPT. 10

By connecting more curious young people to the arts and amplifying their voices, together we nurture stronger communicators and critical thinkers. Your support also allows these young people to learn more about Louisville through the arts and report stories that elevate awareness and discussion about the arts and artists that help distinguish our community.