2.12.2026

Kentucky Students to Host Public Hearing on Arts & Cultural Education in Danville Amid Ongoing Legal Proceedings Over Education Adequacy

Join the fourth in a series of student-led hearings set for Saturday, February 21 in Danville, Kentucky

According to the Kentucky School Report Card, one in five Kentucky students does not have access to a visual or performing arts class. As state leaders debate the future of public education, students are asking a simple but urgent question: What does an adequate education look like if creativity, culture and the arts are missing from their classrooms?

On Saturday, February 21, 2026, the Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT) will convene a youth-led public hearing on access to arts and cultural education at Old Carnegie Hall at Centre College in Danville. The hearing is the fourth in a statewide series examining whether Kentucky is meeting its constitutional obligation to provide all students with an adequate and equitable education.

The hearing comes amid ongoing legal proceedings stemming from an historic lawsuit filed in January 2025 by KSVT and 13 student plaintiffs, arguing that the Commonwealth has failed to uphold the standards established in the landmark Rose v. Council for Better Education decision.That ruling defines an adequate education through seven required capacities, one of which expressly includes sufficient grounding in the arts and cultural heritage to enable students to understand and participate in society. Students say this constitutional requirement has been sidelined in practice, even though it is inseparable from the broader goals of civic engagement, communication, and workforce readiness that Rose demands.

During the hearing, high school student examiners will question expert witnesses on pressing issues facing Kentucky schools, including:

  • How can school districts and the General Assembly address the reality that 1 in 5 Kentucky students lacks access to arts education?
  • How can classrooms remain safe spaces for honest, meaningful conversations about history, culture, and identity?
  • Where have Kentucky districts—or states across the country—successfully built innovative, inclusive arts and cultural education programs?
  • How has arts education in Kentucky changed since the Kentucky Education Reform Act of the early 1990s, and where has progress stalled?

The hearing will feature testimony from expert witnesses, including:

  • Jane Dewey, Director of Arts Education, Danville Independent Schools
  • Paula Lockhart, Louisville-based Theatre Artist & Advocate
  • Heather Lyons, Director of Arts & Cultural Affairs, Office of the Mayor, City of Lexington
  • Philip Shephard, Executive Director, Kentuckians for the Arts
Jane Dewey recently retired from a 25 year career as the Director of Arts Education for The Danville Independent Schools. Her many awards include The Kentucky Governor’s Award in the Arts for Arts Education (‘21), and The Kennedy Center and National School Boards Association Award for Outstanding Arts Education on behalf of the Danville Schools (‘19). Jane’s career has been based on the belief that all students deserve high quality arts education.
Paula Lockhart is an active theatre artist in the Louisville community. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from Wesleyan College in Theatre and Communication and an MFA from The University of Louisville. Prior to joining GSA as the Associate Director, she was the Assistant Manager of Visitor Services at The Muhammad Ali Center. An active educator, she teaches at Commonwealth Theatre Center (CTC) and Louisville’s only HBCU, Simmons College of Kentucky. Past performance credits include Bowling for Beginners, A Streetcar Named Desire, Fences, Polaroid Stories, A Molly Whuppie, Red Riding Hood, and This is Not The Play.
Heather Lyons recently retired from her position as Director of Arts and Culture in the Office of the Mayor at the City of Lexington. There, she created Lexington’s Public Art Master Plan and initiated new programs and funding opportunities for local artists and organizations. For 14 years she served as Executive Director of the Living Arts & Science Center, presenting interactive classes, exhibits, field trips, and other programming for all ages. Earlier, Heather served as the Individual Artist Director for the Kentucky Arts Council. For over 20 years she was an Independent Producer/Director and created numerous award-winning arts-centered documentary films and served as a Media Artist-in-Residence in schools and communities across Kentucky.
Phil Shepherd is a retired arts educator and administrator with 47 years of dedication to the arts in Kentucky and California. Phil served 17 years in the classroom teaching music, visual art, creative movement and theatre before moving into administrative roles. He currently serves as Chair of the Education Committee for Kentuckians for the Arts and previously served as the Executive Director. Other arts leadership roles include 10 years as Fine Arts Coordinator for Fayette County Public Schools, 9 years as the Arts and Humanities Consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education, and Project Director for the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards, responsible for the development of the current National Core Art Standards. Phil enjoys playing trumpet in the Madison Community Band in his spare time.

Through testimony and follow-up questioning led by high school students, the hearing will surface local solutions to ensure every Kentucky student has access to a rich, well-rounded education that includes the arts.‍

WHEN: Saturday, February 21, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Old Carnegie Hall, Centre College, 600 W Walnut St., Danville, KY 40422 (Google Maps)
RSVP: The event is free and open to the public. Media and policymakers are especially encouraged to attend. Reserve a free ticket online here.

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About the Kentucky Student Voice Team‍

The Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT) is an independent, statewide, 501(c)(3) organization co-founded in 2012 by a group of Kentucky high school students. As a collective of young people, KSVT is on a mission to co-create more just, democratic Kentucky schools and communities as research, policy-advocacy & storytelling partners.

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