UK Art Museum to honor Jonathan Coleman, Robert Morgan at annual fundraiser
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 24, 2025) — Join the University of Kentucky Art Museum for its annual fundraising soiree, An Inspired Evening, 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at Harper Hall, 177 N. Upper St. in Lexington.
Each year, the museum recognizes individuals who make a significant contribution to the art and culture of the Commonwealth. This year the museum will celebrate Jonathan Coleman and Robert Morgan, two men who have made profound contributions to the arts, historic preservation, LGBTQ+ legacies and social services in Lexington.
“We are thrilled to gather and recognize Jon and Bob for their significant contributions to our art and cultural scene. Together and separately, have made Lexington a more informed, empathetic and exciting place to live,” said UK Art Museum Director Stuart Horodner.
Coleman was a James Still Fellow at the University of Kentucky where he received his doctorate in history in 2014. He served as assistant director and curator at the Mary Todd Lincoln House for several years before becoming the current executive director of the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation.
Morgan is an acclaimed artist whose assemblage sculptures commemorate people he has known and cared for. He is also a tireless advocate for and participant in Moveable Feast, a volunteer-driven organization that prepares and delivers daily meals to low-income and vulnerable citizens in our community.
Coleman and Morgan are co-founders of the Faulkner Morgan Archive Inc., an organization that preserves Kentucky’s LGBTQ+ history. Founded in 2014, the archive currently houses 15,000 items and more than 250 hours of recorded interviews.
All proceeds from the event support the museum’s year-round programs and free admission policy. At this year’s event, guests can expect to enjoy abundant hors d’oeuvres, lively music and special performances, and a silent auction of unique experiences.
Tickets are available online: finearts.uky.edu/art-museum/events/inspired-evening. Dress is cocktail attire.
Sponsors include: Jim Gray and Eric Orr, Traditional Bank, UK Alumni Association, WUKY, Harper Hall and Mark and Ginny Shanda.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.