Together we can create solutions to the challenges we face.

Collective Capacity Building
The Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange is guided by a distributed leadership approach to movement building. We do our work through collaboration with partners, steering and host committee members, alumni and cohort members each contributing to the development and evolution of the programming. The RUX approach to defining roles is based on our belief that one of the most important resources we have to offer our members and partners is the Exchange framework itself. We invite our members to develop leadership capacity by contributing to Exchange committees, partnership opportunities, public presentations, and mini exchanges in their own communities.

By distributing leadership and power across the state, RUX helps leaders bridge divides, develop their skills, and build social capital. Supporting RUX members to grow as leaders in their local communities yields a connected cross-sector network of leadership across the state—which is why the RUX framework is called "The Currency of Connection."

The Kentucky RUX is a partnership of The Art Of The Rural and Appalshop, and is facilitated by a statewide steering committee. RUX is supported by regional host partnerships, statewide program partnerships, and funding partners. Creating and nurturing partnerships is deeply significant to the sustainability of RUX, and the expansion of Kentucky’s creative networks.

Announcing our 2022 Partners

Regional Host Partners: Each weekend is designed in collaboration with regional host partners, who guide the cohort’s experience of their community. In 2022 RUX has established host partnerships for our three Community Intensive Weekends in Muhlenberg County, Louisville and Estill County.

Our 2022 Regional Host Partners: Estill Development Alliance, the Muhlenberg Alliance for Progress, and the Louisville Host Partner Consortium: Food Literacy Project, Hood to the Holler, Kentucky Performing Arts, Louisville Free Public Library, Louisville Metro Government, the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute at the University of Louisville, and the wonderful dozens of Kentuckians in our host communities who are serving on local committees.

Program Partners

Program Partners help raise awareness about RUX mission and events, and technical support. Staff members of our program partners often serve on the RUX Steering Committee, and provide in-kind support as agreed upon by RUX and partners.

Our 2022 Program Partners: The Kentucky Arts Council and Kentucky Folklife Program.

Funding Partners

These partners support RUX through financial or in-kind donations. Funding partners help raise awareness about our RUX mission and events. We recognized these partners on our website and in printed materials.

Our 2022 Funding Partners: The National Endowment for the Arts, Elaine Musselman via the W. L. Lyons Brown Foundation, the Felix E. Martin Foundation, the Lee Initiative, the Kentucky Foundation for Women, the Kentucky Oral History Commission, and hundreds of individuals.