Celebrate 10 years of RUX & National Kentucky Day at The Golden Thread!

The Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (KY RUX) has been building connections to bring Kentuckians together for a decade! Join us in celebrating this milestone at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts for The Golden Thread.

The Golden Thread is an annual forum gathering visionary leaders from various sectors to foster unity across cultures and communities in the Commonwealth. October 19th is National Kentucky Day, and so we're excited to present a showcase of some of Kentucky's best arts and ideas.

A view from the 2023 Golden Thread event at Waterfront Botanical Gardens, Lousiville.

Last year, this event brought Charles Booker, SG Goodman, and many others into conversation. Since that time, we’ve gained a broader audience due to a recent feature in The New York Times and a tweet from President Barack Obama, and are excited to share this conversation on one of Kentucky's biggest stages.

This year, Secretary of State Michael Adams and other special guests will talk about Kentucky’s civic health and the importance of working together. They will be joined by onstage performances by Amy Roblero Perez (KY Youth Poet Laureate, Bardstown), an Appalachian folk collaboration between dancer Carla Gover and musician Randy Wilson, and a collaboration between contemporary dance company Pones Inc. and the three-piece art rock band Producing A Kind Generation (Louisville).

The heart of the celebration is the "Long Conversation," a relay of short, unmoderated conversations stitched together by themes of commonality and a shared future. This year, the event will be emceed by Chad Benefield (WBKR, Owensboro), and will bring together Jen Algire (Greater Clark Foundation, Winchester), John Bowman (Dream.org, Louisa), Victor Calderon (Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Louisville), Crystal Fox (Mayfield Minority Enrichment Center, Mayfield), Val Horn (Cowan Community Action Group, Whitesburg), Richie Kessler (Forever Green River, Campbellsville), Lamont “Jack” Pearley (African American Folklorist Magazine, Bowling Green), and Dan Wu (Vice Mayor and Council At-Large, Lexington).

These speakers will be joined by our membership network of more than 300 Kentuckians from 65 counties. Together, we will tell the story of our progress in building relationships and collaborations across Kentucky's geographic, racial, and economic divides. Alongside these experiences, we'll host an unprecedented, agenda-setting conversation with some of Kentucky’s luminaries on the potential to advance this cause in the coming decade.

Attendees have an option to add “The Gold Standard Reception” to their ticket package. The Gold Standard Reception will feature a closed cocktail hour from 3-4 PM ahead of the event with select speakers and performers, and will include a What Chef's Want Kentucky Proud menu with culinary expressions by Chef James Coogle of the Chef’s Table and Lexus Lounge, hosted beverages from West Sixth Brewery and Maker’s Mark, and an exclusive performance with Appalatin musicians Yani Vozos, Marlon Obando, and Steve Sizemore.

Sponsorship packages are also available for bundled admission tickets. Sustain our work into its second decade and have your work promoted across the RUX network!

The Golden Thread is presented by the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange and Kentucky Performing Arts, with support from Louisville Public Media and many others.

Learn more & save your seat at kyrux.org/golden-thread.