Monday Nights See an Uncharacteristic Boom of Activity on Short Street

By Robbie Morgan Posted: February 6th, 2012



Lexington, KY, February 6, 2012 ─ Monday nights have seen an uncharacteristic boom of activity on Short Street this winter, with the introduction of 21 Nights: Art Bar Happy Hour, a viewing party of the Peabody Award-winning Art21 television series, Art in the Twenty-first Century. LexArts teamed up with KET and Institute 193 to organize the weekly event which creates a fun atmosphere in which Lexingtonians may engage in contemporary art discussion.


“KET is proud and excited to partner with LexArts and Institute 193 to bring Art in the Twenty-first Century to the Lexington community. Airing PBS programs like Art21 is a great opportunity to present these artists' stories to a larger community and we have been impressed by the community response after 21 Nights: Art Bar Happy Hour began.” stated Teresa Day, Director of Arts and Special Projects at Kentucky Educational Television.


Each night boasts a new theme and episode as well as featuring the work of a Kentucky contemporary artist. Guest artists have included; Guy Kemper, Mare Vacarro, Lawrence Tarpey, and Guy Mendes. 21 Nights: Art Bar Happy Hour seeks to effectively tie the multitude of gifted contemporary artists in Kentucky to the national scene explored in the series. The crowd at 21 Nights is as diverse and vibrant as the artists being showcased, ranging from art patrons to business owners and students. This intermingling of individuals affords those in attendance the opportunity for discussion, socializing, and networking. The bar atmosphere lends itself to jovial conversation between both those individuals who are new to contemporary art, and those who are steeped in it and makes the art and the artists more accessible. Parlay Social, on Short Street has seen overwhelmingly successful since the first 21 Nights event in January.


"Parlay Social is excited to partner with LexArts for 21 Nights: Art Bar Happy Hour. Our relaxing atmosphere offers a unique experience for those who attend the Monday night events. 21 Nights is encouraging many area residents to visit Parlay Social and the Cheapside entertainment district and enjoy this unique event, which combines local artists and business and community partners. All of the elements of 21 Nights- Food, drink, and entertainment provide a rich experience on Monday nights." added Bob Estes, Owner of Parlay Social.


21 Nights: Art Bar Happy Hour happens every Monday night from 5:00 until 7:00 at Parlay Social. This month's special guest artists include: J.t. Dockery, Steve Armstrong, Bob Morgan and Ruth Adams. The full schedule of artists can be found at www.facebook.com/artbarhappyhour.


For more information contact Robbie Morgan at 859-255-2951 or by emailing rmorgan@lexarts.org


LexArts is a nonprofit community organization that works for the development of a strong and vibrant arts community as a means of enhancing the quality of life in central Kentucky. Through its annual Fund for the Arts, LexArts raises millions of dollars in support of local arts. In turn, LexArts underwrites the operating expenses for a variety of Partner Organizations, offers affordable exhibition and performance space for arts organizations, as well as competitive grants for community outreach projects. www.lexarts.org. Major support for LexArts programs and services is provided by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports LexArts with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

 


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