Arts Advocate Lucille C. Little
Makes Historic $1 Million Gift to KET

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"I have loved‹and benefited from‹drama, dance, and music all my life," says Lucille C. Little. "I can think of no greater contribution to the people of this state and its children than to offer this gift, which will provide arts programming to all our young people and help foster creativity throughout their lives."

With these words and the donation of $1 million, Lucille C. Little established the W. Paul and Lucille Caudill Little Arts Endowment. Her gift, the largest donation in KET history, will be matched by other private donations over five years and used for the purchase and production of arts programming for Kentucky schools.

According to Little, her devotion to the arts was first nurtured by her parents, Rosetta Proctor and Daniel Boone Caudill of Morehead. That devotion continued to grow throughout her various studies at Hamilton College, Ohio State University (where she earned a bachelor's degree), Columbia University, the Juilliard School of Music (where she earned a scholarship), and other schools.

As a faculty member at Morehead State Teachers College (now Morehead State University), Little established the school's departments of speech and drama.

Her marriage to the late W. Paul Little, a successful racehorse breeder with interests in real estate and farming, focused her attention on Central Kentucky, where she made major contributions to the community's cultural life, helping to establish the Lexington Children's Theatre, Studio Players, the Lexington Philharmonic, the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra, and the Living Arts & Science Center.

"We are very grateful for Mrs. Little's gift and the support it will lend our arts efforts at a time when the arts are undergoing major cutbacks and seem most vulnerable," said KET Executive Director and CEO Virginia G. Fox. "We are indebted to Mrs. Little for the leadership, enthusiasm, and energy that she has shared with KET."

In related news, Fox announced that KET has also received a $90,000 gift from the Steele-Reese Foundation. The donation can be used to match part of the Little gift, said Steele-Reese spokesman Jack Bryden.