Creating home isn’t only about finding a job to pay the bills. Feeling at home in your community also includes self-expression and connection with others. For centuries, we have utilized the arts as a unique tool of universal language, capable of expressing the human experience across a diversity of cultures and backgrounds. The KRM arts & culture program, Art Makes Home, not only provides opportunities to experience the global arts, it also serves as a vital component for strengthening our connectedness to one another, fostering understanding, preserving cultural tradition and elevating cultural awareness throughout our community.

At KRM, refugees and immigrants have the opportunity to engage in the arts, share their talents and tell their stories. Through these programs and events, local artists and community members have the opportunity to collaborate with refugee and immigrant artists and experience the global arts and cultures in Kentucky.

KRM Live

Each quarter, KRM Louisville holds a KRM Live showcase at venues throughout the city. The program includes global music, dance and performances from skilled artists who are immigrants, refugees, and US-born individuals.

These events are free, family-friendly, and open to the public. Light refreshments are often provided by international restaurants or bakeries. Donations are encouraged to support KRM’s programming. Check out upcoming arts and culture events on the KRM event page:

Events Calendar

KRM Live and Art Makes Home partnerships in recent years include Louisville Orchestra, Bernheim Forest, Louisville Free Public Libraries (LFPL), KY Opera, Hyphen Film Center, Newcomer Academy, Logan Street Market, La La Land Studios, Louisville Salsa Underground, Academy of Flamenco Arts, Briar Patch Audio, RhythmScienceSound, 21c Museum Hotel, Project Stories, Greater Art Solutions and more. Photography by Yunier Ramirez.

Collaborative Community Projects

As part of our mission, KRM aims to reduce barriers to career development and entry into the creative sector for refugee and immigrant artists by coordinating collaborative opportunities and providing a platform to showcase their artistry and cultural expression. These projects connect U.S.- and international-born artists to each other, forging new creative partnerships and furthering professional growth.

Past community projects have included United We Sing (2016) and We Create (2017-18). In 2020, KRM launched the ongoing Art Makes Home project. The initial installment of this programming presented the opportunity to view original artwork in publicly accessible indoor and outdoor spaces that spanned a diversity of Louisville locations during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. For this project, both U.S.- and international-born artists utilized a variety of mediums to create original pieces that center around the refugee and immigrant experience. Here you can see Art Makes Home installations throughout the community during 2020-2023. Some of KRM’s partnering locations continue to display Art Makes Home pieces today.

Below, top to bottom:  Artwork by Callie Wright, Morgan McGill and Huda Aldayyeni.

Media Archive

Visit KRM’s online media archive, launched as part of the Art Makes Home project in Louisville. This archive also features images from KRM’s arts and culture events, such as KRM Live.

Artwork at top of page by Susan Brooks