I would like to hear a reaction from any woman who has used Hopscotch House in the past. Please reach out via my contact form.
March 8, 2024
Dear KFW Community,
I would like to hear a reaction from any woman who has used Hopscotch House in the past. Please leave a message below, on Facebook, or via email.As you know, the KFW Staff and Board have been working diligently on a plan for Hopscotch House since 2021. During this time, we have adapted our vision as we responded to challenges that arose. We have updated the community at every step along the way in the KFW Hot Flash newsletter and on our website.
We started with an inspection report that indicated renovations were needed on the house and land. As a feminist organization with a commitment to equity and access, we wanted our decisions to be informed by the community we serve so we asked for input through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
We also consulted a historic preservationist, land trust organizations, historic records, nonprofits that serve Indigenous women, a disability advocate, and former owners of the land.
The information we received indicated several issues:
Not everyone felt that Hopscotch House was a welcoming space or felt a sense of belonging there. Young artists of color did not see themselves represented in the art collection or in the house.
Some community members reported not feeling safe to enter the land due to the many private property signs.
Some community members stated they had difficulty physically managing the space and asked for accessibility updates.
The relationship to the land has changed from what it had been in the past. Artists were not able to walk as freely to waterfalls and off trails.
Some KFW community members were concerned for their safety after experiencing racially charged incidents from non-KFW community members.
Artists asked for studio space with sinks and floors that could be messy.
Everyone wanted updated electricity, a sustainable water source, better internet/wifi options, A/V technology, a larger meeting space with easily movable chairs/tables, more interaction with nature, screened in porches, camping in the woods, and access to the barns.
Hopscotch House primarily served artists within a limited geographical area.
We hired an architect whose designs kept the historic look of the farmhouse while making changes that would have made Hopscotch House:
Viable working space for visual, performing, and media artists.
ADA accessible.
sustainable and eco-friendly, allowing closer interactions to nature,
relevant to needs of young artists,
inclusive of diverse generations to come.
The Staff and Board were excited about the possibility of a revitalized retreat space.
Although our founder has not participated on the board for several years, she was informed of these changes as we went along. She initially agreed with the renovation plans and offered financial support. At one point she withdrew her support and stated she is opposed to development. Although KFW’s property is surrounded by a conservation easement that is of prime importance to our founder, our mission is not conservation or historic preservation.
KFW then commissioned an externally led feasibility study which gathered input from leaders, foundations, finance experts, and artists. Support from a founder is generally considered essential to a successful process. The results of this study were reviewed by board members, staff, and trusted community allies.
Keeping the KFW mission front and center, the following points guided our decision-making process:
What is a fair and equitable distribution of funds across KY?
Should this significant amount of money be put into a house that can serve only a part of the KFW community, or should funds be put directly into the hands of artists across KY?
If the KFW endowment was used to directly fund the renovation, there would be an estimated $60,000 to $70,000 less per year to give to artists across KY.
We then sent out an Artist Needs survey to ask what was most important to our artist community.
One of the highest survey responses we received was the desire to have retreats and residencies that are within driving distance with sites chosen by the individual artist. To honor this request, we are developing a rapid response fund for retreat opportunities and expanding our Artist Enrichment grant to include residency options. We want artists to feel safe and welcome at the site of their choosing.
We will be placing our property at Hopscotch House up for sale. We acknowledge that this will be bittersweet for those who have enjoyed the house for many years. As part of our upcoming 40th anniversary, we are gathering stories about Hopscotch House through our blog.
Today, we affirm our commitment to art first, and to a feminist ecosystem that is a framework for resourcing action for change. These plans are under development:
The Sallie Bingham Award will come with a $5,000 award.
A new writers prize in conjunction with a donation from the KY Women’s Writers Conference.
An Unexpected Opportunities mini-grant that will improve our ability to provide flexible funding between grant cycles.
Increased sponsorship awards.
Multi-year grants for experienced grantees.
Added opportunities for funding in the Artist Enrichment grants for digital security, accessibility, physical safety, radical rest, and healing justice.
Opportunities for funding artist gatherings and convenings to strengthen our bonds between artists.
Residencies with our partner Sisters of Loretto will continue.
In 1985 our mission began with the idea of putting funds directly into the hands of feminist artists. In 2025, we will honor and uphold this directive with our commitment to equity and access remaining at the forefront of this vision.
Thank you to everyone who provided valuable input and feedback throughout this process. We are looking forward to celebrating our 40th anniversary with the KFW community.
In solidarity,
The KFW Board and Staff
This email is also available online.
What a sad day to read this. Almost like a death in the family. I attended an over night retreat at Hopscotch and had one of the most wonderful experiences I will always treasure. How can we stop the sale for development. Shame on them. It must hurt your heart.
The Hopscotch House was the most welcoming and peaceful experience Louisville has offered me when working in a group setting with artists. To be surrounded by women who were attuned to natural and organic values as sensitive and receptive creators was a very whole and nourishing moment for me. I truly understood the link between women and creative energy from the earth itself as a diversely providing source of support. The experience also taught me that activism as ecological expression could be peaceful and generate abundance as opposed to scarcity and fear models of co-creative engagement. I am very uncomfortable with the idea that the site and all its energy is not being coopted as opposed to becoming a legacy of such ideas. What is the worth of nature herself?
What a great loss to a large community of Kentucky Women Writers who were empowered by the support it provided. A second blow following the loss of the Kentucky Women Writers Conference. In my writing group today we shared our experiences at writing at Hopscotch and sharing meals and craft discussions. It was life changing and affirming for many of us. I’m so grateful to have participated.