LEXINGTON – The Lexington Public Art Commission voted Tuesday to advance plans for a permanent sculpture outside the Lyric Theatre while delaying action on a proposed street-painting pilot near Shropshire Avenue, signaling both enthusiasm for cultural placemaking and caution about traffic design and funding details.
Commissioners unanimously supported moving forward with approval of the Lady Lyric sculpture, a 15-foot steel figure currently installed outside the Lyric Theatre, clearing a key procedural hurdle for the artwork to remain on city property long-term. The piece, created by University of Kentucky student Hannah Stein, celebrates African American women and draws visual connections to the theater’s Kente-pattern mosaic wall.
Lyric Theatre Executive Director Christian Durr told commissioners the sculpture had already generated strong public response during its temporary installation and filled a long-neglected space that previously collected trash…