Collector Rev. Al Shands Launches Foundation for Kentucky Artists

THE COURIER-JOURNAL
By Elizabeth Kramer

Julien Robson and Al Shands have announced plans to form the Great Meadows Foundation to provide grants to Kentucky artists. 5/14/16(Photo: Marty Pearl/Special to The C-J)

KENTUCKY---Art collector and philanthropist Al Shands had a small epiphany several years ago when he attended a New York dinner party with architect Kulapat Yantrasast, the head of wHY architecture, which designed the remodeled Speed Art Museum. Now several years later, Shands is translating that idea of a singular, focused attention on the visual arts into opportunities for artists via his newly Great Meadows Foundation. This artists’ development grant will provide $500 to $5000 to artists for travel to help develop their art. What distinguishes Great Meadows Foundation is its founder is a collector and not an artist. [link]

The Rev. Al Shands, 85, philanthropist and collector, who lives with contemporary art at Great Meadows, his estate in Crestwood, Ky., is the subject of an upcoming book by Hatje Cantz entitled, “Great Meadows.”(Photo: By Brian Bohannon, Special to the C-J)