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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 2, 2025) — The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees today accepted a $150 million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation to construct a new arts district, including a new College of Fine Arts building and a several-hundred seat theater.

The gift is the single largest in UK’s history.

“This gift will realize a vision to create an arts district on the western edge of our campus,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “There, we can integrate art into an area of Lexington that is an increasingly vibrant and vital intersection of campus and city, town and gown.”

The gift will make possible:

• Relocation and construction of a new College of Fine Arts Building along South Broadway next to the newly constructed Gray Design Building.
• Construction of a several-hundred-seat theater that will house performances of dance, music and theater.
• Creation of a pavilion, with a park that will connect several blocks on and near South Broadway and Bolivar Street, near UK’s existing School of Arts and Visual Studies (SA/VS) Building and a short walk from the city’s Gatton Park at Town Branch, Rupp Arena, Central Bank Center and the Distillery District.

More information about the gift and the initiative can be found at pres.uky.edu/bill-gatton-foundations-historic-gift. Construction will require legislative authorization to issue bonds. Capilouto said discussions have already begun with legislative leaders about the project.

The College of Fine Arts community, Capilouto said, will also be engaged in discussions about programming for the new arts district as well as planning for the future of facilities like the Singletary Center and UK Art Museum.

“We have much work to do, which will require engagement, discussions and planning with a large number of stakeholders,” Capilouto said. “That is in front of us and we are committed to that process.”

“This $150 million gift — the largest in UK’s history — will help not only the university but also Lexington and Kentucky, as it creates a vibrant, welcoming arts district for students, Kentuckians and visitors to enjoy,” said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. “Education and the arts fuel our economy and our workforce, and investments like these are how we keep working to build a bright future for generations.”

“I’m anxious to authorize bonds so that construction can begin quickly,” said Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers. “This expansion may be the impetus for more students pursuing a fine arts degree and perhaps working in the film industry, a growing industry made possible by Senate Bill 1 of the 2025 session.”

“Bill Gatton’s extraordinary generosity has transformed lives across Kentucky, and today’s historic gift continues that legacy,” said Kentucky House Speaker David Osborne. “His vision for education, community and the arts reflects the very best of our Commonwealth’s values. It celebrates our incredible heritage and makes way for an even more promising future. This arts district will not only enrich the University of Kentucky, but will also strengthen Lexington and our entire state.”

Today’s gift is another milestone in an era of remarkable giving on behalf of UK alumnus Bill Gatton and his foundation. Gatton’s previous gifts to UK total more than $200 million on behalf of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the Gatton College of Business and Economics, the Gatton Student Center and scholarship programs such as UK LEADS, which serve to close the gap for students with unmet financial need.

“Place matters. And Mr. Gatton’s place was always Kentucky,” Capilouto said. “More than most, Mr. Gatton understood so well that we advance as a state in so many ways — health and education, the economy and the well-being of our people.

“But he knew, too, that there must be places and spaces to gather, to convene, to come together, to share and have our horizons expanded and our souls replenished. Today, we mark acceptance of a remarkable gift, made through the generosity of a remarkable man, who always returned to the thing that mattered most: Kentucky.”

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 14, 2025) — University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto today announced the launch of CATS AI, an initiative designed to coordinate and advance artificial intelligence efforts and expertise across the UK campus and throughout the Commonwealth. 

About CATS AI 

CATS (Commonwealth AI Transdisciplinary Strategy) AI will serve as a central hub to integrate AI activities across UK’s 17 colleges, libraries, research centers and institutes, as well as its academic and health care enterprises. 

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping our world — expanding access to information, transforming workplaces, reimagining research and innovation, and revolutionizing health care,” Capilouto said. “At the University of Kentucky, we are committed to becoming an AI university — where AI enhances how we teach, learn, research, heal and serve the Commonwealth.” 

Goals and impact 

The initiative builds on a recent resolution by the UK Board of Trustees, charging the university to become Kentucky’s “partner of choice” for the responsible use and expansion of AI. CATS AI will leverage AI to advance UK’s mission of improving health and well-being through the Advancing Kentucky Together (AKT) Network. 

To do this, CATS AI will support a range of efforts, including:

• AI literacy, training and tools for all UK employees to improve workplace efficiency. 

• AI-enabled resources for students, including academic support tools and exploration opportunities. 

• Potential development of an AI-themed residence hall. 

• Health care innovation through expanded use of ambient listening tools and improved rural access to care. 

• Enhanced research collaboration using digital discovery platforms and advanced computing infrastructure. 

“AI is changing every part of our economy, and Kentucky must guide that change responsibly and purposefully. The University of Kentucky’s CATS AI initiative gives our commonwealth a partner that can help us prepare students, support workers and modernize services in a way that strengthens public trust of this rapidly advancing technology,” said state Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe. “As co-chair of the AI Task Force, I’m encouraged to see our higher-education institutions stepping up to lead in this moment. This will prove a positive example of how to utilize and integrate AI, and it will prepare future members of the workforce on how to make the most of it in a beneficial way.” 

“Artificial intelligence isn’t just a buzzword. It is a transformative tool that is reshaping how we live, work and deliver care,” said state Rep. Josh Bray, who is co-chair of the state’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force. “The University of Kentucky’s CATS AI initiative will help ensure Kentucky leads in the responsible use of AI, from improving health care access in rural communities to advancing research, education and workforce training. I appreciate UK taking this forward-looking approach that keeps innovation grounded in service to people and progress for our Commonwealth.”   

Governance and leadership 

A steering committee of university leaders will oversee five subcommittees focused on education, research, student experience, health care and workplace administration. Initially, the CATS AI hub will be led by interim co-directors Ian McClure, UK vice president for innovation, and Heath Price, associate vice president for partnerships. A search for a permanent director will begin soon. 

“This is an inflection point to lead, just as those who came before us did when they created institutions to respond to transformative technologies,” Capilouto said. “This is our moment to ensure Kentucky not only keeps pace with change but helps shape it.” 

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 20, 2025) — The University of Kentucky must be the “partner-of-choice” for developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies as part of its mission to advance the health of Kentucky.

That was the strong direction outlined in a resolution adopted by the UK Board of Trustees and given to President Eli Capilouto and the campus at the conclusion of its annual retreat over two days this past week in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

“Over the past few years, we have continually challenged President Capilouto and the campus to accelerate their efforts to advance this state — its health, its economy and its education,” said UK Board Chair Britt Brockman. “In this resolution, we are charging our president and campus … to be the partner-of-choice across this state in the development of AI and associated technologies. We can be a leader here. Or we can be left behind. We must be a leader.”

The resolution is an extension of the charge the board gave to Capilouto and the campus last year at its retreat — to create a network, now called the Advancing Kentucky Together Network (AKT Network) — that pushes UK to work with partners across the state to do more than any institution in the country to advance the overall health of the state it serves.

During the board’s annual retreat this year, members also received extensive briefings from UK Cooperative Extension leaders, visited the UK Research and Education Center at Princeton Station Research Farm, and engaged in feedback sessions regarding the progress over the last year made in the development of the AKT Network.

Several partners across the state — in education, life sciences and health care — have signed onto the AKT Network and dozens more have inquired about engaging with UK. The resolution from last week’s retreat calls on the university to accelerate the network’s expansion by significantly expanding efforts across the campus and Commonwealth to utilize AI and other technologies.

“Today, the University of Kentucky strives to be the partner-of-choice in AI and technology development — now and in the future.  And what does it mean to be the partner-of-choice?” asked UK President Eli Capilouto.  “To move with a spirit of humility and generosity…to listen and learn more, together…to be the institution people turn to as we turn to them…and all for the sake — the promise — of a healthier, wealthier and wiser Commonwealth.”

Specifically, the resolution highlights the four key areas of AKT Network partnerships — health care access and innovation, education and opportunity pipelines, economic and workforce development, and community and land-grant engagement — and directs the university to use AI to accelerate progress through partnerships.

Some of the key goals outlined in the resolution include:

• Expanding care delivery beyond traditional settings using AI tools such as virtual assistants and remote care platforms, with a focus on rural and underserved communities.
• Developing accelerated degree pathways in high-demand sectors like health care and manufacturing to fast-track students into the workforce.
• Creating seamless transfer and career pathways in key sectors like health care and manufacturing to maximize credit transfer and degree completion.
• Deepen community relationships through listening, co-creation and mutual benefit.
• Expanding and promoting UK Cooperative Extension programs in mental health, financial literacy and youth development tailored to local needs.

“That is how we will further our goal of advancing the overall health of the Commonwealth — by leveraging with others what only we can do across research, education, service and care…translating that progress into purpose,” Capilouto said. “For Kentucky to advance, we must push her to lead…and for artificial intelligence, we are the right institution, with the right people and talent, to do so. And that sentiment — the right people, at the right place and at the most important time — working together, leveraging their expertise and talent, in a spirit of partnership, to harness these powerful technologies for good in our state.”

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.