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The Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) has announced its 2025 class, marking the 38th year the program has been welcoming student artists from across the Commonwealth.

Since 1987, more than 8,500 rising high school juniors and seniors have arrived on a college campus setting to immerse themselves in an arts intensive environment, with cross-discipline learning, special guest artist performances and the opportunity to access critical life-changing college scholarships.

The 2025 class will include 512 students from 72 different counties and will be held at The University of Kentucky over two consecutive sessions throughout the summer. Each of the two sessions will be three weeks, with Session One taking place June 8 to June 28 and Session Two July 6 to July 26, 2025.

During the program, student-artists will be immersed in a rigorous schedule of daily seminars, creative projects, master classes and lectures. Instruction will be offered in nine disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Design, Drama, Film+Photography, Instrumental Music, Musical Theatre, Visual Art, and Vocal Music.  

Participating from Harlan County is:

Bailey Dunn, of Harlan County High School, for Drama

Kylie Ward, of Harlan County High School, for Drama

“GSA creates opportunity and options for so many young artists across Kentucky,” said Jason Brooks, director of GSA. “These students engage with each other and educators in an art intensive environment, while establishing lifelong friendships and return home to inspire those in their own community.”

GSA is a public/private partnership inaugurated in 1987 by The Kentucky Center, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and numerous private supporters. Today, the vital funding required to make GSA a reality is provided by the state through the leadership of the Governor’s Office and the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, as well as The Kentucky Center Endowment Fund, David F. Young and Cheryl Cahill, Toyota Motor Manufacturing and more than 300 corporations, parents, educators, alumni and friends of GSA.