CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Fifty Kentuckians from 25 counties will gather in Taylor County from May 23–25 as part of the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (RUX)—a statewide leadership program fostering collaboration across diverse sectors and regions of the Commonwealth.
This visit marks the second consecutive year RUX has selected Campbellsville and Taylor County as a host community.
About the 2025 RUX Cohort:
- Selected through a highly competitive process this spring, the 50-member cohort begins their two-year journey through the intensive RUX leadership curriculum.
- Participants represent a wide range of sectors including community development, education, the arts, agriculture, government, health, and business.
- They hail from 25 counties: Allen, Campbell, Casey, Clark, Daviess, Fayette, Franklin, Graves, Harlan, Henry, Jefferson, Jessamine, Kenton, Knott, Lawrence, Madison, McCracken, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Perry, Rowan, Scott, Taylor, Trimble, and Wolfe.
These leaders bring a rich diversity of background, thought, and geography, working together to bridge divides, strengthen civic life, and increase statewide collaboration.
Local Host Community Highlights:
Campbellsville/Taylor County is one of two host communities this year, alongside Morehead/Rowan County (July 18–20, 2025). Cohort members will also participate in a network intensive at Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park in September, where they’ll join alumni and RUX members-at-large. All Kentuckians are eligible to join RUX as members-at-large.
“We were excited to be chosen in 2024 as a RUX location, but this year feels even sweeter—almost like a homecoming,” said Jessie Harden-Calhoun, Host Community Coordinator.
This year’s program in Campbellsville will explore:
- The ecology of the Green River
- How the community supports at-risk populations
- The role of safe community spaces
Participants will also visit local landmarks such as:
- Tim Horton’s Camp Kentahten
- Homeplace on Green River
- Tebbs Bend Battlefield
- Historic Downtown & Court Street
- Campbellsville Civic Center
- The Imani Center
- Green River Lake State Park
“I’m really excited they’ll be staying on our beloved Green River Lake and diving into some deep conversations with the treasures in our town,” added Harden-Calhoun.
Impact & Legacy:
Now in its 11th year, RUX is nationally recognized for facilitating meaningful dialogue around Kentucky’s most pressing issues. Cohort members also participate in professional development workshops, gain leadership skills, and collaborate on community-based projects.
RUX co-founder Savannah Barrett notes, “People are changed by RUX, and those people go on to change Kentucky.”
In the past two years alone, 37 alumni teams have received microgrants to implement projects that make forests and waterways healthier, revitalize main streets, and build stronger communities. Two of those projects have taken root in Taylor County—including a youth education initiative with Forever Green.
Local Partners and Sponsors Include:
- Tim Horton Camp Kentahten
- Taylor County Tourist Commission
- Eric Hurtgen Studio
For more information about the 2025 Kentucky RUX cohort or to get involved, visit: www.kyrux.org
About Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (RUX):
An initiative of Art of the Rural, the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (RUX) is a creative leadership program building professional and intercultural capacity across racial, economic, and geographic divides. Since its founding in 2014, RUX has engaged more than 300 Kentuckians from 65 counties, changing the context of collaboration to foster innovation and statewide impact.
RUX has been featured by the New York Times, the National Governors Association, the Kennedy Center, the Wall Street Journal, and the National Endowment for the Arts, among others.