Words by Matt Wickstrom
Lexington has long been the cultural hub of Kentucky, boasting a central location and a low cost of living relative to other nearby cities. Not only have names like Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson launched their careers there, but the city is also home to artists like former Kentucky Poet Laureate Silas House, renowned chef Ouita Michel, and many more.
In recent years, a growing number of creatives from outside the Commonwealth have begun flocking to the town previously best known for its bourbon, basketball, and racehorses, giving it a fourth pillar to stand tall on.
One of those luminaries is actor, director, and film producer Rick Gomez. In the late 2010s, the California-based star best known for “Band of Brothers” and “Justified” befriended colleague Steve Zahn, who fell in love with Lexington and moved to the area in 2004. Soon after they became friends, the pair helped launch Macaroni Art Productions, an independent film studio that has produced projects like “She Dances” and “You Belong Here.” The latter is a docuseries created in conjunction with eight-time James Beard semifinalist chef Ouita Michel that highlights the state’s culture and community.
According to Gomez, working on the project was an eye-opening experience that shattered his perceptions of the state and its people. “I had many ideas about what I thought Kentucky was, but most of those assumptions were wrong,” Gomez says. “There’s a culture and vibrant arts scene here that is largely unknown and untapped. The whole mandate of ‘You Belong Here’ is to see the unseen. Since I’ve done that, Kentucky has been like a home away from home for me.”
Another creative from far away is Babita Shrestha, who immigrated to Minnesota from Nepal before moving to Kentucky in 2016.
Since then, she has operated a pop-up kitchen called Vegan Nepal and released two cookbooks—2022’s “Plant-Based Himalaya” and 2025’s “Garden Exotica.” Now, she’s preparing to launch her own online video series and offer a range of cooking classes as she continues building out her creative vision centered on food and community.
“I knew the world of food was where I wanted to create my art; I just didn’t know how to focus my energy on it until I came to Lexington,” Shrestha explains. “Being here has given me the confidence to pair my lifelong love for cooking with photography and design to make not one but two cookbooks—something I never thought possible before moving to town.”
Also building confidence and blossoming creatively after moving to Lexington in 2021 was Anna Pollock. The graphic designer, originally based on Bainbridge Island, Washington, primarily worked as an illustrator before relocating to Lexington during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, she’s moved into the 3D realm as well, doing everything from designing clothes to building stage sets for music festivals. According to Pollock, she initially planned to relocate to Nashville before visiting Kentucky and experiencing its welcoming energy.
“I could tell the environment was perfect for fostering creativity, but in a very communal way,” Pollock describes. “I instantly knew that if I moved here, I would feel welcomed and encouraged, and that has absolutely been the case.”
But these creatives don’t decide to come to Lexington for no reason. In addition to the city’s rich cultural heritage and economic accessibility, it also has a growing number of spaces for creatives to showcase their work. These include Gatton Park, the burgeoning Distillery District, the newly established home of the Lexington Theatre Company, The Commons—an emerging corridor that will soon be anchored by multipurpose event space The Rail—and a proposed entertainment district spearheaded by the University of Kentucky.
Together, this collection of venues and artisans has Lexington poised to become one of the South’s go-to hubs for creative innovation, with no signs of slowing down.
“The city is really good about cultivating the space that everybody’s in so there are good restaurants to go to, bands to see, and art to experience,” Gomez says. “The more you do that, the more you’re going to create a thriving and young community.”
