Eastern Kentucky is also known for its culture, from music to storytelling, the region has produced some of the country's most memorable art.

Now an organization in Hazzard is helping develop a new generation of artists.

The Appalachian Arts Alliance oversees much of the city's art culture, from murals and theater to music and dance.

Our Kacey Parker Bal shows us how art is changing this Eastern Kentucky community.

Eastern Kentucky is not the dark, dreaded wasteland that a lot of people have to have the image in their head of.

You know, there's a vibrant, exciting, thriving community here.

How do you share something you love?

The main thing is not to miss any.

For the three person team at the Appalachian Hearts Alliance, you work to inspire a community.

Having it right here where people can can be in the community that they work in, that they live in, and having the opportunity to learn and play here has just made it a more seamless community.

Tim Deaton, executive director for the Arts Alliance, says they took off during the COVID pandemic.

They were one of the first to reopen their doors and the community was starving for a place to express themselves.

Now Hazard's downtown is growing, and Deaton says the arts are two things.

People didn't really understand how the arts can influence and allow you to create a community.

Their programs range from theater.

And you say that one line over here to music.

The reason I.

Think it's important to, you know, be exposed to some culture, even if that's just taking a ballet class for a little kid, you know, for a semester.

This summer, a group of kids are working to put on a play from the ground up over just a week.

So when I was about 21, I was ready to to move away.

I was I didn't feel like there is anything here.

Lindsey Branson grew up in Perry County.

She moved away to pursue a music career but moved back and found a home in Hazard.

I just love being able to work in Appalachia and be the person that younger may wish she could have had growing up.

The feeling is the same for the whole staff.

Dayton returned after pursuing his dreams in New York.

Just the mountains called me home.

I wanted to be back here with my family and with my people.

And so providing an opportunity to the next generations that I never had the opportunity to learn and to find a craft that you're interested in and actually craft that and hone in on those skills.

Before you take that next step into later education, it would have been a landmark for me.

The staff pursued what they believed to be their biggest dreams, but found that what they really wanted was back home, helping the next generation learn life's lessons through art.

We have a rich, rich heritage, a rich culture, and we're not going to let it die.

I just want it to be able to spread not just and not just in the ghetto hazard, but I want it to spread all through eastern Kentucky and maybe one day the entire state.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm K.C.

Parker.

Belle.