‘Birth of Hope’ sculpture installed at Fayette County Detention Center

A new public art project was installed Friday near the front entrance of the Fayette County Detention Center on Old Frankfort Pike.

The steel sculpture, “The Birth of Hope,” is a tribute to the spirit of the public servants who work at the county jail, said Mayor Linda Gorton.

“This work of art will be a beacon of hope and renewal to those who come and go from the Detention Center, and will add to the rich history of our arts community,” Gorton said.

Designed by Dave Caudill, who attended the University of Kentucky the Louisville School of Art, has designed art for public, private and corporate clients. His sculptures can be found at UK’s Singletary Center for the Arts, Louisiana’s Rip Van Winkle Gardens and East Tennessee’s Horizon Central Park.

The $200,000 sculpture was paid for through the city’s 1% for the arts program, which designates 1 % of bond proceeds or borrowing toward public art.

The city decided to put the sculpture at the front entrance of the Fayette County Detention Center because it is on Old Frankfort Pike, which is a National Scenic Byway and major tourism corridor leading to horse country. Moreover, the city owns the land in front of the jail, cutting the costs of installation and making it easier for the city to install the artwork, city officials said.

The design was picked by corrections employees, members of the Lexington Public Arts Commission and local artists.

Beth Musgrave

Lexington Herald-Leader

Beth Musgrave has covered government and politics for the Herald-Leader for more than a decade. A graduate of Northwestern University, she has worked as a reporter in Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois and Washington D.C. Support my work with a digital subscription