AIA KY Convention + Awards Banquet

*LAST CALL TO REGISTER BY 9/15/22*

The 2026 AIA KY Convention - "Bluegrass Built", presented by JQOL, and Design & Service Awards Banquet will be held on 9/22/26 at the AIA KY Award-Winning Speed Art Museum in Louisville.

Reserve your spot today and review the full day schedule - including up to 8 AIA LU (6 HSW) in keynotes, sessions, sketch and building tours! Followed by Awards Banquet!

AIA KY Partners with UK CoD



As stated in our mission, "advancing and strengthening the profession of architecture" is a core goal. On August 20th, all first year students in the UK School of Architecture received an AIA Kentucky Sponsored Toolkit filled with essential supplies, helping reduce financial barriers and strengthen connections to Kentucky’s architectural community from day one.

Together, we’re investing in a more accessible and equitable future for the profession! See more photos here.

2026 AIA KY A.R.E. Grant Program

AIA Kentucky is accepting applicants for round TWO of our 2026 ARE Grant Program - intended to encourage eligible candidates to pursue professional licensure.

We will issue up to eight (8) grants in the amount of up to $250 each. Grant funds may be used for either the cost of testing or for other associated costs, including study material. The online application portal is open now, with a submission deadline of September 25, 2026. More info.

2026-27 CKLDP Scholars Selected



Congratulations to the 16 scholars below, who were selected as the newest class of our Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program. We can’t wait to launch this year’s program with this group at an exciting Bootcamp Session next Friday, September 11!

• Nicholas Abend, Assoc. AIA - Omni Architects
• Robert Barnhart, AIA - Gray AES
• Alex Bosse, Assoc. AIA - Bosse Construction
• Sommer Cade, Assoc. AIA - JRA Architects
• Emily Clawson, Assoc. AIA - Integrity Architecture
• Samia Eid, Assoc. AIA - JRA Architects
• Dominic Elpers, AIA - K. Norman Berry Associates Architects
• Jane Foote, AIA - Stengel Hill Architecture
• Zahra Hajibabaei, Assoc. AIA
• Ye Jin, AIA - Champlin Studios
• Ryan Littman, AIA - Quinn Evans
• Jonathan Ruiz, AIA - RossTarrant Architects
• Nathan Thomas, Assoc. AIA - Luckett & Farley
• Morgan Wesley, Assoc. AIA - Tate Hill Jacobs Architects
• Christopher Wilson, AIA - Gray AES
• Emily Wolfe, AIA - Ross Tarrant Architects

2026 AIA KY Officers & Annual Meeting

The 2026 AIA Kentucky Annual Meeting will be held virtually on Friday, October 23. The agenda will include ratifying election results for 2027 officers*, reports on the state of the chapter, and discussion about key initiatives for the year ahead. Register to attend.

*The ballot containing AIA Kentucky's slate of officers for 2027 has been distributed via email to all current members and responses must be submitted by 5:00PM on Monday. September 28. YOUR VOICE IS IMPORTANT so be sure to CAST YOUR VOTE TODAY.

AIA KY Board Meeting & Social Hour



The AIA Kentucky Board of Directors recently held its August Board Meeting and Social Hour at the University of Kentucky College of Design - Gray Design Building.

We were pleased to be joined by members of AIA East Kentucky and local Allied Members for an evening of connection, conversation, and collaboration. We appreciate everyone who joined us and continue to strengthen our profession and architectural community. Thanks to sponsors, Louvered Outdoor & ERS Wireless!

UK CoD Symposium & Fall Lecture Series



UK College of Design, in partnership with Great Meadows Foundation, will host "Altered States: Art, Ecology, and Collective Practices," a symposium on collaborative environmental and community-based art, Sept. 18 at the Gray Design Building.

Follow their website for upcoming events and lectures.

Membership Benefits

Member Benefit Spotlight

As an AIA member, you have access to numerous insurance coverages and retirement options designed to fit your needs and budget. Check Your Options at AIA Trust.



Getting Licensed? Check out AIA ArchiPrep: it's a one-stop shop for support and opportunities like free membership, scholarships, and study groups.

LegaLine: This service provides affordable access to A/E attorneys for contracts, liability, and practice questions for AIA members

Opportunities:



• Free LEE Building Products is offering a free Masonry Boot Camp in Louisville on 9/17.
• 2026 Safety Assessment Program (SAP) Evalutor Training Program virtually 9/16-9/17.
• AIA Trust Week 2026 includes (9) free virtual sessions focused on issues shaping architecture practice today, including AI, cybersecurity, climate resilience, legal risk, professional liability, healthcare, retirement, employee benefits - 9/28-10/2.
• 2026 CLT Regional Mass Timber Conference in Lexington 10/12 - 10/14.
• 2026 AIA Firm Management Symposium in Washington, DC 10/1-10/2 is a new AIA event delivering focused, high-value learning on the fundamentals that drive firm success.

Membership News

• Congratulations to Integrity Architecture, JRA Architects and Morris Workshop Architects, who were recently awarded the gold, silver and bronze medals in the architecture firm category of the 2026 #Best of Lexington Magazine (page 66).
• Congratulations to our AIA Allied Benefactor, Paladin, who were recently awarded the bronze medal in Engineering Firm Category of the 2026 #Best of Lexington Magazine (page 68)
• Congratulations to our AIA Allied Member, Anderson & Rodgers Construction, who were recently awarded the gold medal in Custom Homebuilder category of the 2026 #Best of Lexington Magaine (page 59)
• AIA KY Executive Vice President, Kelly Ives, AIA, CAE, attened the 2026 CACE Annual Meeting on 8/10-8/12 in Kansas City - the premier gathering created exclusively for AIA component executive directors and staff teams. The in‑person experience brought together peers from across the country to connect, collaborate, and tackle the most pressing issues facing AIA components today.

Looking for old "Kentucky Architect" Magazines

If anyone has old copies of the "Kentucky Architect" magazine that was published in the 1960s and 70s, please contact Steve Wiser at wiserfaia@outlook.com.

Exciting News? TAG US in Your Social Media Posts or Email Us!

Please help increase awareness of our profession by tagging AIA Kentucky in your firm's posts on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn or send an email. Let's collaborate!

New Members

Welcome New and Returning Members

(Joined or Reinstated since August 2026)

• Garret Lukens, AIA, Gresham-Smith, Louisville
• Casey Mather, AIA, Hocker+Mather Architecture, Lexington
• Eniola Olaleye, Assoc. AIA, Lexington
• Kelsey Rhea, Assoc. AIA, Louisville

Allied Benefactor of the Month Spotlight:

Brown & Kubican Structural Engineers

With over 25 years of service, Brown + Kubican, PSC provides innovative structural engineering services including design, analysis, and investigation. With offices in Lexington, Louisville, and a new Chattanooga office opening in 2026, BK continues to deliver creative, cost-effective structural solutions to meet your goals.. Read more..

Calendar of Events

AIA Kentucky and local chapter events are consolidated on a single calendar accessible via the AIA Kentucky Website. We'll post information about conferences, chapter events and other "happenings" of interest to the architectural community.

NCARB & Early Professional News

NCARB’s Board of Directors recently moved to adopt updates to the Competency Standard for Architects. The updated document includes detailed criteria to provide greater clarity around the expected level of competency necessary for initially licensed architects. As NCARB volunteers explore potential new methods of assessing competency through the Pathways to Practice initiative, this level of detail will ensure that candidates’ competency is evaluated consistently across all pathways to initial licensure. 

The YAF (Young Architects Forum) Open Mic Night: will be on 8/13/26 from 6:00-7:30pm via Zoom focused on the topic of "Finding Your Fit: Aligning Values, Work and Purpose. Register here.

National Architecture Billings Index

July 2026 ABI: Architecture firm billings remained weak in July, with the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) at 46.6, extending the downturn in business conditions to nearly three and a half years. Inquiries into new projects continued to rise, but newly signed design contracts declined. This month’s report also looks at mergers and acquisitions as a strategy for growth and long-term stability. Thirty percent of responding firm leaders said they had participated in or actively considered a merger or acquisition in the past year, and 65% expect M&A activity among U.S. architecture firms to increase over the next three to five years.

Coming up: Q4 Economic Update is October 21 at 2pm ET | Register >

AIA National News

AIA statement on SCOTUS White House ballroom decision: on August 31, the Supreme Court of the United States granted the Trump Administration’s request to allow construction on a new White House Ballroom, reversing a lower court’s decision stopping the project. Read more here.

2026 AIA Women's Leadership Summit: November 1-3, 2026 in Kansas City, MO - founded by AIA, is the industry’s premier event dedicated to accelerating women into leadership positions in architecture, design, and the allied building industries.Visit the website for details & registration.

Q4 Economic Insights from AIA: on October 21, join AIA Chief Economist Richard Branch and EVP/CEO Carole Wedge, FAIA, for their quarterly conversation on key insights into the industry’s latest economic data and trends. Read more here.

AIA AI Firm Toolkit - a free, interactive resource designed to help architecture firms of every size adopt AI responsibly. Learn more about this important resource here.

Updated AIA Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct Available: see the current code with approved ammendments.

More AIA Products & Resources:

• AIA Career Center - Search open jobs, post your resume and set up job alerts.
• AIA Contract Documents - Choose from 180+ industry standard contracts and forms
• Business Intelligence - Navigate current business conditions, make smarter decisions, and prep for the future with AIA's business intelligence.
• The AIA Trust - Resources to protect your practice and plan for your future.
• AIAU - 300+ instructors bring the industry's best learning to you.
• Knowledge Communities - CE opportunities, discussion forums and research libraries on specific areas of practice that interest you. See all KC events.

Allied Membership is recognized by all three local components, with a portion of dues supporting local programs. Learn More

AIA Kentucky | aiaky.org