UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has designated Paducah, Kentucky, the world's 7th city of Crafts and Folk Art. This means that Paducah is now a part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network! Paducah, well known for its artistic population of quilters, painters, potters, culinary artists, print and jewelry makers, is now one of only three cities in the United States to have earned the Creative City designation and is one of only 41 cities world-wide with the designation. Launched in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network has played a vital role in fostering creative industries for sustainable development. The Creative Cities Network was designed with the promotion of the social, economic, and cultural development of cities in both the developed and the developing world in mind. Designation as a UNESCO Creative City benefits Paducah by helping to facilitate its creative tourism and sustainable development. Known as Quilt City USA® and recognized worldwide as a mecca for quilters and fiber artists, the city's Visitors Bureau pursued the application as a UNESCO Creative City because of this long lasting and internationally known tradition in the fine craft of quilt-making.

The qualifications for Paducah's acceptance into the UNESCO Creative City Network are many, including the strong presence of artisans in Paducah making their living as artists; The AQS Quilt Show & National Quilt Museum; Paducah artists' active engagement in the contemporary production of crafts; Paducah's craft training through AQS, the National Quilt Museum, the Paducah School of Art & Design, and numerous other workshops provided by various artists; the variety of art and craft related festivals including QuiltWeek™, LowerTown Art & Music Festival, and River’s Edge International Film Festival; and Paducah's rich crafts and folk art infrastructure, including museums, galleries, and crafts stores that provide hands-on art workshops. What UNESCO is just figuring out about Paducah we've known about Kentucky all our lives: it's a special place filled with special people. Come on over and stay in one of our Kentucky bed and breakfasts to find out what the buzz is about. You will not regret it.