Macaroni Art Productions Owners Rick Gomez and Steve Zhan, VisitLex President/CEO Mary Quinn Ramer, ‘You Belong Here’ Chef Ouita Michel, Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, Wrigley Media Group Owner/CEO Misdee Wrigley, Secretary of Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Lindy Casebier, and Unbridled Films Producer/CEO Merry-Kay Poe, at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York June 9.
“YOU BELONG HERE” TRIBECA NOMINEE GOT ITS START FROM SEED MONEY AND REGIONAL COLLABORATION EFFORT
Transformational project sparks Kentucky film, farm-to-table focus
FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 16, 2025)—A $10 million seed investment from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in fiscal year 2021-2022 has blossomed into international recognition for Kentucky. The investment earned the commonwealth a coveted spot in the world-renowned Tribeca Film Festival and established Kentucky as a rising star in film production.
Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, was one of many Kentuckians excited to see “You Belong Here” debut at the film festival. Featuring Lexington Chef Ouita Michel, the pilot show celebrates Kentucky’s people, places, and food through storytelling and hands-on learning, incorporating the people and food from Central and southeastern Kentucky. It included many local chefs creating an inviting atmosphere in their eateries, including The Wrigley with owner and Chef Kristin Smith, in Corbin, Kentucky.
Stivers’ vision for regional collaboration prompted VisitLex President Mary Quinn Ramer to think more broadly than just Lexington. 'You Belong Here' received $500,000 in ARPA funding as part of a larger $75 million allocation to the Kentucky Tourism Cabinet during the 2022 budget session through House Bill 1. This funding was divided into four tranches, with the fourth specifically targeting multi-jurisdictional collaborative destination marketing projects, and “You Belong Here” was born.
The Governor’s Office of Tourism, Arts & Heritage administered a competitive grant program requiring at least five collaborating tourism commissions, a multi-county marketing plan, and matching funds. Priority was given to projects with the potential for long-term transformational impacts. Recipients are required to provide at least 10 percent in matching funds and report annually on expenditures and outcomes.
Ramer took the seed money and collaborated with leaders from across the Commonwealth: Corbin, Somerset, Lexington, Louisville, Northern Kentucky, Bowling Green, Paducah, and Owensboro to create this uniquely Kentucky project.
“Bringing ‘You Belong Here’ to life was a tremendous opportunity to showcase Kentucky tourism through the lens of food, culture, and genuine Kentucky hospitality with one of our state’s greatest ambassadors, Ouita Michel, as host,” said Ramer. “I appreciate Senator Stivers’ vision for regional tourism development. Working together, we can drive great interest in and impact for the greater good of our Commonwealth.”
Stakeholders in this effort included the Kentucky legislature, VisitLex, the Agriculture Commissioner, and the Governor’s office. The project was especially appealing to all because it featured purchasing $10 million in Kentucky Proud products, highlighting a genuine farm-to-table approach.
Stivers expressed pride in the project’s success, “It’s exciting to see a Kentucky-grown project like ‘You Belong Here’ receive international acclaim. This is precisely the transformational impact the legislature envisioned when we invested in regional tourism initiatives years ago.”
With Kentucky now in the international spotlight and its farm-to-table movement showcased on a global stage, “You Belong Here” is a testament to the power of strategic investment in regional tourism and creative industries. If picked up by one of the prominent streaming platforms, it could turn into nine half-hour episodes.
For more information on Kentucky’s tourism initiatives and “You Belong Here,” visit [KentuckyTourism.com](https://www.kentuckytourism.com).