(Indianapolis, IN) – The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) on Thursday announced it has awarded five Indiana communities with early action grants to implement creative community development projects designed to enhance the quality of life and grow local economies.
Dillsboro joins Bedford, Monticello, Valparaiso, and Warsaw in receiving grant funding through phase two of the pilot program Creative Convergence, which was offered this spring in partnership with the Indiana Communities Institute at Ball State University.
The Creative Convergence pilot is an outgrowth of a research study released by ICI in 2022.
“Planning with Arts & Culture” examined how Indiana municipalities were utilizing local arts and culture in their community and economic strategies. Key among the findings was the expressed need for support in identifying and leveraging the creative sector to improve the quality of life for all.
In phase one, participating community teams composed of government, economic development, and creative sector representatives attended a two-day training delivered by Indiana Communities Institute (ICI) focused on topics such as understanding the positive impacts of arts and creativity on communities, quality of place as a talent attraction and retention tool, local economy diversification, community asset and needs identification, and community engagement.
ICI brings together top research and outreach activities to assist communities as they strive to improve life experiences for residents, businesses, and visitors.
As one of the pilot Creative Convergence communities, the Dillsboro project calls for creating a vibrant and active town center through the Dillsboro Arts organization, which will renovate an underused area in a current facility to become the multipurpose Dillsboro Arts Creator Space. That space will then be filled with a robust schedule of learning experiences and public performances in all arts disciplines.
“The involvement of the Indiana Communities Institute was critical to the Creative Convergence pilot,” said Miah Michaelsen, Executive Director of the IAC. “The ICI is recognized statewide for the quality of their community and economic development training programs, and their partnership was invaluable in ensuring that both the creative sector and Indiana communities had access to the latest in quality of life and local economies research.”
“The Indiana Communities Institute has long advocated for place-based, people-focused investments to ensure stronger and more sustainable communities,” said Brian Blackford, Director of Program Development and Training for the ICI. “We are excited to continue working with the Indiana Arts Commission to further explore the impact that arts and culture can have in all areas of the state.”
As a result of the pilot training and grant funding, the five communities will gain experience in how to embed arts and creativity in community and economic planning and development, how to work collaboratively across sectors, and how to effectively engage their community in addressing an identified need or opportunity through an intervention focused in creativity.
At the end of the pilot period, the IAC and Indiana Communities Institute will assess community outcomes for a planned formal rollout of the program in 2024.
