Making a more artistic and equitable Central Indiana
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Residents gather at Indianapolis Artsgarden to discuss Indy Arts Council's new strategy. Photo: Courtesy of Chelsea Reynowsky/Indy Arts Council
Awareness and affordability are top priorities for Indy Arts Council as it works to establish Central Indiana as a "vibrant arts and culture hub for all" by 2030.
Why it matters: As Central Indiana's leading arts advocacy and services agency, the council has spent nearly four decades helping artists make an impact in their communities, expanding our region's creative vitality and working with the city to put local creators in positions to welcome with their work thousands of people to Indy each year.
Driving the news: Indy Arts Council on Thursday held the last of three public meetings presenting the key findings of its new five-year strategic plan.
Zoom in: With insight from nearly 3,000 stakeholders, the council found residents reported high participation in local arts (79%), but only 48% felt their needs were fully met. Lack of awareness (46%) and affordability (34%) were the biggest barriers.
- Most residents (79%) value the arts' contributions to quality of life and support private arts funding.
- Arts professionals highlighted the need for increased funding, professional development and equitable resource allocation.
- Artists want more mentorship, equitable funding and access to affordable spaces.
By the numbers: The plan also highlights how Indy Arts Council's resources compare with those of 14 peer organizations.
- With a budget of nearly $5 million and a per capita expenditure of $5.68, our arts council has the lowest budget per capita of the bunch. Cities like Columbus ($25.98 per capita) and Cincinnati ($56.58 per capita) are spending more.
- Denver had the highest budget, at more than $74 million and $103.64 per capita.
- Its team of 15 full-time employees is also much smaller than the full-time staff of 93 in Denver or 37 in Seattle.
What's next: The council will spend the next five years working toward five key pillars: sustainable funding; everyday arts access; increased awareness; professional development and shared services; and arts and culture destination.
- Recommendations to reach some of their goals include a new downtown-focused arts culture festival, establishing an endowment campaign, creating a membership-based arts pass to cut down on event costs for residents and broadening access to public art.