Arts Commission invests over $3.5M to strengthen communities through art and creativity 

Fulton County Public Library, Rochester Downtown Partnership and Fulton County Historical Society among recipients

The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) announces it has awarded $3,521,351 to 338 nonprofits to fund arts projects and organizations around the state through the Arts Organization Support and Arts Project Support grant programs.       

Among recipients in Fulton County is the Fulton County Public Library, which plans to host Makerspace visual arts workshops with its $4,000 award. 

"The Fulton County Public Library is grateful to the Indiana Arts Commission and the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County for this funding, which will provide our community with meaningful, engaging arts education programs. Workshops will be focused on skill-building and the impact of an art practice as related to bettering mental health and life satisfaction," the library announced in a press release. "This grant will fund eight various workshops in our community, which will be offered for free and provide local visual artists with compensation and cover the cost of materials."

Other recipients in Fulton County, also receiving $4,000 awards, are the Rochester Downtown Partnership and the Fulton County Historical Society. 

During its June 14 quarterly meeting, the IAC approved funding recommendations for the two grant programs. Arts Organization Support grants operate on a two-year cycle and provide annual operating support for the ongoing artistic and administrative functions of eligible arts organizations. Arts Project Support grants provide funding of up to $4,000 to Indiana 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations and public entities for a specific arts project or arts activities. Seventy-seven of Indiana’s 92 counties will receive funding through these grant programs, which are administered in partnership with the commission's Regional Arts Partners.

“All across Indiana we have seen the positive impact that investing in arts and creativity has on quality of life,” IAC Chair Anne Penny Valentine said. “Each of the projects and organizations selected to receive funding are doing exceptional creative work in and for Hoosier communities. The commission is excited and honored to support the work these organizations are doing to engage the public, develop their communities and encourage creativity across our state.” 

In fiscal year 2024, changes to the Arts Organization Support program were made to decrease barriers in the application process, increase support to smaller and first-time applicants and provide more meaningful award sizes to grant recipients through a field-driven input process. One resulting change was that all Arts Organizations Support grant recipients were approved for two years of grant funding, pending compliance with state and federal requirements. Arts Organization Support recipients did not have to apply for funding for the current fiscal 2025 funding cycle.  

Similar to Arts Organization Support, the Arts Project Support was modified in fiscal year 2025 to create a better applicant and grantee experience. The Arts Project Support program received a record number of applications for fiscal year 2024, with 322 applicants representing 71 Indiana counties. This applicant pool represented a 34 percent increase in applications from fiscal year 2024, with 115 fiscal year 2025 applicants being first-time applicants to the program.  

In recognition of the increased interest in and need for Arts Project Support, the IAC took a one-time withdrawal from the Arts Trust Plate Endowment, which is supported by sales of the Arts Trust License Plate. Plate holder contributions through the Arts Trust License Plate directly supported an additional 30 arts projects being funded around the state in fiscal year 2025. 

Applications were reviewed by more than 120 panelists from around the state and country with expertise in the arts, community development and nonprofit management. 
     
“Art and creativity foster connection and cohesion, support the entrepreneurial spirit communities need to thrive, and help build the kinds of communities where people want to live, work, play, study and stay,” IAC Executive Director Miah Michaelsen said. “In every corner of the Hoosier state, public funding for arts and creativity continually proves to be a high-return investment that positively impacts the cultural, economic and educational climate of Indiana. It is a privilege to support the organizations building stronger Indiana communities through arts and creativity.”