Dillsboro Awarded Early Action Grant as Part of Pilot Program “Creative Convergence”

The program to is designed to enhance quality of life and grow local economies.

INDIANAPOLIS – Today, the Indiana Arts Commission announced it has awarded five Indiana communities with early action grants to implement creative community development projects designed to enhance quality of life and grow local economies.

The five communities chosen for the grants are Bedford, Dillsboro, Monticello, Valparaiso, and Warsaw.

These communities are 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 amongst the findings was the expressed need for support in identifying and leveraging the creative sector to improve quality of life for all.

Dillsboro strives to create a vibrant and active town center through Dillsboro Arts, which will renovate an underutilized area in a current facility to become the multipurpose Dillsboro Arts Creator Space. The space will then be filled with a robust schedule of learning experiences and public performances in all arts disciplines.

“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.” 

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.