Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission Chair Ted Boehm, in partnership with Mayor Bart Peterson, Fred Glass of the Capital Improvement, Greg Charleston of the…
Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission Chair Ted Boehm, in partnership with Mayor Bart Peterson, Fred Glass of the Capital Improvement, Greg Charleston of the Arts Council of Indianapolis, Bob Bedell of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association and Tamara Zahn of Indianapolis Downtown Inc., announced that the Capital Improvement Board (CIB) has received a $2.5 million gift from Lilly Endowment Inc.
The grant will allow the Cultural Development Commission, which is under the auspices of the CIB, to continue spurring even more cultural opportunities through at least 2008. The Commission’s four key program areas are public art, cultural districts, public awareness, and fast-track funding opportunities for arts organizations.
The announcement was made at a gathering of arts, cultural and tourism leaders where, through its annual grants program, the Arts Council of Indianapolis announced more than $2 million in grants to local groups.
Our cultural development initiatives have certainly built strong momentum, and this grant assures our focused efforts will continue to solidify our city`s reputation as a world-class cultural destination, said Mayor Peterson. We`re indebted to the Lilly Endowment for its support, and as the effort matures, we plan to leverage even more resources and generate more creative ideas to help our city grow and prosper more culturally so that we can attract and retain talented workers.
The Cultural Development Commission was launched in late 2001 with support from Lilly Endowment and the CIB.
Fred Glass, president of the Capital Improvement Board, said, “Arts and culture are a vital element in what makes our city competitive. The CIB continues to be enthusiastic about the Commission’s work.”
Since its inception, the Commission has worked with partner civic organizations and countless community stakeholders to support and encourage an environment where arts and culture flourish and to let the world know about the city’s vibrant cultural scene.
Working with its partner organizations, some of the group’s major accomplishments include the development and marketing of six cultural districts; the city’s first major public art exhibition, Tom Otterness in Indianapolis; the inaugural Public Art Great Ideas Competition; and the Indianapolis 2005 cultural convergence, which resulted in increased attendance at many of the city’s major attractions and artistic infusion at major sporting events that attracted national and international audiences.
Indianapolis is becoming known as an arts community, and it’s paying off in both local and regional attendance figures at our cultural institutions, said Commission Chair Ted Boehm. Last year, the Indianapolis Zoo and Indianapolis Art Center, for example, had their highest attendance ever, and the Indiana State Museum had both its highest one-month and one-week attendance.
The Commission’s collective work has made a significant impact on residents’ quality of life and has contributed to a shift in the perception of Indianapolis as a nationally recognized arts and cultural community. For the second consecutive year, American Style magazine has named Indianapolis one of the top 25 cities for the arts, this year moving up from number 24 to number 21 on the list of cities with populations over 500,000.
One of the most valuable roles the Commission plays is convener, said William M. Goodwin, Lilly Endowment vice president for community development. “It has built new partnerships in the arts, cultural and tourism communities, and those partnerships have resulted in some great new ideas coming to life.
The Commission’s work is truly a public/private partnership. In addition to funding from the Endowment, the Capital Improvement Board provides office space for Commission staff and administrative services, including accounting, employee benefits and office support. The partner organizations – Arts Council of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Downtown Inc. and Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association – provide many hours of work, expertise and countless in-kind efforts.
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