INDIANAPOLIS — The City of Indianapolis and Arts Council of Indianapolis announced grant funding totaling $1.4 million to support the programming and general operations of 70 nonprofit arts and culture organizations serving Indianapolis and Marion County. The Annual Grants Program has been core to the city’s support for the arts since 1987, and this year, the application approval process was accelerated to assist organizations impacted by COVID-19.
The City of Indianapolis funds the grants, which are awarded through a juried public panel process conducted by the Arts Council. To accelerate the 2020 grant awards, recipients were selected based on the 2019 evaluation criteria of artistic merit, organizational capacity, and community impact. The organizations that receive funding offer programs and outreach in all 25 City-County Council districts.
This year, the program included a $300,000 contribution from the Capital Improvement Board to support organizations that drive cultural tourism. According to Americans for the Arts, the nonprofit arts and culture sector in Indianapolis annually contributes $440 million in economic impact, supports 30,000 jobs, serves 8 million residents and visitors, and generates $47 million in local and state government revenues. The number of grantees has grown from 51 in 2016 to 70 in 2020, as a result of program changes aimed at creating a more equitable and inclusive process.
Organizations that received grants include Art With a Heart, ArtMix, Arts for Lawrence, Big Car Media, Dance Kaleidoscope, Fonseco Theatre Company, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Indiana Writers Center, Harrison Center for the Arts, NoExit Performance, and IndyFringe.