Indy Arts Council

2024 Annual Grants Program awards nearly $1.5 million to a record 91 nonprofit arts and culture organizations

People of Culture

10 Indianapolis organizations are new grantees to the program

 

Indianapolis (May 8, 2024) – A record 91 nonprofit arts and culture organizations received funding through the 2024 City of Indianapolis Annual Grants Program, the Indy Arts Council and the City announced today. Nearly $1.5 million was invested in the local creative economy through grants that support the development of arts and cultural performances, programs, exhibitions, and activities throughout Indianapolis and Marion County.

“This year, each organization received multi-year awards to ensure stability and allow for future planning,” said Nikki Kirk, Director of Community Impact & Strategic Investment at Indy Arts Council. “The program introduced an additional operating budget level to distribute allocations more equitably. We’re also supporting fiscal sponsorships to help developing organizations build capacity.”

“The City of Indianapolis is committed to advancing racial and socioeconomic equity and the Indy Arts Council’s work is an important part of our strategy,” said Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas. “Since adopting its equity priorities in 2016, the Annual Grants Program has increased access to funding from 45 arts and cultural organizations to 91. We’re proud to continue supporting these organizations to expand their impact to even more artists and residents.”

The Annual Grants Program has been core to the City’s support for arts and culture since 1987. In 2021, new scoring criteria were applied that center racial and socioeconomic equity across three areas: community impact, artistic alignment, and organizational capacity. 

A juried panel, administered by Indy Arts Council, evaluated applications April 9-12 via Zoom. The review process was open to the public.

“The City of Indianapolis is committed to advancing racial and socioeconomic equity and the Indy Arts Council's work is an important part of our strategy.” — Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas
2024 Annual Grants Program awards nearly $1.5 million to  a record 91 nonprofit arts and culture organizations

The top 10-scoring organizations

The top 10-scoring organizations (in alphabetical order)
El Sistema Indianapolis; Fonseca Theatre Company; Harrison Center; iibada Dance Company;  Indy Dance Council; The Performing Arts Conservatory; Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis, Inc.; The Sapphire Theatre Company, Inc.; Summer Stock Stage Inc.; and Urban Musical Theatre.

“We are grateful for the City’s investment in this program for the past 37 years,” said Julie Goodman, Indy Arts Council president & CEO. “We appreciate their recognition of our fast-growing arts & culture sector through the 91 organizations funded this year, including the 63% of BIPOC-led organizations that got increases in funding.”  

2024 Annual Grants Program awards nearly $1.5 million to  a record 91 nonprofit arts and culture organizations

2024 Annual Grants Program recipients

2024 Annual Grants Program recipients
Organizations new to the program are marked with an asterisk. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $72,000 and were distributed based on four operating budget categories. 

Organization 2024 Award Council District
American Cabaret Theatre $22,500.00 Councillor Crista Carlino: District 11
American Lives Theatre $6,500.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
American Pianists Association $14,500.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Arte Mexicano en Indiana $10,000.00 Councillor Kristin Jones: District 18
ArtMix $25,000.00 Councillor Crista Carlino: District 11
Arts For Lawrence $10,000.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
Arts for Learning Indiana $28,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Arts With A Purpose $7,000.00 Councillor Kristin Jones: District 18
Athenaeum Foundation $12,000.00 Councillor Jared Evans: District 17
Aurora PhotoCenter $8,000.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site $12,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Big Car Collaborative $42,000.00 Councillor Frank Mascari: District 19
Brick Street Poetry Inc $6,500.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Buck Creek Players, Inc. $5,000.00 Councillor Brian Mowery: District 25
Castlewood Chamber Singers, Inc. $5,500.00 Councillor Michael Dilk: District 24
Classical Music Indy $14,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Claude McNeal’s Musical Theatre Training Program, Inc. $10,000.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
Dance Kaleidoscope $20,000.00 Councillor Ron Gibson: District 8
Discovering Broadway, Inc. $8,000.00 Councillor Crista Carlino: District 11
Drum Corps International $15,000.00 Councillor Jared Evans: District 17
Echoing Air, Inc. $5,500.00 Councillor Brienne Delaney: District 2
Eclectic Soul VOICES Corporation $5,500.00 Councillor Kristin Jones: District 18
Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art $37,500.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
El Sistema Indianapolis $12,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Epilogue Players, Inc. $5,000.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
Festival Music Society $5,500.00 Councillor Dan Boots: District 3
Fonseca Theatre Company $32,500.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Footlite Musicals, Inc. $5,500.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
Freetown Village $15,000.00 Councillor Jared Evans: District 17
GANGGANG $28,000.00 Councillor Brienne Delaney: District 2
Girls Rock! Indianapolis $5,500.00 Councillor Jessica McCormick: District 16
Harrison Center $50,000.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
Heartland Film $12,500.00 Councillor Nick Roberts: District 4
Hoosier Salon Patrons Association $7,500.00 Councillor Jared Evans: District 17
iibada Dance Company $35,000.00 Councillor Crista Carlino: District 11
Indiana Entertainment Foundation, Inc. $5,500.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indiana Fashion Foundation Corporation $6,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indiana Repertory Theatre $60,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites $45,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Indiana Wind Symphony $5,000.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
Indiana Writers Center $8,500.00 Councillor Jared Evans: District 17
Indianapolis Art Center $22,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indianapolis Ballet, Inc. $10,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra $6,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra $22,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indianapolis Children’s Choir $12,000.00 Councillor Nick Roberts: District 4
Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc. $18,000.00 Councillor Crista Carlino: District 11
Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, Inc. $20,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indianapolis Men’s Chorus $8,500.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Indianapolis Movement Arts Collective $6,500.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indianapolis Opera Company $16,500.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indianapolis Shakespeare Company, Inc $20,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Indianapolis Suzuki Academy $14,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indianapolis Symphonic Choir $9,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra $45,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
INDIANAPOLIS THEATRE FRINGE FESTIVAL, INC. $9,500.00 Councillor Jared Evans: District 17
Indianapolis Women’s Chorus $6,500.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Indianapolis Youth Orchestra $6,500.00 Councillor Crista Carlino: District 11
Indianapolis Zoo $20,000.00 Councillor Kristin Jones: District 18
Indy Dance Council $15,000.00 Councillor Jared Evans: District 17
Indy Folk Series $5,500.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
IndyProv, Inc. dba Defiance Comedy $5,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
International Violin Competition of Indianapolis $12,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Kheprw Institute $36,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
Kids Dance Outreach $17,500.00 Councillor Crista Carlino: District 11
Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library, Inc. $13,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Lafayette Square Area Coalition $20,000.00 Councillor Maggie Lewis: District 5
Madam Walker Legacy Center (MWLC) $32,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Morning Brown, Inc. $6,500.00 Councillor Brienne Delaney: District 2
Music for All Inc $20,000.00 Councillor Jessica McCormick: District 16
Naptown African American Theatre Collective $20,000.00 Councillor John Barth: District 7
PATTERN $7,500.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Percussive Arts Society $15,500.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis, Inc. $15,000.00 Councillor Carlos Perkins: District 6
Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre $22,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Southbank Theatre Company $5,000.00 Councillor Ron Gibson: District 8
Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis $8,000.00 Councillor Brienne Delaney: District 2
Storytelling Arts of Indiana $9,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Summer Stock Stage Inc. $22,000.00 Councillor Brienne Delaney: District 2
Summit Performance Indianapolis $7,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis $72,000.00 Councillor Keith Graves: District 9
The District Theatre $12,000.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
The Indy Convergence, INC $6,500.00 Councillor Crista Carlino: District 11
The John H. Boner Community Center, Inc. $10,000.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
The New Harmony Project $12,000.00 Councillor Jesse Brown: District 13
The Performing Arts Conservatory $20,000.00 Councillor Nick Roberts: District 4
The Philippine Cultural Community Center $10,000.00 Councillor Carlos Perkins: District 6
The Sapphire Theatre Company, Inc. $26,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Urban Musical Theatre $30,000.00 Councillor Jared Evans: District 17
WFYI $12,000.00 Councillor Vop Osili: District 12
Young Actors Theatre, Inc., dba React $15,000.00 Councillor Jared Evans: District 17


The 2024 Annual Grants Program review panelists included
: Janine Christiano, Director of Strategic Partners, Race Forward – GARE; Keya Crenshaw, Founder, Black Chick Media; Ernest Disney-Britton, Consultant, Indy Arts Council; Karla Estela Rivera, Consultant and Performer; Sarah Hempstead, Indy Arts Council Board Member, Principal & CEO of Schmidt Associates; Rochelle Jerry, Director of Development, Indy Arts Council; Malcolm McClain, Program Officer, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation; Adam Santalla Pierce, Vice President, Community & Artist Support, Arts & Science Council; Jainelle Robinson, Community Engagement Officer, ArtOps; and Susan Williams, Advisory Board Member, Indy Arts Council.

Media contact: Melissa Rowe, mrowe@indyarts.org

Indy Arts Council is central Indiana’s leading arts advocacy and services agency. Our mission is to foster meaningful engagement in the arts by nurturing a culture where artists and arts organizations thrive. Read our Equity Statement.

 

 

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