Thanks to generous funding from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, the Indy Arts Council is providing grants to project partners who have the capacity and desire to address vitally important public art equity issues.
GRANT AMOUNT † $5,000 – $45,000; requires a 1 1 match (i.e., a grant of $10,000 requires matching funds of $10,000, for a total project of $20,000)
TOTAL TO BE GRANTED † $180,000
ELIGIBILITY † 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations placing art in a Marion County, Indiana location
APPLICATION DEADLINE † March 29, 2024 11 59 p.m.
APPLICATION WORKSHOP † Review the workshop recording here. (Passcode a81z!JX*)
Read the full program guidelines and grantwriting tips.
Apply here.
Program Background
In 2021, the Arts Council supported an initiative known as Public Art for All, wherein Rokh Research & Design Studio conducted the nationís first comprehensive Public Art Census. The census counted and mapped all the public art in Marion County and provided an analysis of the results with a view towards equity and spatial justice.
The census discovered, among other findings, that there were large areas of the county without access to public art within one mile of any given location (called a ìpublic art desert), that public art commissions were not distributed equitably to women or femme-identifying, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ artists, and that approximately 42% of existing public art is in desperate need of maintenance. The full report is available at http //publicartforall.com
Grant funding from this program will help organizational partners address these equity concerns.
Partner Support
The Indy Arts Council will support the approved partners with advice, project document templates, and other assistance necessary to complete public art that meets respectful public art industry standards for community engagement, artist compensation and working conditions, promotions and publicity, equity of opportunity during artist selection, contractor selection, and vendor selection.
It is the goal of the project that partners will continue to build on the knowledge and connections they have gained to add even more public art that is essential to the communities they serve.
Eligible Public Art
There are no specific requirements for what kinds or forms of public art can be funded, as long as itís a permanent (intended to last more than 5 years on the site) project that you can commit to maintaining for its expected lifespan.
Application Review
Applications will first be reviewed by the Arts Council for eligibility and consistency with the established program guidelines, and then by a review panel who will consider the program goals and how the proposed partner makes a case that their project meets those goals.
Reviewers are looking for the following
Up to 50 points – Adherence to the Public Art for All Grants Goals They will be looking at the projectís potential to meet the goals of public art equity through geography, artist commissioning, and maintenance of existing public art.
Up to 25 points – †Applicant Capacity They will be looking at the applicantís demonstrated ability to successfully plan and manage this project to conclusion.
Up to 25 points – Artistic Quality and Cultural Accessibility They will be looking at the projectís potential to create a high-quality and culturally rich artistic experience for the public, as defined by the applicant. If the project artist and/or the project design are not identified at the time of application (it is not required; artists can be selected later), this criterion will be reviewed based on the stated process to select the artist and the communityís opportunity to provide guidance for the project design.
How to Apply
Visit http //indyarts.grantplatform.com and look for the Public Art for All Grants graphic.
QUESTIONS?† Contact Julia Moore, Director of Public Art, Indy Arts Council, jmoore@indyarts.org