Mayor John Hamilton's Recover Forward relief program has allocated $100,000 to the Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association (BUEA) and the Bloomington Arts Commission (BAC) to support local artists, nonprofit organizations, and businesses whose work has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Grant applications are due Friday, October 29th at 5pm, and can be submitted under the following three categories:

• Operating Support: Non-profit organizations may apply for up to 5% of their total operating budget (including in-kind operating expenses) for the most recently completed fiscal year.
• Project Support: Individuals or organizations may apply for up to $2,000 of project support.
• Emerging Artists: Individual artists in the early stages of their career and not yet established within the field may apply for up to $500 of support for a public-facing project.

If you are interested in learning more about submitting an application, follow this link to the City's website for more information.

​The City will also be holding office hours the week of October 18th for applicants to ask further questions. To schedule a meeting, please contact Holly Warren, Assistant Director for the Arts and Staff Liaison to the Bloomington Arts Commission by email at holly.warren@bloomington.in.gov or by phone at 812-349-3534. 

At the Sept. 21 meeting of the Monroe County Convention Visitors Commission, the group got positive news about the hospitality sector and discussed the possible restart of the convention center expansion project.

Mike McAfee, executive director of Visit Bloomington, reported that hotel occupancy reached 70% in August 2021, on par with the industry's pre-pandemic rate in 2019. Short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, are also growing significantly.

McAfee also asked whether it's time to start talking again about the convention center expansion, a project that was halted when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Kate Wiltz, a Monroe County Council member who serves on the CVC, said she supported restarting the conversation. She noted that the county continues to collect the Food & Beverage Tax, which is intended to help fund the project.

​Watch the Sept. 21 CVC meeting here. The issue of the convention center expansion was also raised as part of the Monroe County Council budget presentations on Sept. 15. Watch that discussion here.

Holly Warren has been named the City of Bloomington's Assistant Director for the Arts, a position within the Economic & Sustainability Development Department.

​The position represents the city to other organizations in issues related to arts and culture, oversees and coordinates public art projects, cultural activities and community events, and supports community artists and cultural organizations.  

Warren began on Sept. 7 and replaces Sean Starowitz, who served in this role from 2016 until 2021.  Her  annual salary is $56,746.

Lee Marchant, a local businessman who has served on the Monroe County Convention Center Building Corporation Board of Directors and was president since its inception 30 years ago, resigned in August. The announcement was made at the board's Sept. 7 meeting.

​"We just really are deeply moved by Lee's leadership and we thank him so very much for that," said Jim Murphy, the board's vice president. The Building Corporation Board oversees the Convention Center facilities and operations. 

At the Sept. 7 meeting, the group also elected new officers. They are: Cindy Kinnarney, president; Jim Murphy, vice president; Jerry Neely, treasurer; and Joyce Poling, secretary.

At their July 21 meeting, Bloomington Council heard a request from the administration to spend a portion of the total $22.1 million that the city will be receiving from the federal American Rescue Act Plan (ARPA). The request for a $3.35 million appropriation breaks down as follows:
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• $250,000 grant to the Bloomington Housing Authority to create more affordable housing options.
• $1.2 million grant to support the ongoing work of the Housing Insecurity Group, to be administered through United Way of Monroe County.
• $200,000 to establish or support a new landlord risk mitigation fund.
• $150,000 to accelerate inclusive job training and employment growth.
• $175,000 for grants to local arts and cultural groups.
• $550,000 to fund essential deferred maintenance at the Waldron Arts Center. 
• $50,000 for a consultant to evaluate the potential for a new downtown performing arts facility. 

Watch the presentation at the July 21 council meeting on CATS here. Read the staff memo here. The council will discuss the appropriation at their July 28 Committee of the Whole meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m. via this Zoom link.

The City of Bloomington is seeking responses to an RFQ (request for qualifications) for managing the Waldron Art Center. The deadline to respond is 12 p.m. on Friday, August. 13.

The city wants an entity "to manage the city-owned facility as an arts center for no less than five years, embrace the facility’s core users (including WFHB, community artists, and arts organizations), conduct joint marketing efforts with these stakeholders, lead fundraising activities, maintain the structure and its building systems, and actively pursue community outreach for diversity and to build audiences."

Read the RFQ here.

The City of Bloomington's Waldron Recommendation Task Force has issued its report for future uses of the historic building at 122 South Walnut. The ownership of the building reverted from Ivy Tech Community College to the city in January 2021.

The three main recommendations are: 

• Extend the initial short-term use period to five years, allowing arts organizations utilizing the facility a secure, yet temporary opportunity to rebuild operation revenue post-pandemic. Provide minimum yet adequate funding for general upkeep and maintenance of the building.
• Continue public ownership of the building for five years and create a new Cultural Improvement Corporation to oversee both the Waldron and the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Seek venue management from interested organizations, including one proposal that has already been received.   
• Commission a third-party study to determine type, size, location, and cost for a future arts facility to be built within the downtown region, ultimately replacing the need for the Waldron as an arts facility.    ​

Read the full report here.