$7M investment to help retain arts talent and strengthen southern Indiana workforce

Infrastructure improvements at Switchyard Park will be one of the projects funded by the READI grant and related IU-led investments to boost artistic and creative entrepreneurial endeavors in the 11-county Uplands region. Photo by Austin Francalancia

More than $7 million will be invested in workforce development, talent retention and creative-economy infrastructure across southern Indiana through a new Indiana University-led initiative designed to help artists, entrepreneurs and creative professionals build careers in the Indiana Uplands.

The investment includes a $3 million READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Initiative grant from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and more than $4 million in matching and in-kind support to establish the Uplands Regional Creative Economy Commons. This connected network of creative spaces, shared production facilities, public programming and regional resources will serve the 11 southern Indiana counties that make up the Indiana Uplands region.

Led by IU Research and regional partners, the initiative is designed to strengthen the creative workforce by creating professional pathways for artists and creative entrepreneurs, expanding access to business-development resources, and providing the infrastructure needed for creative professionals to live, work and build businesses in the region. The project responds to a longstanding challenge identified by regional leaders: retaining talented graduates, artists and young professionals by providing opportunities to launch careers close to home.

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“Indiana University is committed to helping talented people build their futures in Indiana. This investment reflects the vital role that arts and culture play in enriching communities, expanding opportunity and strengthening regional economies,” IU President Pamela Whitten said. “We’re proud to partner with organizations across the Indiana Uplands to create opportunities for artists, entrepreneurs and creative professionals to launch their careers, create jobs and help their communities flourish.”

Planned investments include:

• An arts incubator in Bloomington’s Trades Administration Building: Offering studio, office and performance space, the incubator will support emerging artists and creative entrepreneurs through affordable workspace, business-development programming and opportunities to showcase their work.
• A 10,000-square-foot regional production hub: Located in a former Secretly Canadian warehouse on Hillside Drive in Bloomington, the shared facility will provide rehearsal, recording and fabrication facilities that are often difficult for individual artists, creative professionals and arts organizations to access on their own. The space will support a wide variety of creative arts, including theater and music production, set building, costume storage and recording projects.
• Expanded arts and cultural programming at Switchyard Park: IU is committing $300,000 annually alongside new infrastructure funded by READI that will help the park host concerts, performances, markets and community arts events throughout the year. Organizers also plan to bring together artists and organizations from across the Indiana Uplands for collaborative programming.
• Uplands Creatives: This regional digital platform, managed by Regional Opportunity Initiatives, will connect artists and organizations with events, grants, professional development and collaboration opportunities, serving as a central resource for creatives across all of the Indiana Uplands’ 11 counties.

“The Indiana Uplands is home to extraordinary creative talent, but too often artists and creative professionals leave the region because they lack the infrastructure, connections and career opportunities needed to succeed,” said Edward P. Dallis-Comentale, IU assistant vice president for research in arts and humanities and principal investigator for the project. “This investment creates the pathways, partnerships and shared resources that will help more people build creative careers here, strengthen local economies and contribute to the vitality of communities across southern Indiana.”

Project partners include Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Amplify Bloomington, the City of Bloomington, Constellation Stage & Screen, Girls Rock Bloomington, Secretly Canadian and IU Innovates. The initiative builds on years of regional planning and research focused on strengthening the creative economy as a driver of workforce development and regional growth.

“The Indiana Uplands has a rich tradition of creativity that spans our communities, from artists and makers to musicians, performers and entrepreneurs,” said Tina Peterson, president and CEO of the Regional Opportunity Initiatives. “The Uplands Regional Creative Economy Commons builds on those strengths by creating new connections, resources and opportunities across all 11 counties. We’re grateful to the Indiana Economic Development Corp., Indiana University and our many partners for recognizing the power of arts and culture to drive economic growth, talent attraction and quality of life throughout the region.”

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. READI 2.0 grant was awarded to IU Research and runs through December 2028.

READI is a $1.25 billion program investing in community-led projects that improve quality of life, place and opportunity in Indiana. The READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Initiative, supported by Lilly Endowment Inc., allocates $65 million to the state’s creative economy — a first-of-its-kind, statewide initiative to advance regional creative transformation by investing in public art, cultural amenities and the creative economy. Indiana University was the only public university to receive a READI 2.0 grant.