Mayor Joe Hogsett launches Create Indy

Programs aim to drive economic and neighborhood development, cultivate innovation in art industries, and uplift the cultural identity of Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the launch of Create Indy, a comprehensive effort to advance Indianapolis’ growing cultural industries, as well as two new grant programs that will help to jump-start the city-wide investment strategy. Building upon legacy investments in local arts and culture, this work seeks to catalyze new opportunities for the local economy and position Indianapolis as a hub for innovation in arts and culture.

“Working with our partners, this cultural investment strategy will strengthen our city’s arts industries, creative individuals, and cultural organizations – not just with recognition, but with resources,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Together, these efforts will drive further economic growth and investment in our community, for through art and innovation, a city creates its identity.”

As part of today’s announcement, the Create Indy Fund will invest in our city’s cultural districts and provide a funding source for emerging cultural sectors through two new grant programs:

Create Indy – Emerging Sectors
Create Indy will support the development of the city’s emerging cultural economies in the areas of design, film and new media, music, and food and beverage. This grant program is designed to support innovative concepts in these sectors that may not qualify for traditional funding sources, sparking catalytic growth. The first round of grant awards will total $50,000. Organizations and individuals may apply for up to $10,000 each here.

Create Indy – Cultural District Awards
Mayor Hogsett announced this morning the award of Create Indy grants to support strategic planning efforts in five Indianapolis cultural districts: Indiana Avenue, Fountain Square, Massachusetts Avenue, Broad Ripple, and Market East. Following a year-long planning process, these districts will be eligible for additional funding of up to $50,000 to support implementation. This program aims to advance the continued success of these areas as unique cultural destinations in Indianapolis.

Create Indy will work to align resources and build upon existing efforts to form a comprehensive approach to building Indianapolis’ cultural economy. To help shape and drive this work, Mayor Hogsett has brought together a group of industry and economic experts, who will advise the City’s continued support of the evolving cultural activities in Indianapolis. Create Indy is funded by a coalition of community partners including the Central Indiana Community Foundation, Visit Indy, and the Arts Council of Indianapolis.

In addition to overseeing the distribution of the two new grant opportunities, Create Indy will aid in the following strategic planning efforts:

Music City Strategy
The City has identified music as a key emerging industry in Indianapolis. In partnership with the Indy Chamber, Develop Indy, and Sound Diplomacy, the Music City Strategy highlighted today seeks to map the city’s music assets and build a strategy that drives economic growth by uplifting the music scene and related industries. The Music City Strategy was launched in May with a Music Cities Forum held at The Hi-Fi.

Film Indy
Established in 2016, Film Indy is the city’s film commission, dedicated to uplifting local visual artists as well as recruiting and supporting film and television productions that have potential for large economic impact, especially those that bring job opportunities to the city’s creative class. The creation of Film Indy, an arm of Visit Indy, coincided with the implementation of an official film application with the City of Indianapolis. Today’s announcement celebrated the more than 200 film and media projects that have had a collective economic impact of $9.7 million and created 800 jobs in the Indianapolis region since Film Indy’s launch in 2016.

Background
Building upon investments made in prior administrations, Mayor Hogsett has remained dedicated to advancing arts and culture in our city through the support of community partners such as the Arts Council of Indianapolis. In 2016, Mayor Hogsett signed the Percent for Arts ordinance, establishing a funding system for public art through development projects.