From the backseat of a Volkswagen van to a billion-dollar business, Chuck Surack’s path to success continues to serve as an inspiration in Indiana and beyond. In this episode, Gerry Dick sits down with the founder and chairman of Sweetwater Sound as he shares the ups and downs of transforming a one man music business into the nation’s largest online music instrument retailer, all while keeping the company's roots firmly planted in Fort Wayne. He also reflects on what success means today, the legacy he's building beyond business, and his next big thing: what could be a $250 million project in northeast Indiana.

Fifteen local artists have completed an eight-week business training program in Marshall County designed to help creative professionals turn their work into sustainable income. The Marshall County Arts Entrepreneurship Program, which ran from early February through late March, graduated its inaugural cohort with a 100% retention Listen to this story 0:00 3:30 Speed 1.00 rate and capped the experience with a public exhibition held through April at Plymouth’s Butterfly Boutique.

The dates are set. The venue is booked. And your seat is waiting.

We're thrilled to announce that registration is officially open for the 4th Annual Indiana Creative Economy Summit — September 15–16 at VisionLoft @ the Stutz in Indianapolis.

For the past three years, this Summit has brought together the people shaping Indiana's future: entrepreneurs, civic leaders, educators, policymakers, and creatives — all in one room, building the systems that allow creativity to thrive as part of our state's economic backbone. 

This year, we're continuing that work. And we need you in the room.

The South Central Indiana Talent Region announced Monday the completion of its first-ever regional arts and culture plan.

The milestone achievement sets a new course for creative investment and community vitality across Jackson, Bartholomew and Jennings counties and the town of Edinburgh, according to a news release from the organization.

The finalized plan is the result of a collaborative, year-long process led by a steering committee in partnership with local arts and culture representatives and national consultants, Public Sphere Places. Development of the plan was informed by extensive community focus groups, a public survey, recent regional studies, and is closely aligned with region’s READI 2.0 Regional Strategy.

Leaders in east central Indiana have unveiled a new regional arts and culture plan aimed at strengthening the creative economy, improving quality of life for residents and positioning the nine-county region to compete for a share of $65 million in statewide funding.

Input from more than 450 local residents, artists, community leaders and stakeholders shaped the 10-year roadmap created by Forge East Central Indiana, the region’s economic development organization. The nearly yearlong planning process included workshops in every county and an extensive inventory of the region’s cultural assets.

The Wabash River Regional Development Authority recently announced the release of the Wabash River Regional Arts and Culture Plan.

“To truly attract and retain residents, we must also invest in what makes our communities vibrant, connected and uniquely ours: arts and culture,” wrote Wabash River RDA Chair Jon Ford in an introductory letter within the plan. “While our counties already have passionate arts organizations, events and local champions, their efforts often operate independently. This plan brings those individual strengths together under a shared regional vision—one that recognizes that creativity and culture are not luxuries but essential drivers of community pride, economic vitality and quality of life.”

The Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) adopted a new community-driven arts and culture strategy for the South Bend – Elkhart region.

The RDA and staff at the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership worked with consulting team Designing Local to develop the regional arts and culture plan. The plan provides a comprehensive vision for more deeply integrating arts and culture into the region and will serve as a roadmap for regional organizations and local governments in implementing the community’s vision.

The Southwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (SWIRDA) has unveiled its first Regional Arts & Culture Strategic Plan, establishing a unified roadmap to enhance quality of place, elevate cultural identity, and build a stronger regional arts economy across Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh, and Warrick counties.

The plan was created over the past year in collaboration with the Indiana Arts Commission, local governments, arts organizations, venues, education partners, and community leaders. Strategies in the plan were guided by extensive stakeholder feedback, demographic research, and market analysis. Development of the plan was funded through a READI 2.0 Arts Initiative grant from the Lilly Endowment and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

Pattern’s Polina Osherov tells IBJ how this year’s Indiana Creative Economy Summit moves from ideas to action, while NIVA’s Live Policy Summit spotlights the future of live music — together highlighting creativity as a driver of growth across Indiana.

North Central Indiana Regional Planning Council (NCIRPC) is thrilled to announce the launch of its comprehensive Strategic Arts Plan. This exciting initiative aims to identify, prioritize, and support groundbreaking projects that will revitalize the region’s arts and culture scene.

The Strategic Arts Plan is a collaborative effort that invites the entire community to participate in shaping the future of arts and culture. Through a series of public engagement activities, including workshops, surveys, and online forums, residents are encouraged to share their ideas, passions, and aspirations.

The creative economy encompasses a broad range of artists, cultural nonprofits, and creative businesses that contribute to employment, revenue generation, and overall quality of life.

Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) announced today that the IEDC will award up to $1.5 million to READI 2.0 regions to support strategic planning efforts focused on arts and culture projects that enhance quality of place in Indiana communities. Regions will be eligible to receive planning grants of up to $100,000 each. As part of this READI 2.0 initiative, the IEDC will pair the regions with providers identified by the Indiana Arts Commission who have expertise in the variety of ways that arts and culture efforts strengthen communities.

Indianapolis’ nonprofit arts and culture industry generated nearly $524 million in direct economic impact to the city during a 13-month period between 2022 and 2023, according to Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), a new, comprehensive national study led by Americans for the Arts that evaluated 373 regions from all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

That economic activity–$286 million in spending by Indianapolis-based nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $238 million in event-related spending by their audiences –supported 7,478 jobs and provided $342.7 million in household income to residents. It also generated an additional $108 million in local, state and federal government revenue.