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.