Indiana Arts Commission

Today the IAC announced that ten Indiana communities have received training and grant funding through the Creative Convergence program. Conducted in partnership with the Indiana Communities Institute at Ball State University's Miller College of Business, Creative Convergence is a team-based workshop for communities and a funding opportunity aimed at creative community development. Community teams learned how to work together to advance arts and creativity in their community through training and a funded project.
Interested in participating? Visit our website to learn more about the program and stay tuned for information on the next cohort application: https://www.in.gov/arts/programs-and-services/training/creative-convergence/

We're still not over what a great week we had at the On-Ramp Entrepreneur Accelerator! The entrepreneurship and community engagement workshop designed and led by Dr. Elaine Grogan Luttrull of Minerva Financial Arts was full of collaboration and creativity from Indiana artists! See photos of the training: https://www.flickr.com/photos/inartscomm/albums/72177720333667356

Come work with us! The Organization Services Program Manager plays a critical leadership role for the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) by advancing statewide arts & community development initiatives through strategic grantmaking, relationship management, and capacity-building services for Indiana's arts and culture sector. This role manages complex grant programs, builds strong relationships with partners and communities across Indiana, and communicates effectively with diverse audiences. Learn more about the position and apply: https://workforindiana.in.gov/job/Indianapolis-Organization-Services-Program-Manager-IN-46204/1390731900/

This week, 20 creative professionals are gathering in Indianapolis to take part in the On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator, a three-day entrepreneurship and community engagement workshop with the opportunity to apply for fellowship funding to put the training into action.
The training, designed and led by Dr. Elaine Grogan Luttrull of Minerva Financial Arts, focuses on key business concepts for a successful creative career. Learn more about the program and the 2026 cohort: https://www.in.gov/arts/programs-and-services/training/on-ramp-creative-entrepreneur-accelerator/

begins THIS WEEKEND! ✨

Actively serving military members and their families may visit participating museums nationwide for free as part of this program.

Details:

📅 Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 16, 2026 through Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026.
📍 Museums can be found in all 50 states, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Museums include history, art, and children’s museums; historical sites; botanical gardens; zoos; aquariums; and more! 🖼📜🐘🐠🔬🌷

🔗For a complete list: arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums

Blue Star Museums is n initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families in collaboration with the Department of War.

Every County Funded is designed to ensure that the IAC invests in each of Indiana’s 92 counties in each calendar year and provides Hoosiers with access to arts and creative experiences, regardless of their geography. In 2025, we’re proud to have awarded 27 grants to invest $167,449 into counties where there is little to no state funding. View all funding recipients at in.gov/arts

We are so pleased to share that Jayda Dawn is the 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Champion! After reciting poems by Langston Hughes, Alice Duer Miller, and Albery Allson Whitman, Dawn was named champion during last night’s National Finals, hosted by actress Justine “Icy” Moral in Washington, DC. As national champion, Dawn receives a cash prize of $20,000. Help us congratulate her!

2026 Poetry Out Loud National Champion Jayda Dawn (Indiana). Photo by James Kegley