Artspace Consulting engaged for Creative Space Action Plan 

This spring, The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County brought Artspace Consulting to Muncie to explore our community’s creative sector and creative space. From their visit and associated research, Artspace will share a Creative Space Action Plan meant to focus on actions for our arts community and complement community plans already in progress. 

During their three-day visit in March, Artspace connected with more than 300 community members through focus groups and public meeting attendees. Participants shared their voices and Artspace listened. They also toured various neighborhoods and visited several existing creative assets in Muncie. Through their visit, Artspace gathered a better understanding of Muncie through a geographical and socioeconomic lens. Through tours and conversations with arts organizations’ leadership, Artspace heard first-hand about the models, challenges, and success in the community, and future space-related projects.  

The Creative Space Action Plan will be shared later this summer.  

Why the Arts? 

The arts permeate the culture of Muncie. We have a legacy of creative entrepreneurs. Community leaders and philanthropists uplifted the arts in our community resulting in world-class opportunities. Artists at every age and level – from hobbyists to full-time entrepreneurs – call Muncie home.  

Research and best practices show that arts and culture can enhance the quality of a place and spur economic development. When The Community Foundation was awarded a planning grant from the eighth iteration of the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VIII) initiative from Lilly Endowment Inc., developing a plan focused on our creative sector was an easy decision.  

What are we seeing? 

While the full plan is still in development, we are excited to share a few key takeaways.  

• Our community desires an arts service organization to promote and strengthen the creative sector. 

• Perspectives need to be expanded on “what is an artist,” and the role of artists as an entrepreneurial part of the workforce and economic driver of vibrant communities. 

• We have great spaces in Muncie, but we have the opportunity to embrace cohesive creative clusters and more efficiently and effectively use the spaces we have. 

Learn more 

A summary of the Creative Space Action Plan will be shared with the community to be infused into current community plans. Watch out for that summary presentation later this summer.

More about Arts

The Community Foundation is engaging the community about the arts with the support of a planning grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. Find out more about the conversations.