Bloomington, Indiana – With announcing the 2024 recipients of its Arts Project, Operations, and Artistic Advancement Grants, the City of Bloomington once again shows its dedication to supporting local arts and culture. Covering three categories, this project—which now forms the pillar of the city’s cultural support—ensures a holistic approach to promote the arts.
A significant sum of more than $134,000 has been awarded this year, allowing artists and groups to keep enhancing the cultural scene of Bloomington. The Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association provides $48,950 in funding; further amounts come from the General Fund of the city and Local Income Tax collections.
Chair of the Bloomington Arts Commission (BAC) Granting Committee Elliot Josephine Leila Reichert offered her thoughts on the significance of these funds.
“In my three years leading the Bloomington Arts Commission’s granting efforts, I have witnessed incredible growth in the demonstrated need for funding local artistic efforts and our city’s capacity to meet these requests,” said Reichert. “I am grateful to the artists and arts organizations that make our city a uniquely vital place to live and the volunteers who facilitate the rigorous process of evaluating and awarding these funds.”
Three different categories define the grants: Arts Project Grants, Operations Arts Grants, and Artist Advancement Grants. Every category is designed to meet particular artistic community needs.
- Arts Project Grants: These are designed to fund public arts programming that can enrich Bloomington’s cultural scene. Grants can go as high as $3,000, with many recipients receiving partial funding to help bring their creative visions to life.
- Operations Arts Grants: Targeted at nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, these grants assist with operational costs. Eligibility is limited to organizations with an annual budget not exceeding $500,000, ensuring that smaller, local groups benefit from the support.
- Artist Advancement Grants: With a focus on individual growth, these $1,000 grants support professional advancement for artists, enabling them to refine their craft and enhance their careers.
Traditionally, the money has supported an extensive range of artistic projects. Among the notable recipients are the Bloomington Creative Glass Center, The Buskirk-Chumley Theater, WFHB Community Radio, and the Lotus World Music & Arts Festival. Using past funds, these organizations have provided free or heavily subsidized community programming. Local artists like Bethany Habegger and Claire Pendreigh have also used the funding to present their work at locations like i Fell and the Orbit Room, thus strengthening the local arts scene.
The BAC will hold an end-of- year celebration on Wednesday, December 11, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. honoring the successes of the grantees this year at the Backspace Gallery. Open to the public, this event offers a unique opportunity for community members to meet the artists and learn about the continuous activities of the Bloomington Art Commission. Those who would want to attend are asked to RSVP since it promises to be an interesting evening full of art and dialogue.
2024 BAC Arts Project Grant Recipients
- Art Remains Creative ReUse Center
- Artists for Environmental Restoration
- Babette Ballinger- Paint Bloomington
- BCT Management, Inc.
- Bloomington Bach Cantata Project
- Bloomington Fine Art Supply
- Bloomington Symphony Orchestra
- Buffy Prom
- Cancer Support Community South Central Indiana-Art Gallery for Cancer Patients & Families
- Carrie Weaver
- Cicada Cinema
- Debbi Ponella- Kids Compose Workshop and Performance
- Early Music Associates, Inc.
- Eclipse Productions Company
- Erica Rubis- Shakespeare’s Ear
- FAR Photo Review Group
- Hideout Press
- Huner Emin
- Iris Rosa Dance Studio
- Jessica MacLean- Inclusive Family Music Classes
- Lauren Weatherall- Backyard Summer Concert Series
- Monroe County Historical Society, Inc.- Streetdance Rewind: A Celebration of Bloomington Punk Music
- Music Industry Creatives, Inc.- Burning Couch Music Festival
- Musical Arts Youth Organization
- Off Night Productions
- Rachel Kavathe- Art and Nature Zine for Bloomington’s Children
- Rebecca Woodward- Figure Drawing/ Painting for Teens and Adults
- Redbud Books
- Resilience Productions
- Roses Midwest Art Gallery
- Stafford C. Berry, Jr.- Bloomington High Schools Africanist Dance Performance Project
- Urban Deer
- WFHB Community Radio, INC
- WonderLab Museum – Science of Art: Limestone Carving
- Writers Guild at Bloomington, Inc.
2024 BAC Arts Operations Grant Recipients
- Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington
- Bloomington Bach Cantata Project
- Bloomington Chamber Singers
- Bloomington Creative Glass Center
- Bloomington Poetry Slam
- Early Music Associates, Inc. dba Bloomington Early Music
- Eclipse Productions Company
- Fourth Street Festival of Arts and Crafts
- Girls Rock Bloomington
- Indiana Limestone Symposium
- Lotus Education & Arts Foundation
- Reimagining Opera For Kids
- Southern Indiana Youth Symphony Inc. (DBA: Bridges Musical Arts Youth Organization)
- Stages Bloomington Company
- USA International Harp Competition, Inc
- Windfall Dancers Inc.
- Writing for a Change Foundation of Bloomington, Inc
2024 BAC Artist Advancement Grant Recipients
- Allyn Boley
- Alyson Alde
- Andreea Alunei
- April Ridge
- Austin White
- Benjamin Cartha Fowler
- Bethany Habegger
- Caleb Poer
- Casey M-T Rogers- CMT Pottery
- Chance Allen/RTR Tapes
- Claire Pendreigh
- Dan “Sully” Sullivan
- Daniel Cueto
- Elizabeth Elich
- Essence London
- Eve Elizabeth Swanson
- Gabriel Peoples- DJ Good Peoples
- Gail Fairfield
- Gloria Manzanares Romero
- Hannah Crane
- Hannah Kish
- janan alexandra
- Jesse Kogge
- Katherine Robertson- Kay Robertson
- Katie Chapman
- Kyle Quass
- Leland Rene Grossman
- Leni Wiegand
- Lillian Frazer
- Lisa Kwong
- Malory Owen- Little Tiger Glassworks
- Matthew Woods- The Kismet Magazine
- Nicholas Graham Hall
- Nick Romy
- Robert Perry Vance- Cartunez
- Rodney Margison
- Sara Colvard
- Steven M. Warnock
- Sydny Bohuk- Peacock The Phoenix
- Sylvester Makobi
- Tom Pieciak- Sleeping Trees
- Tony Brewer
- yonatan shere- Yg Glassworks
- Zachary Taylor
With these funds, Bloomington not only acknowledges the vital contribution of arts to building a dynamic community but also guarantees that this creative pulse keeps vibrating and changing, therefore reflecting the varied and energetic character of the city.
