Indiana Arts Commission Designates Fort Wayne, Wabash as Cultural Districts

(INDIANAPOLIS) Today, the Indiana Arts Commission designated Arts Campus Fort Wayne and the Wabash Cultural District as Indiana Cultural Districts, a milestone in the Creative Community Pathway program.

An Indiana Cultural District is a well-recognized, labeled, mixed-use area with a unique, authentic art and cultural identity. The IAC provides project funding for designated Indiana Cultural Districts, facilitates statewide collaboration through the Indiana Cultural District Consortium, and provides other capacity-building opportunities for cultural district leadership.

About the Newest Cultural Districts

• Arts Campus Fort Wayne is located in northeast Indiana, in the second largest city in the state. “Fort Wayne is a community committed to collaboration. With a wealth of creative organizations, there is an incredible amount of opportunity for community engagement,” said Anna Tragesser, Indiana Arts Commission Artist and Community Services Manager. “Regional leaders have done a wonderful job of working together as they establish opportunities for tourism and downtown development as a strategy for near-term growth.” 
• The Wabash Cultural District is located in Wabash County. “Wabash is a collaborative community committed to working towards the vision of a vibrant, inclusive downtown. With a rich history that connects to the present creative scene of the community, Wabash, and local arts organizations like the Honeywell Center, are building a new era of community connectedness,” Tragesser said. “Wabash has a compelling history and an even brighter future, and we are excited to have them joining the Consortium."

Fort Wayne and Wabash join just ten other communities as recipients of the Cultural District Designation. To receive the designation, Fort Wayne and Wabash participated in the Creative Community Pathway program, and most recently submitted an application that was reviewed by a public panel of experts specializing in economic and tourism development. Indiana Cultural Districts promote the exploration of and participation in the arts and humanities through cultural experiences that are unique to the individual communities.

To learn more about Indiana's Cultural Districts and the Creative Community Pathway, click here.