Arts and culture organizations across the state will benefit from more than $62 million in project awards. Indiana recently announced the annual Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative grant recipients.
This year READI awards funding to 49 organizations, including local arts organizations, music venues, community spaces and theaters. The money will reach communities in every Indiana region.
Awards range from about $40 thousand to $4 million. The largest grant of $6.1 million dollars goes to the Crump Theater in Columbus. It is the oldest existing theater in Indiana.
Project Encore leader Steve Sanders said they've already raised $5 million to restore the art deco space to its former glory.
"Now, the fun really begins. It keeps us on our desired timeline for construction beginning this year," Sanders said.
The theater will be restored as a live performance venue.
"We want to have, you know, the full spectrum of live performances from concerts to local, you know, Philharmonic, local theater productions. We really are just trying to bring this back to its roots as a live performing arts space," Sanders said.
A handful of other historic theaters are set to receive funding for rehabilitation work, including the State Theater in South Bend and the historic Lafayette Theater in Lafayette.
The READI program launched in 2021 as a way to improve quality of life, place and opportunity through arts and culture investments.
The state predicts this round of grants will generate an economic impact of nearly $370 million dollars.
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