The City of Warsaw recently accepted a grant for $10,000 to go toward a community-wide art project. InkFreeNews file photo.

By Brianna Pitts
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The City of Warsaw recently accepted a grant from the State of Indiana Arts Commission in the amount of $10,000.

City Planner Justin Taylor and Warsaw Public Arts Commission Chair Suzie Light spoke on behalf of the project during a Board of Works meeting on Friday, Sept.1.

The Creative Convergence Grant was awarded to the City of Warsaw after being selected to participate in a two-day workshop where a team from WPAC and Mayor Joe Thallemer had to develop a plan on how they would go about engaging the community in public art. Light credited this opportunity to Thallemer for being an advocate to the State about public art in the community.

This grant will go toward a $32,500 project WPAC is currently undertaking.

This project is currently in its beginning stages with a survey available on the WPAC Facebook page. The responses from this survey will be evaluated by the commission and collaborative members, followed by a nationwide call to artists to participate. The chosen artist will be responsible for designing and making a new public artwork for the city while incorporating some kind of a community engagement component.

The WPAC stated, in a memo submitted to the board, “the new artwork will be accompanied by unique programming, designed to welcome and connect community members with public art and artists across disciplines that live and work in our city.”

Light thanked Thallemer for also being an advocate for public art in the community, saying, “It improves quality of life, quality of place and quality of opportunity.”

Light quoted representatives from Ball State University, who said “the Arts and Culture sector contributed $8.6 billion to Indiana’s economy, whereas the Agriculture and Forestry sector contributed $6.3 billion.”

“We [at the Warsaw Public Arts Commission] are working hard to create a vibrant arts culture in our community,” concluded Light.

To fill out the survey, click here.