Sunday, January 21, 2024

Where Is Indiana's Support For Writers?

Excuse the griping, or not. What follows is about money, and it is not.

Some states provide grants for writers. You can see examples below. Indiana does not. Which seems strange considering Indiana's output of writers (The Golden Age of Indiana Literature, Indiana authors thrived during Golden Age, The Golden Age of Hoosier Literature: 10 Best-Selling Indiana Authors from Another Era). 

Here is what Indiana offers for grants.

The Indiana Arts Commission is aligned with the visual arts and community groups:

Arts Project Support (APS), a core grant program of the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC), provides funding to 501c3 nonprofits, units of government, and schools to support arts projects that occur during the grant period: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025. Some examples of eligible projects include a one-time art event, a single performance, an exhibition, an educational workshop, or series of related arts activities such as art classes or training sessions that are open to the public whether free or for a fee. The purpose of the program is to provide broad access to arts opportunities throughout the state.

 The IndyArts Council has grants for visual arts and community groups

The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana operates as the regional representative of the Indiana Arts Commission. 

(Muncie and Anderson are in Region 5.)

The Central Indiana Community Foundation does provide grants to writers.

The CICF Artist Ambassadors Travel Grant Program intends to provide Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), artists from the LBGTQ+ community, and artists with disabilities in Central Indiana with flexible funding to travel within North America to pursue opportunities that would expand or strengthen their creative practice. CICF’s Artist Ambassadors agree that dedicated time and space to visit and experience communities outside of Central Indiana is essential for any artist looking to expand their creative mind, gain access to new resources, make new connections and find additional inspiration.

From what I can make out from their website, Central Indiana is Marion and Hamilton Counties.

The Arts Federation appears to also be for groups:

 The Arts Project Support (APS) grant programs provides funding to ensure all Indiana citizens have access to quality arts and cultural activities. The grants are administered by the TAF, and reviewed by a group of volunteer citizens panelists.

APS grants provide funding to Indiana 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations and public entities for a specific arts project or arts activity(ies). Some examples of eligible projects include a one-time art event, a single performance, an exhibition, an educational workshop, or series of related arts activities such as art classes or training sessions that are open to the public whether free or for a fee.

That visual artists have a history in Indiana should not be forgotten, either. Take a look at A Land Enchanted: The Golden Age of Indiana Art, 1877-1902. I only ask for an equal opportunity for Indiana writers.

Let us look at examples from other states.

Maryland State Arts Council:

The purpose of the Grants for Artists program is to contribute to the sustainability of artists’ livelihoods by providing funds that support working or living expenses.

A primary aim of the program is to provide holistic support rather than restrict resources to the creative work that artists produce. A primary goal of the program is to bolster a creative workforce that composes a significant portion of Maryland’s creative and economic activity.

Colorado:

The Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame, will offer up to five $2,000 scholarships to aspiring Colorado authors or authors-to-be. The scholarship as part of its commitment to encourage, support and nurture Colorado writers. In addition, they will participate in an 12 month mentorship program designed to support tier publishing success. The mentorship program consists of a minimum of twelve 90-minute workshops, usually held in the late afternoon of a selected date chosen by the scholarship recipients.

The total value of each scholarship is $20,000.

Pittsburgh Arts Council's grants seem similar to Indiana's

Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator

As a creative entrepreneur, you are a leader on the pathway to recovery and increased opportunity in our rapidly changing environment. The Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator grant program provides creative entrepreneurs with small business consulting and up to $2,000 in critical financial resources to grow businesses and revenue.

Funding for the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator grant program comes from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

***

Creative Sector Flex Fund

This grant program from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts incorporates the current needs of the field by offering grantees the flexibility to use $5,000 grants in ways that ensure the most significant impact for their organizations and communities. Eligible uses of funds are flexible, including the support of applicants’ administrative, programmatic, and project-related expenses.

Funds for Writers has a page of similar grants programs.

I understand that public art can help local economies. It has been over 14 years since I saw that possibility for Anderson, and since I have been in Muncie, I see how this city is using public art for community and economic development.

However, writers do contribute to the culture, albeit in a solitary way. Not supporting Indiana's writers marks us down as uninterested in the full range of cultural expression, only in the monetization of that culture. This is short-sighted. That we do not support writers is similar to how we do not support education, especially higher education. That makes Indiana unattractive to investors and businesses   who need a cultured and educated workforce-which are those businesses who pay a living wage.

What do have is The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards:

The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Awards honor the best books written by Hoosier authors. Beginning in 2019, Indiana Humanities began administering the award as a biennial honor. Winners of the Indiana Authors Awards receive $5,000 and are invited to participate in a statewide speakers program. Additionally, winning authors have the opportunity to designate a $500 award to an Indiana library of their choice....

This award is for authors who are published, not starting out.

Indiana needs to change its ways. Providing support for culture that includes its writers is a start. Meanwhile, the state presents an image of a cheap date out, willing to take any offer that does not require any exertion on its part.

sch  1/20

 

 

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