Arts and culture do more than enrich communities—they strengthen economies, attract visitors, support local businesses, and create places where people want to live, work, and invest.

On July 23, Governor Mike Braun honored 49 transformative projects across Indiana’s 15 regions that will receive READI 2.0 Arts & Culture funding. Together, the projects are expected to generate $369.6 million in investment while strengthening Indiana’s $10.1 billion arts and culture economy.

For East Central Indiana, the announcement represents another major step forward. Our region’s Creative Corridor project in downtown Muncie has been selected for $4 million in funding, advancing a collaborative vision that will strengthen one of East Central Indiana’s most important arts and culture destinations.

Building a Regional Creative Destination

The Creative Corridor is designed to connect several of Muncie’s premier arts and cultural institutions into a unified destination that serves residents and visitors from across East Central Indiana.

Anchored by Cornerstone Center for the Arts, Muncie Civic Theatre, MadJax Maker Force, and the Carnegie Branch of the Muncie Public Library, the corridor will create stronger connections between organizations while encouraging exploration, collaboration, and economic activity throughout downtown Muncie.

By enhancing both physical spaces and the visitor experience, the project will reinforce Muncie’s role as a regional hub for creativity and innovation.

Investing in Places That Inspire

The READI 2.0 Arts & Culture award will support the third phase of the Creative Corridor initiative, transforming underutilized spaces into welcoming places for artists, creative entrepreneurs, residents, and visitors.

Planned improvements include:

• Reactivating the historic Commercial Club Building as a future home for MuncieArts, while creating space for the continued growth of Muncie Civic Theatre and future commercial investment.
• Reopening public entrances at Cornerstone Center for the Arts and the Carnegie Library to improve accessibility and visibility.
• Enhancing courtyards and entrances at MadJax Maker Force to create more inviting gathering spaces.
• Adding public art and interactive features to Washington Square Plaza.
• Planning infrastructure for a future trail connection linking downtown Muncie with Minnetrista Museum & Gardens.
• Developing collaborative branding and wayfinding that helps visitors easily navigate the district and reinforces regional connectivity.

Together, these improvements will create a more vibrant, walkable, and connected arts district that supports both community engagement and economic development.

Arts and Culture Fuel Economic Growth

Creative placemaking has become an increasingly important part of economic development strategies nationwide.

As Indiana Arts Commission Executive Director Miah Michaelsen noted:

“Arts and culture are a key part of the civic infrastructure of a community, whether it’s a small town, big city or region.”

Governor Mike Braun echoed that sentiment while announcing the awards:

“As a state, we’re powering our communities forward by investing in the vision and strategies of Indiana’s regions. Indiana’s arts and culture sector already contributes $10.1 billion annually to the state’s economy. These investments in our creative assets and workforce will transform Hoosier neighborhoods and communities while boosting tourism and commerce, creating new jobs and career pathways, and fueling Indiana’s economy for years to come.”

The Creative Corridor reflects exactly that philosophy—leveraging arts and culture to support tourism, entrepreneurship, downtown revitalization, workforce attraction, and long-term regional competitiveness.

A Regional Vision Becoming Reality

The Creative Corridor is one component of East Central Indiana’s broader READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Strategy, which was developed through extensive collaboration among community leaders, artists, cultural organizations, local governments, and regional partners.

At Forge ECI, we’re proud to have helped facilitate this regional vision and to continue working alongside our partners to advance projects that strengthen quality of life throughout our nine-county region.

By investing in creativity, collaboration, and community, East Central Indiana is building places where artists, entrepreneurs, families, and businesses can thrive together. The Creative Corridor demonstrates that arts and culture are more than amenities—they are essential drivers of economic vitality, community identity, and regional growth.

As implementation moves forward, the project will create new opportunities for artists, creative businesses, residents, and visitors while further establishing East Central Indiana as a destination where creativity and economic development go hand in hand.