Access to the arts and access to audiences – broadly speaking, that’s what the Arts Council of Indianapolis is all about.

When the council was founded in 1987, it served as the arts granting agency for the City of Indianapolis, and had a primary focus of overseeing funding for arts organizations and artists.

Though we continue to oversee and award city – and now, state – funding for artists and arts organizations, our role within the region’s arts community has grown dramatically.

In addition to grants, we also provide marketing, technical, legal and other business-related services to artists and arts organizations throughout central Indiana. The Arts Council of Indianapolis is also responsible for Public Art Indianapolis, the city’s public art program and corresponding works and exhibitions. And at www.indyarts.org we provide an online database featuring over 600 artists involved in art’s major disciplines, including dance, visual arts, theater, spoken word and storytelling, music and more.

At www.indyarts.org audiences will find the region’s most comprehensive, and up-to-date calendar of arts exhibitions, performances and events, along with ticketing information (and discounts). So it’s easier than ever for audiences to find and enjoy the artistic programming of their choice.

Over time, our mission has evolved. Today we exist so that artists may make a viable living, arts organizations flourish, and a broad menu of arts programming is available for everyone. These efforts enhance the community through economic development activity while enriching the lives of everyone in central Indiana – through the power and passion of artistic expression.

To learn more about the structure of the Arts Council of Indianapolis and how we work, click here.
To view a short presentation about the Arts Council of Indianapolis and how we work, click here.