Wabash College has been awarded READI 2.0 Arts and Culture grant funding from the State of Indiana. The funds will be used to create a project to bring together artists-in-residence, art department faculty, students and community partners through free and accessible arts experiences across Montgomery County and the Greater Lafayette region.
Artists-in-residence will connect to Wabash classrooms and community organizations as well as collaborate with local artists, teachers, and college students to offer art-centered K-12 summer camps. The College will also offer two additional art courses annually on community-engaged art and art leadership, focusing on the ways arts activities and historical preservation bring people together and forge a shared culture of place.
“We are grateful for this investment because it will help Wabash College and our community partners build a more accessible, collaborative, and sustainable model for arts engagement across Montgomery County,” said Director of Grant Relations Matt Salzman. “I’m thrilled that we can continue the work of Wabash’s Restoring Hope, Restoring Trust initiative while also expanding our College and Community Collaboration efforts.”
Both the Restoring Hope, Restoring Trust initiative and the College and Community Collaboration efforts were funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.
“This grant was made possible through our collaboration with the Montgomery County Community Foundation,” Salzman continued. “They recognized a need to support the arts and historical restoration in a way that invests in our cultural spaces. Their partnership will bolster local organizations who depend on community grants for critical infrastructure and spaces where we can expand our outreach together.”
Associate Professor of Art Annie Strader is excited to continue work she has already begun with the Artist-in-Residence program on campus.
“We are thrilled to receive the READI grant, which will help us continue and grow the Artist-in-Residence program at Wabash College,” she said. “Over the past four years, we have welcomed artists from around the world who have brought people together through free public workshops, field trips, and creative collaborations with Wabash students and the community. We are excited to continue creating opportunities for Montgomery County residents to gather, learn, and celebrate community through the arts.”
The project establishes a regional model for making arts programming more accessible across counties and age groups, especially in areas beyond larger population centers. It will expand and promote high-quality arts experiences, strengthen collaboration between Wabash and community organizations, and give K–12 students more opportunities to visit galleries and take part in multigenerational maker spaces. Additionally, it will create a replicable structure that rural partners can continue using long after the grant ends.
Located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and founded in 1832, Wabash is a private liberal arts college, which teaches men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely.