Batesville Gets Grant For Mural, Dillsboro For Dancing

The quality of place grants will help spruce up a couple local downtown areas.

(Batesville, Ind.) - A couple local towns are getting small grants to improve quality of place.

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs and Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch announced the Quick Impact Grants grants Thursday.

“Making small, but meaningful changes to the quality of place in our state not only brings communities together, but lets visitors know that Indiana is a welcoming place,” Crouch said. “I am excited to see these grants being used in such innovative ways, and I look forward to visiting the final projects.”

According to OCRA, Batesville Main Street will receive $5,000 to commission a collaborative mural project to activate an infrequently used alley in the town square. After a review of submitted design plans by local high school students, a selected artist will lead students in the artistic process to develop and implement the idea, with the theme of music, which is a nod to the music and arts culture in Batesville.

The Town of Dillsboro is getting $4,370 to help transform an asphalt space in the downtown to be used as a cultural, educational and community gathering place. Murals and a dance floor will be painted by local artists, with a few pieces of outdoor furniture crafted by community artisans.

A total of 11 communities shared in the $52,000 in grants. The grants ranged from $2,5000 up to $5,000.

This is the third year for the competitive matching grant program designed to fund placemaking and quality of life projects that spark community-wide conversations and creativity.  This year, an educational component was added to the program, encouraging applicants to include youth involvement in the proposed project.

“Creating a place where people want to live is a critical element to creating a sustainable, interconnected community and strong economic development strategy,” said Jodi Golden, Executive Director of OCRA. “These applicants understood how to take an underutilized asset, enhance it and further activate that space beyond just the initial project.”