This brief is adapted from notes taken by Documenters Jake Porter and Kassandra Simcox, who covered the Oct. 3 City-County Council Parks and Recreation Committee meeting. Read more about what happened.
Local artists and art administrators shared compelling stories advocating for more arts funding at the October City-County Council Parks and Recreation Committee meeting.
Funding for local arts programs
The meeting opened with Indy Parks Director Phyllis Boyd indicating no changes to the parks proposed budget. Julie Goodman, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Arts Council, presented their 2025 budget proposal.
Goodman said for the last four years, the Indy Arts Council saw an annual 10% increase in organizations and a 166% increase in people of color-led and centered organizations served. She said she was proud to increase average awards to Black and brown-led organizations by 80%.
The council proposed to increase arts council funding from $1.3 million to $3 million. Goodman explained the proposal had three parts: an increase of the annual grants program to $2 million, the creation of a new project grant program to individual artists to activate cultural engagement in Indy Parks and create sector-wide marketing to residents.
Editor’s note: On Oct. 7, the Indianapolis City-County Council approved the 2025 city budget. The city confirmed the arts council will only receive $1.7 million in 2025, including $400,000 from the Capital Improvement Board.
Goodman said Indianapolis has the lowest local arts funding out of 17 cities, the highest being Denver at $102.9 million per year. She shared survey results indicating that 87% of Indianapolis residents see arts as improving the community’s quality of life. Goodman ended by saying she’s stepping down from her role at the end of the year.
‘It’s not over’
A few City-County councilors shared thoughts about the Indy Arts Council budget.
Councilor Jared Evans said the arts budget discussion is not done. “I want you to know the discussion of the arts budget, it’s not over with and we are not waiting until next year’s budget.”
He added, “We love the arts. We appreciate everything you’ve done. You do not get the funding that the city should be investing in. They pull money every which way for their pet projects and other things. I want you to know that the work you’ve done, it’s not over with. We’re going to continue to carry it on.”
Councilor Dan Boots said he cherishes the arts. “Without it, it would be a dark and gloomy place,” he said. “It’s not over.”
Artists speak out about art as a public good
Many local artists and arts administrators lined up for public comment to share concerns about the lack of local arts funding.
Dave Craig Starkey, general director of the Indianapolis Opera said, “We are literally doing more with less and we are compromised with volatility.”
James Johnson, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra CEO, said the organization brought over $37 million to the local economy in 2023. Currently, the ISO is operating with a 66% cut in funding. Johnson said the orchestra would return to the parks when funding was restored.
Lauren Curry, director of the Indianapolis Movement Arts Collective said, “it seems like auxiliary but creativity is foundational to having a realized full personhood.”
Leigh Ann Hirschmann, director of the American Piano Awards said the national event occurs in Indianapolis every year. “We are like the superbowl of jazz for classical pianists,” she said. “Our competitors are the best pianists in the country and they come here to Indy to be discovered, to compete, to give free concerts to 2,500 kids in our public schools about piano.”
Joshua Thompson, music sociologist and classical pianist for the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, shared real-world skills that are learned through the arts like communication, adaptability and emotional intelligence.
“I would implore you all to go back to your colleagues to remind them of the top 10 essential skills that the arts provides that this administration is currently insistent on underfunding,” he said. “These are things that transcend the arts, but it’s everything that is absolutely necessary that’s integral to the arts that provide sustainable and healthy communities locally and abroad.”
Joshua Thompson said local artists would like to remain local and make a living, but without adequate funding that won’t happen.
Jared Thompson, band leader, saxophone and jazz artist, composer and arts advocate, said, “a lot of times the organizations reach out to artists but are unable to work with artists because they want to pay an equitable wage. We are finding this in every organization we want to work to with.”
Jared Thompson said this means that artists have to find a different way to pay their bills that month.
“The arts are not just looking at a picture or listening to music. It is engaging all five senses, and to be a holistic community, these things are necessary,” he said.
Jared Thompson echoed Joshua Thompson’s statement about artists leaving the city for funding opportunities.
“And we will leave the city because that funding and sustainability and equity within our jobs that we love to do is not found here. And we can’t afford to just coast and coexist with other jobs that we don’t want to be doing.”
What’s next?
The next City-County Council Parks and Recreation Committee meeting is 5:30 p.m., November 7 at 200 E. Washington St in meeting room 260.
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