Evansville on List of Great Towns for Artists
By: Web Producer
Updated: February 22, 2008
News Release:
From: Mayors Office, City of Evansville
Evansville Ranked #2 on List of 10 Great Towns for Working Artists
(EVANSVILLE, IN) – Evansville is tops when it comes to being a haven for working artists according to “Art Calendar” magazine, a business magazine for visual artists. The magazine’s March issue profiles “10 Great Towns for Working Artists”, and Evansville’s Haynie’s Corner comes in at number two.
The magazine calls Haynie’s Corner, “an artistic treasure in the region.” It specifically points to the restoration of the Alhambra Theatre, calling it, “One of the most exciting neighborhood projects today.” In addition, Mayor Weinzapfel’s Front Door Pride program is mentioned because it provides incentives to artists who are interested in living in the Haynie’s Corner area. Artists who purchase a home in Haynie’s Corner that needs exterior work could be eligible for up to $5,000 in grants. Up to $25,000 could be available for those who want to build a new home in the area.
“We are creating an attitude in this community that recognizes, respects, and supports the arts,” said Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel. “In fact, we have made it part of our economic development plan. That is why the new offices for the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana are in the same building as the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville (GAGE), so we can showcase our arts community to potential business clients.”
The Arts Council’s new home at Innovation Pointe includes the new 18,000 square foot Bower-Suhrheinrich Gallery which sits right on Main Street downtown. The Arts Council is a regional partner of the Indiana Arts Commission. It provides grants for regional arts organizations and programming for area artists. There are more than 600 artists and friends of the arts who are members.
Also supporting artists in our area is the Mayor’s Public Arts Commission, which works to enhance the cultural life in our community by generating interest and supporting public art. Last year, the Commission produced a guide to public art which appeared in “Evansville Living” magazine, as well as a walking tour brochure of public art.
Evansville is also home to many museums including the Evansville Museum of Arts, History, and Science, cMoe, the Evansville African American Museum, the Reitz Home Museum, and the LST.
