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The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) announced it has awarded $3,521,351 to 338 nonprofits to fund arts projects and organizations around the state through the Arts Organization Support and Arts Project Support grant programs.

During its June 14 quarterly business meeting, the commission approved the funding recommendations for the two grant programs. Arts Organization Support grants operate on a two-year cycle and provide annual operating support for the ongoing artistic and administrative functions of eligible arts organizations. Arts Project Support grants provide funding of up to $4,000 to Indiana 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations and public entities for a specific arts project or arts activity(ies). 77 of Indiana’s 92 counties will receive funding through these grant programs, which are administered in partnership with the Commission's Regional Arts Partners.

Over $173,000 was awarded to the region surrounding Washington County. Receiving funds were the following:

CLARK COUNTY
Clarksville Little Theatre $7,376
Charlestown-Clark County Public Library $3,000
Jeffersonville Township Public Library $3,450
City of Jeffersonville - Public Art Commission $4,000
Ensembles Inc. $4,000

CRAWFORD COUNTY
Crawford County Community School Corp (West Crawford Elementary) $4,000

DUBOIS COUNTY
City of Jasper - Arts Department $15,745
Strings, Inc. $10,428

FLOYD COUNTY
Kentuckiana Association of Musicians and Singers dba Community Music Alliance $4,000
Town of Georgetown $4,000

HARRISON COUNTY
Harrison County Arts! Inc. $10,032
Lanesville Community School Corporation $4,000
Historical Society of Harrison County $4,000
Hayswood Theatre Group, Inc. $4,000
Zimmerman Glasstoberfest $4,000
Indian Creek Trail, Inc. $4,000
North Harrison Band Boosters $4,000

JACKSON COUNTY
Jackson County Community Theatre $4,000
Jackson County Public Library $4,000

JEFFERSON COUNTY
Friends of the Ohio Theatre, Inc. $13,823
Madison Area Arts Alliance $12,628
Ohio River Valley Folk Society $4,000
Madison Performing Arts Foundation $4,000
Jefferson County Veteran's Council $4,000

JENNINGS COUNTY
Perceptions Yoga, Mindfulness & Art, Inc. $9,407
Town of Vernon $4,000
Jennings County Historical Society (DBA: Our Heritage, Inc.) $4,000

LAWRENCE COUNTY
Bedford Public Library. $4,000

ORANGE COUNTY
Orange County Rehab (DBA First Chance Center) $3,500
Possibilities in Paoli $4,000
Let Music Speak $4,000

SCOTT COUNTY
Scottsburg Band Parent Association $4,000

“All across Indiana we have seen the positive impact that investing in arts and creativity has on quality of life,” said Anne Penny Valentine, Chair of the Indiana Arts Commission. “Each of the projects and organizations selected to receive funding are doing exceptional creative work in and for Hoosier communities. The Commission is excited and honored to support the work these organizations are doing to engage the public, develop their communities and encourage creativity across our state.”

In Fiscal Year 2024, changes to the Arts Organization Support program were made to decrease barriers in the application process, increase support to smaller and first-time applicants, and provide more meaningful award sizes to grant recipients through a field-driven input process. One resulting change was that all Arts Organizations Support grant recipients were approved for two years of grant funding, pending compliance with state and federal requirements. Arts Organization Support recipients did not have to apply for funding for the current Fiscal 2025 funding cycle.

Following are examples of arts organizations receiving Arts Organization Support awards:

The Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts of Warsaw in Kosciusko County dedicates itself to providing performing arts experiences that create community unity, educational opportunities, and economic growth. Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts provides their rural community with exceptional artistic performances in theatre, orchestra, and music, increases access to arts education services for youth, adults, and professionals, and strengthens the local economy through tourism and quality of place.
In Ripley County, the Batesville Area Arts Council is committed to promoting the arts by providing opportunities for artistic education, expression and enjoyment in Batesville and the surrounding area. The Batesville Area Arts Council supports arts education in Batesville schools, provides a Young Artist Showcase, hosts an Annual Community Arts Show, and leads a Summer Children’s Theatre Camp.

View all Arts Organization Support recipients.

Similar to Arts Organization Support, the Arts Project Support was modified in Fiscal Year 2025 to create a better applicant and grantee experience. The Arts Project Support program received a record number of applications for Fiscal Year 2024, with 322 applicants representing 71 Indiana counties. This applicant pool represented a 34% increase in applications from Fiscal Year 2024, with 115 Fiscal Year 2025 applicants being first-time applicants to the program.

In recognition of the increased interest in and need for Arts Project Support, the Indiana Arts Commission took a one-time withdrawal from the Arts Trust Plate Endowment, which is supported by sales of the Arts Trust License Plate. Plate holder contributions through the Arts Trust License Plate directly supported an additional 30 arts projects being funded around the state in Fiscal Year 2025.

Applications were reviewed by over 120 panelists from around the state and country with expertise in the arts, community development, and nonprofit management. Following are examples of Arts

Project Support award recipients:

The Charlestown-Clark County Public Library will offer quality art programs for elementary school children with its 2025 Summer Art Program with support of an Arts Project Support Grant. The summer art program will provide an introduction into different art mediums and techniques including ceramics, printing making and fiber art. The programming will conclude with the project with a week-long art show displaying the children's artwork at the Charlestown Public Library.
The Gary Youth Poet Laureate Society will utilize an Arts Project Support grant to support the 2nd Annual Gary Youth Poet Laureate Commencement, where the 2025 Gary Youth Poet Laureate will be named. The Gary Youth Poet Laureate Society aims to empower and inspire the youth of their community through the literary art of poetry. By providing a platform for self-expression and creativity, the organization strives to nurture a love for poetry and writing among young individuals.

View all Arts Project Support grant recipients.

“Art and creativity foster connection and cohesion, support the entrepreneurial spirit communities need to thrive, and help build the kinds of communities where people want to live, work, play, study, and stay,” said Miah Michaelsen, Executive Director of the Indiana Arts Commission. “In every corner of the Hoosier state, public funding for arts and creativity continually proves to be a high-return investment that positively impacts the cultural, economic, and educational climate of Indiana. It is a privilege to support the organizations building stronger Indiana communities through arts and creativity.”

By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

I recently had the opportunity to interview an author from Salem. Her name is Tanya Coats Konerman, and she graduated from Salem High School in 1985.

Konerman lived in Salem until she went to college at Indiana University and stayed there. She has a double major in Journalism and Psychology, with a focus on childhood development. Her home now is in Bloomington where she lives with her husband, who is an electrical engineer for Crane Naval Base. The couple have three daughters.

She specializes in children’s books and has written several. In July she had a book signing at Morgenstern’s Bookstore and Café. This is the largest independent bookstore in Indiana, located in Bloomington.

The book was “Haunted States of America”. It is a collection of ghost stories, published by Macmillan’s Laura Godwin Books. Several authors sent in stories geared for middle school students, and it is an anthology of ghost stories.

Konerman's contribution to the collection was “Danger at the Dune.” It a tale about a young woman, Dian from Chicago, who moved to the dunes in the 1900’s. She married a petty thief who was a suspect in the killing of a female found in the dunes. Well, the husband goes to the sheriff, who has no respect for him, to prove he didn’t do it. The sheriff shoots him in the foot. In the altercation he hits Diana in the head with the butt of his rifle. She dies later, and her ghost is now roaming the dunes. Today she is known as Diana of the Dunes. She now has a headstone.

Konerman's ghost story was chosen to represent Indiana in the anthology for middle school students. Her new book is “Mud to the Rescue.” It is a lyrical nonfiction look at the ingenious ways animals use mud to survive. This will be released in the spring of 2025.

Konerman's agent is Mona Kanin at Great Dog Literary.

Konerman is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and she publishes their Indiana edition newsletter.

She is 55 years old and is a very creative person and winner of several awards. She has over twenty years experience writing for magazines, newspaper, and websites, as well as a background in advertising and public relations.

July 21, 1969
Purdue University graduate Neil A. Armstrong walked on the moon as a member of the Apollo 11 Space Program.

July 22, 1934
John Dillinger was killed by FBI agents as he came out of the Biograph Theater in Chicago. Dillinger was born in Indianapolis and in his teens moved with his family to Mooresville.

July 24, 1916
35,000 mourners passed by the body of Hoosier Poet James Whitcomb Riley as he lay in state in the rotunda of the Indiana State House.

July 25, 1948 Carl Erskine of Anderson, began his major league pitching career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He spent his entire career with the Dodgers and helped the team win five pennants. He set a World Series record with 14 strikeouts in a single game.

July 25, 1917 The Ball Brothers of Muncie purchased the Indiana Normal Institute. The next year, they gave the school to the State of Indiana and it evolved into Ball State University.

CORRECTION - Orville Redenbacher's birth date is July 16, 1907.

Our Where in Indiana? from last week was taken in Indianapolis at University Park.

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Indiana Quick Quiz

1. Where on the outside of the Indiana State House can a group of sculpted limestone figures called "The Westward Journey" be seen?

2. What kind of music did Hoosier Michael Jackson perform?

3. What state executive office is held by Elise Nieshalla?

4. Name the three Indiana counties that border Lake Michigan.

Answers Below

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Answers

1. Above the South portico

2. Pop

3. Comptroller

4. Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties

“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” — Abraham Lincoln

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Indian Pink, another beautiful Indiana native plant.

INDIANAPOLIS (July 22, 2024) – Indiana Grown and the Indiana Farmers Market Community of Practice (INFMP) announced the Indiana's Ultimate Farmers Market is returning this summer for its second year. Previously called the Indiana's Ultimate Farmers Market Challenge, this contest is a chance for customers across the state to vote for their favorite hometown farmers market to encourage local engagement and statewide recognition.

“The Indiana's Ultimate Farmers Market allows for communities to support their local farmers market by voting for their favorite," said Christina Ferroli, INFMP Program Coordinator. "Not only can consumers show support of their favorite farmers market, but by voting, it helps others discover local products."

Is your farmers market the best? Nominate them for the Indiana's Ultimate Farmers Market distinction on INFMP's website beginning July 19 through July 26. Once the nomination period is complete, voting will begin July 29 and will run through Aug. 11. Farmers market fans are allowed one vote per person, per day. The winning farmers market will be announced Aug.13.

"One thing is certain, Hoosiers love their farmers markets," said Caroline Patrick, Indiana Grown Program Director. "Farmers markets are an integral part of Indiana communities' economies, and it is great to see consumers supporting them!"

Editor's Note: Salem's Farmers Market is set up in the parking lot of the Washington County Justice Center, 801 S. Jackson St., every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon.

ABOUT INDIANA GROWN
Indiana Grown is administered by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture in partnership with the lieutenant governor’s office. The initiative educates consumers on the importance of buying Indiana Grown products, helps Indiana farmers and producers sell more products and supports Indiana businesses in their efforts to process more Indiana Grown products. Indiana Grown members and partners include farmers, producers, processors and artisans, as well as retailers, grocers, hospitals and restaurants. For more information, visit indianagrown.org.

If you’re traveling internationally, you may need to renew your passport. Consumers unaware of the passport renewal process may fall victim to online scams. These scams trick U.S. citizens into paying a fee to fill out a renewal form that is a free download on the government’s website. As a result, consumers may be tricked into providing their personal and financial information on potentially unsecured websites.

As of June 2024, eligible U.S. citizens can renew their passports online through a new test system. If you do not qualify for online renewal or do not want to use the online renewal system, you can still renew your passport by mail.

How this scam works

You have planned an exciting international trip, so you go online and search for how to renew your passport. At the top of your search results is what appears to be the U.S. passport renewal website. The site tells you what forms need to be provided and that you can fill out the forms right there. You’re asked to provide your personal information, such as your social security number, home address, birth date, and much more.

After completing the form, you’re asked to pay a “processing fee” or an “application fee.” You’re then told that you’ll receive your completed form as a PDF in an email confirmation. (Easy!)

When you receive your confirmation email with your completed PDF form, you are told that you still need to pay money for the actual renewal of your passport. At this moment, you may realize you’ve been scammed into paying to fill out a form instead of actually paying to renew your passport. On top of that, you may have just handed your personal and financial information over to a scammer.

BBB Scam Tracker has received reports of online passport renewal scams. One consumer shared the following experience, “I went into the site assuming it was the State.gov site because it resembled it completely, including the URL. I did not notice that it ended as state.com, not state.gov. By the time I had submitted the application for my passport renewal and payment, I noticed that it was a fraud by the language on the confirmation page.” Another consumer reported this experience, "I went online to renew my father's passport. I inputted all his personal information and was charged 68.00--this company is posing as a government agency and scamming people."

How to avoid similar scams

Do your research. Before renewing your passport, look up the most recent information on the renewal process. Check with the U.S. government to confirm if online renewal services are available for passports. Remember that you should not have to pay a fee to fill out the required forms for a passport renewal – you’ll only need to provide payment for the renewal itself.

Give yourself plenty of time when renewing your passport. Processing times for passport renewals can change often. In addition to the indicated processing times, you should also consider the time it takes for your passport to arrive at the passport agency and then be mailed back to your home address. Check state.gov to see current processing times and plan ahead. Giving yourself plenty of time may reduce your likelihood of searching for quicker options, some of which could be scams. You can expedite your passport renewal with the U.S. government for an extra fee, but it may take several weeks.

Confirm the website’s URL before providing sensitive information. It can be easy to click on a sponsored ad or an impostor website without noticing. Remember, government websites end in .gov but always take a closer look. Scammers can trick you into thinking URLs look legitimate when they aren’t. Before typing in sensitive information, check that the website and link are secure. Learn more about identifying fake websites.

Be wary of third-party websites. There are legitimate passport assistance services, but check with BBB.org and BBB Scam Tracker first to ensure you aren’t sharing your personal or financial information with a scammer.

If you see a scam or fall victim to one, help others by reporting it to BBB Scam Tracker at www.bbb.org/scamtracker.