12-7-2018
Alex Modessitt - Tribune Star
The Indiana Arts Commission announced the designation of Terre Haute as just the eighth Statewide Cultural District on Friday after a months long application process.
State and city dignitaries along with representatives from Art Spaces Inc., Arts Illiana, Indiana State University and the Swope Art Museum announced the designation at a news conference Friday afternoon.
According to the commission, Statewide Cultural Districts are well-recognized, mixed-use areas of a community with a concentration of cultural assets that serve as the anchor.
With the Swope serving as that anchor, Arts Illinana Executive Director Jon Robeson said Terre Haute was able to wow the commission with its plethora of arts-focused institutions."We had the highest score in the state, of all the applicants," Robeson said. "It's really a credit to those in the community. In other parts of the state, when they hear what we have in our community they're shocked."People in our community, unfortunately, are sometimes surprised at what we have."
Terre Haute joins Bloomington, Carmel, Columbus, Madison, Nashville, Noblesville and Lafayette-West Lafayette as the only cities in Indiana to have received the distinction.
Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett said the honor is just another indication that the city is fast becoming a place people will want to live, work and play."When people make decisions to locate in communities, whether it's the decision makers on the business side or family members who may be moving here they want to know whether the schools are good, is there an arts and entertainment community and whether its a safe city," Bennett said."All those things have to be checked off and this is one of those things that really stand out above most of the things we have to offer."
