4B: Develop a Cultural District Assistance Program
Similar to the Cultural District Initiative of the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission in the early 2000s, develop a program focused on the mixed-use centers throughout our region that have a cluster of authentically local experiences, including dining, shopping, and cultural amenities. This program should offer support that identifies and cultivates new districts while strengthening and enhancing existing districts. Support includes community building, branding, marketing, planning and visioning, and implementation assistance.
Value to the Community
While certainly serving visitors, cultural districts also tend to be those places that build on quality of life for locals. They're the places where local restaurants, shops, venues, and cultural attractions are clustered. Such "third places" (not your home, not your work, but where you meet friends) are important in building community and are also important in attracting residents to live and work in an area.Value to the Hospitality Industry
The density of things to do makes cultural districts attractive to visitors looking to experience local places without having to travel long distances between things like restaurants and attractions. These offerings are especially important for group outings and attracting leisure visitors.Updates
- August 2018. Create Indy Fund Launched. the Capital Improvement Board and Central Indiana Community Foundation funded the Create Indy program administered by the City of Indianapolis. Initial grants were made to support existing Cultural Districts, with additional funding supporting competitive cultural development grants.
Priority + Progress
Standby priorities are the bottom 20% or so of actions that TTI is keeping its eye on and may need to reevaluate in the near future.
TTI Role
The support role means TTI is actively supporting partners in their implementation of this action. This type of role is typically applicable when partners seek to engage Visit Indy regularly or seek help in an important yet limited role.
