INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Arts Commission announced today that the agency has awarded $60,000 in grants through the America250 grant program, supporting arts projects that celebrate American history and connect participants to that history in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Twelve organizations around the state will receive $5,000.
The America250 Grant Program is a one-time program made possible through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Indiana General Assembly.
Bloomington Early Music will use funds to support “Early Music and Early America”, a five-day celebration of Early America which will include a concert series of ensembles from across the United States, a youth concert, preconcert talks, and a documentary film premiere.
The City of Jeffersonville Public Arts Commission will utilize an America250 grant to support “From 1776 to Tomorrow: A Multi-Arts Journey.” This free, immersive riverfront event will showcase American arts and culture from 1776 to 2026 through hands-on art activities and live performances.
The Youth Symphony Orchestras of East Central Indiana in Muncie will use funding from the America250 grant to support “A Musical Celebration of America’s 250th Birthday.” Four youth orchestra concerts will take audiences through the history of American music with a particular focus on music from the American Revolutionary period and other key moments in American history.
The full list of grant recipients includes:
- Beachfront Dance School (Gary)
- Bloomington Early Music (Bloomington)
- City of Jeffersonville – Public Art Commission (Jeffersonville)
- Indianapolis Men’s Chorus (Indianapolis)
- LaGrange County Tourism Foundation (Shipshewana)
- Naptown African American Theatre Collective (Indianapolis)
- Otwell Progress Committee (Otwell)
- Perceptions Yoga, Mindfulness & Art (North Vernon)
- Robert and Ellen Haan Museum of Indiana Art (Lafayette)
- Sheldon Swope Art Museum (Terre Haute)
- South Bend Venues, Parks & Arts Foundation (South Bend)
- Youth Symphony Orchestras of East Central Indiana (Muncie)
Learn more about each of the funded projects.
Applications for the America250 grant program were extremely competitive, with over 100 applications submitted for the program. The programs selected for funding represent each region of the state and cover a broad spectrum of artistic disciplines. Programming will take place between March 1, 2026 and December 31, 2026.
“Arts and creativity have played a vital role in crafting our nation’s history and heritage, and we look forward to marking this milestone through the projects supported by the America250 grant program,” said Miah Michaelsen, Executive Director of the Indiana Arts Commission. “We thank the National Endowment for the Arts for this opportunity to celebrate the Semiquincentennial here in Indiana.”
