BLOOMINGTON — Indiana University’s Rural Placemaking Studio will expand its capacity to serve communities across Indiana through a $158,413 READI 2.0 Arts & Culture grant. The funding will support the purchase of an industrial printer and project materials, as well as additional faculty support for student fabrication.
The Rural Placemaking Studio is a collaboration between the IU Center for Rural Engagement and the IU ServeDesign Center in the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. The initiative partners IU faculty, staff and students with rural Indiana communities to design vibrant, welcoming and sustainable public spaces that reflect and celebrate each community’s distinct character.
The industrial printer will allow the studio to produce large-format murals, signage and panels more efficiently and at a lower cost. Bringing fabrication in-house will reduce expenses and shorten project timelines for rural community partners while giving students practical experience with professional production processes.
“Indiana’s rural communities have significant assets worth celebrating, and creative placemaking and wayfinding elevate local quality of place,” said Kyla Cox Deckard, executive director of the Center for Rural Engagement. “With this support from the State of Indiana’s READI program, the Rural Placemaking Studio will bring rural communities’ visions to life.”
Under the leadership of Teaching Professor Jon Racek, director of the IU ServeDesign Center and the comprehensive design program in the Eskenazi School, and Nicole Vasconi, quality of place liaison at the Center for Rural Engagement, comprehensive design and graphic design students work directly with local partners to define projects, develop practical design solutions and prepare materials that communities can use to move toward implementation.
Current projects span 13 counties and range from public art, interpretive signage and small-scale gathering spaces to trail improvements and preliminary designs for historic properties and community facilities. The new printer is expected to support fabrication for placemaking projects aimed at enhancing downtown districts, parks and other shared public spaces.
“We appreciate the state’s investment, which will expand our capacity to partner with rural Indiana communities through design,” said Racek. “While this new equipment will strengthen our work, the most important part of our partnership is the trust and relationships the Center for Rural Engagement has built with local communities. Our students begin every project by listening to residents and learning about their priorities, challenges and aspirations, so the designs they create reflect the people and places they serve.”
Previous fabrication work through the Rural Placemaking Studio is showcased in downtown Shoals, where IU faculty and students partnered with local business owners to design and produce new Main Street signage. The project improved the visibility and branding of individual businesses while creating a cohesive look that reflects the community’s regional identity.
Support from HWC Engineering, a multidisciplinary firm serving public and private clients across Indiana with expertise in economic development, planning, landscape architecture, water resources, transportation and land development, facilitates student engagement and professional development in rural placemaking projects.
The studio was selected to receive funding through the READI 2.0 Arts & Culture Initiative, a $65 million state investment led by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation in partnership with the Indiana Arts Commission and supported by Lilly Endowment Inc. The initiative funds arts and culture projects designed to strengthen quality of place, attract and retain talent, encourage regional collaboration and support long-term community and economic growth.
