INDIANAPOLIS – Fifty central Indiana creatives have been awarded $12,000 each through the Indy Arts Council’s Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship, a $600,000 investment funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. The fellowship gives artists and arts administrators the time and resources to pursue experiences that inspire new ideas, restore creative energy, and support personal well-being.
“Starting from a pool of more than 300 applicants, a panel of artists, arts professionals, and arts funders from around the nation poured many hours of time and energy into selecting these 50 fellows,” said Judith B. Thomas, President & CEO of the Indy Arts Council.
First launched by the Indy Arts Council and Lilly Endowment Inc. in 1999, the Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship was created to help rejuvenate and retain Indianapolis’s creative talent. Nearly 25 years later, the program has contributed more than $5.5 million to the local arts community, supporting more than 550 professionals across music, dance, theater, literature, visual arts and arts administration.
“The Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship is the first – and still one of the few – opportunities of its kind for artists and arts administrators,” added Thomas. “We’re honored that Indianapolis is seen as a leader in this way, and that other cities are inspired to initiate their own renewal programs.”
The fellowship prioritizes personal, creative, and professional renewal, recognizing that the well-being of individual creatives strengthens the broader arts community. Much like an academic sabbatical, the program gives artists and arts administrators an opportunity to step away from their usual routines, explore new interests, and return to their work with renewed perspective and energy. By investing in the people behind central Indiana’s arts and culture sector, the fellowship helps foster a more connected and resilient creative community.
Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship 2026-2028 recipients (in alphabetical order):
- Whitney Alderson – Arts Administration, Newfields
- Susie Ardelean – Literature
- Anya Aslanova – Arts Administration, Arts for Learning
- Pam Blevins Hinkle* – Music
- Jennifer Blue Blanchard – Theatre
- Lauren Briggeman – Arts Administration, Summit Performance Indianapolis
- Maurice Broaddus* – Literature
- LeDeana Brown – Media Arts
- Wren Buse – Music
- Landon Caldwell – Media Arts
- Sofia Casanova – Visual Arts
- Mark Daniell – Visual Arts
- Trina Dingle – Arts Administration, Urban Musical Theatre
- Bruce Ford – Multidisciplinary
- Katherine Fries – Arts Administration, University of Indianapolis
- Todd Fuqua – Media Arts
- Gary Gee – Visual Arts
- Katie Haigh – Arts Administration, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
- Jillian Harrison-Jones – Music
- Callie Hartz – Theatre
- Christina Hollering – Visual Arts
- Robin Holm – Theatre
- Mariah Ivey – Arts Administration, Madam Walker Legacy Center
- Austin Je – Media Arts
- Courtney Jefferies – Dance
- Makwolf – Music
- Meagan Johnson – Music
- Jason M. Kelly – Arts Administration, IU Indianapolis Arts and Humanities Institute
- Zola Lamothe – Theatre
- Rachelle Martin – Arts Administration, Indiana Repertory Theatre
- Stephen McCoy – Arts Administration, Indianapolis Men’s Chorus
- Josiah Ray McCruiston – Theatre
- Carlos Medina Maldonado – Theatre
- Asli Narin – Visual Arts
- Jingo M. de la Rosa – Visual Arts
- Julie Russel – Dance
- Frances Ruiz – Visual Arts
- Heidi Shackleford – Visual Arts
- Shamira – Visual Arts
- Johnson Simon – Visual Arts
- Stuart Snoddy – Visual Arts
- Jasmine Tafoya Indwell – Visual Arts
- Dena L. Toler – Theatre
- Alicia Thomas – Visual Arts
- Aaron Thornburg – Visual Arts
- Ronni Watts – Theatre
- Rick Wilkerson – Arts Administration, Indiana Entertainment Foundation
- Emily Wingate – Visual Arts
- Molly Wolfe – Visual Arts
- Julie Xiao – Visual Arts
*Denotes second-time awardee. Program guidelines state that individuals may receive a maximum of two Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship awards.
The Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship 2026-2028 review panel was composed of non-local artists and arts administrators representing diverse artistic disciplines and lived experiences.
