BLOOMINGTON — Rural Indiana communities are invited to apply for Indiana University’s 2027 Rural Placemaking Studio, a program that connects IU faculty, staff, and students with rural residents to develop ideas for more welcoming, useful, and meaningful public spaces.
The Rural Placemaking Studio is a partnership between the IU ServeDesign Center at the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design and the IU Center for Rural Engagement. The program works with communities on early-stage planning and design for projects that may involve public spaces, public art, wayfinding and interpretation, visual communications, or pre-architectural planning.
Applications will be accepted October 9 through November 20, 2026. The program is looking for communities with a clear vision, a commitment to community engagement, and a plan for building on local assets. Applicants do not need design experience or a construction-ready project.
Eligible projects must be located in a rural Indiana community with a population of 50,000 people or fewer and in a publicly accessible space. Applicants do not need nonprofit or charitable status, but projects should be supported by a local organization, municipality, volunteer network, Main Street entity, resident committee, or similar community partner.
Selected communities will work with program staff, faculty, and students through planning sessions and design development. Orientation and site visits will take place from March through May 2027, followed by the studio’s design period from June 1 through August 13. The program does not provide direct project funding, and participating communities are responsible for securing resources for materials, installation, and implementation.
Applicants can connect with program staff during virtual Rural Placemaking Studio Open Office Hours on October 15 and November 12. Thirty-minute appointments are available for applicants to ask questions, share ideas and receive feedback on their applications.
A virtual Rural Placemaking Studio Application Workshop will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon on November 6. The workshop will review the application process and introduce community engagement tools applicants can use to gather input and strengthen their project ideas.
More information about the program, application process and upcoming events is available at go.iu.edu/ruralplacemakingstudio.
The Rural Placemaking Studio is supported by HWC Engineering, the READI 2.0 Arts and Culture Initiative and the Indiana Arts Commission.
