Indiana and Delaware: Art in State Parks

There are fertile connections between culture and nature, which interagency partnerships in two states are cultivating to inspire both artists and visitors to state parks.

Endorsed by the Indiana Bicentennial Commission, Arts in the Parks is a joint effort of the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to celebrate shared anniversaries (IAC’s 50th and DNR’s 100th). The agencies have awarded grants of up to $3,000 each to 76 projects—47 of which are led by individual artists and 29 by arts organizations—featuring artist residencies, performing arts events, exhibitions, educational activities and hands-on workshops set in participating state parks and forests. Find out more by contacting IAC Deputy Director Miah Michaelsen.

The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDA) and Delaware State Parks have been working together since 2008 to offer arts-in-the-park programming. Their annual partnership agreement, which includes between $9,000 and $12,500 in DDA funding, not only has facilitated numerous artist residencies, exhibitions, and traditional and folk arts performances but also has increased the number and diversity of visitors to state parks. This year, the funding is supporting a variety of dance, theater, music and storytelling performances as well as photography workshops in nine parks around Delaware. Learn more from DDA Deputy Director Kristin Pleasanton.