Cities create cultural districts

West Lafayette and Lafayette are partnering to promote exploration and participation in Tippecanoe County's arts and humanities in the community. Both West Lafayette and Lafayette City Councils submitted an application to the Indiana Arts Commission to designate the Lafayette-West Lafayette Downtown as a cultural district.

A cultural district is a well-recognized and labeled area of a community. It's a way to bring in funds for arts and culture here in Tippecanoe County. The Statewide Cultural district designation is also an opportunity to showcase and bring recognition to both Lafayette and West Lafayette.

"It is an opportunity to brand the area and promote it for the arts and culture that we have in the area," Lafayette Redevelopment Director Dennis Carson explained Monday night at the Lafayette City Council meeting. "To do it through economic development, through tourism. To promote it statewide, to people all over Indiana and as well as our local citizens too."
 

"As we go forward trying to apply for grants for the arts, it helps us show that we have embraced it, we celebrate it and we've recognized it," West Lafayette Director of Development Chandler Poole said. "When we make these applications, having that designation with the state puts us above others."

The three areas the new cultural district includes the Arts and Market Downtown District in Lafayette from 4th Street to 11th Street, the Wabash Riverfront from 4th Street in Lafayette to River Road in West Lafayette and Chauncey Village from River Road to Grant Street in West Lafayette. All three locations include well recognized landmarks.

"The libraries we have in the area. The civic theater, the long center for performing arts. There's Duncan Hall. There's the Lafayette Theater. Many of the restaurants that have live bands and music. There's many different areas. Then we also use the streets as well for festivals and other activities," Carson said.

Seven communities applied for the program. Three have been selected as the first cities in the program, including Bloomington and Carmel. Lafayette and West Lafayette are the only cities to partner for the cultural district program. The State Legislature created the program last year. Benefits from the cultural district program include increased tourism marketing and economic activities.

"Through traditional media, through brochures, they can visit the vistors bureau website. We will do that for the downtown. We will do it through way finding and banners. We will come up with some new ways too," Carson said.

The Indiana Arts Commission will finalize the resolution for Lafayette-West Lafayette during their meeting later this month.