2025 Impact Report
As we reflect on 2025, we are filled with gratitude for the artists, partners, volunteers, donors, and community members who make the work of the Muncie Arts and Culture Council possible. This year was one of momentum, celebration, and growth as we continued championing arts experiences, public art, and a thriving community of artists and allies in Muncie, Indiana.
Together, we strengthened our role as the City of Muncie’s official arts partner, expanded public art initiatives, supported local artists and creative programming, and deepened partnerships that connect arts and culture to economic growth, more livable communities, and health and wellness. In 2025, we were proud to help bring five new public works of art to Muncie, further enhancing public spaces and creating more opportunities for residents and visitors to engage with creativity in everyday life.
A highlight of the year was bringing the community together to celebrate creativity and leadership through signature events including Ovation and the Mayor’s Arts Awards, both of which recognized the people, organizations, and partnerships helping arts and culture thrive across Muncie and Delaware County.
We also welcomed new leadership and fresh energy with dozens of new volunteers while building on the strong foundation created over the past 14 years. As we look ahead to our 15th anniversary in 2026, we remain committed to ensuring the arts are accessible, visible, and valued throughout our community.
Thank you for being part of this work and for investing in a more vibrant Muncie.
Kim Miller
President, Board of Directors
Tania Said
Executive Director
Special guests launch “Designed by the Public” by Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO at the Ivy Tech Fisher Building in Muncie, October 2025.
Tania Said, Executive Director speaks at the groundbreaking for “Habitat Haven,” by Greg Mueller at Habitat for Humanity, 8th and Hoyt, Muncie, September 2025.
The recipients of the 2025 Mayor’s Arts Awards celebrating their awards and the 10th Mayor’s Arts Awards, September 2025.
Groundbreaking at Habitat for Humanity with Mayor Ridenour (center right), Lindsey Arthur, CEO and president of Habitat for Humanity (right), and MuncieArts board members.
The City as a Canvas
We are proud to announce the completion of six major public art installations that now enrich our city’s landscape.
These projects represent a significant investment in our local identity and community spaces.
These completed works transform our public spaces into vibrant centers for connection, celebration, and local pride.
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Habitat Haven
by Greg Mueller
at Corner Park (1424 S Hoyt Ave, Muncie)
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The Mantel of Leadership
by Cheryl Dericotte
at Shaffer Chapel (1501 E Highland Ave, Muncie)
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ChoraGraph
by Project One
at the Buley Center (1111 N Penn St, Muncie)
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Awareness is a Ripple
by Ashley Nora
at ArtRize (1600 Doctor M.L.K. Jr Blvd)
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Mother Nurture
by Ashley Nora
at ArtRize (1600 Doctor M.L.K. Jr Blvd)
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Designed by the Public
by Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO
at Ivy Tech Community College (345 South High Street, Muncie)
Mayor’s Arts Awards Celebrates 10 Years
The Mayor’s Arts Awards celebrated its 10th anniversary, recognizing outstanding contributions to the arts in the Muncie community. Over the past decade, 44 awards have been presented across various categories, honoring artists, organizations, and supporters who enrich the local cultural landscape.
Michelle Kinsey, vice president of the MuncieArts board, and Laura Williamson, executive director of Muncie Civic Theatre emceed the program and kept audience members laughing. An added element were performances interspersed throughout the evening’s program on the Muncie Civic Theatre stage by John Kolar, India Potter, and Dan Wright, followed by a large-scaleperformance by the Ball State Pop Performance Lab, and the Barrelhouse Cats. The night concluded with Mayor Ridenour presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. John “Doc” Peterson.
Congratulations to the 2025 recipients!
Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Dr. John “Doc” Peterson with Kim Miller, board president (left), and Mayor Dan Ridenour (right).
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Graham Watson
Arts Advocate
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Mike Martin
Arts Leader
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Lily Rawson
Arts Educator
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Muncie Children's Museum
Corporate Arts
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Ashley Runkle
Artist in the Community
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Zach Poor
Next Generation Artist
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Christiana Mann
Muncie Maker
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Anwar Rhuma Frazier
People’s Choice
Reimagining MuncieArts
MuncieArts launched a transformative "reimagination" process to redefine the future of our organization to better support our local arts and culture community. Led by our consultant Eric Molho of Bon Partners, this initiative began with strategic board visioning and benchmarking against other arts councils. Supported by funding from The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, we had a board, task force, and dozens of one-on-one meetings in preparation for community focus groups the following year. These essential discussions allowed artists, creatives, makers, arts supporters, and other residents to directly influence our future priorities. This collaborative effort ensures that our long-term strategy remains deeply rooted in the aspirations, values, and diverse perspectives of the community we serve.
Eric Molho, consultant, BonPartners, leads a “reimagination” exercise with the Reimagination Taskforce members.
Groundbreaking of “Habitat Haven,” by Greg Mueller, September 2025.
Ovation: Renewed Fundraising Support Powers MuncieArts
MuncieArts launched a new annual tradition with Ovation, honoring the donors, volunteers, and partners who make our work possible. This year’s event centered on the "reimagination" of the council while honoring those who built its foundation.
Highlights
Honoring Our History: Recognized the origins of the Muncie Arts and Culture Council with Dr. Terry Whitt Bailey.
Inspirational Leadership: Featured Dr. John "Doc" Peterson, recipient of the Mayor’s Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement.
Volunteer Excellence: Named Jeff Janney as the 2025 Volunteer of the Year for his hands-on support of public art installations.
MuncieArts also strengthened fundraising and partnerships, earning Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency, ranking among the top 0.1% of nonprofits nationwide.
2025 community impact
74 donors
contributed $95,949
39 first-time donors
gave $16,108
15 retained donors contributed $2,260
20 recaptured donors
gave $77,381
18 donors gave in-kind support totaling $18,809
New sponsorship levels created structured opportunities for visibility:
Visionary Sponsors ($10,000): City of Muncie, Ivy Tech Community College
Premier Sponsors ($5,000): The Community Foundation
Signature Sponsors ($2,500): Destination Muncie, Rebekah Hanna Realtor, Nexthome Elite, Muncie Downtown Development
Champion Sponsors ($1,000): Anonymous, Pridemark Construction, First Merchants Bank,Downtown Development, College of Fine Arts Ball State University, Sherman and Marjorie Zeigler Foundation, Meridian Health Services, Old National Bank, Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company, City of Muncie, Destination: Muncie
Dr. Terri Whitt Bailey at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, November 2025.
Donors and volunteers were recognized at the first Ovation event, November 2025.
Dr. John “Doc” Peterson at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, November 2025.
New Executive Director
and Staff
In February of 2025, the Muncie Arts and Culture Council board appointed Tania Said to become the new executive director. Hired for her extensive nonprofit experience, longstanding commitment to arts and culture, and deep community knowledge, Tania has led MuncieArts with a focus on community engagement, creativity, and impact.
In the summer, Tania hired recent graduate Andie Arana Gomez, BFA, Ball State University, to be the Muncie Arts Arts Administration Apprentice. Andie was instrumental with public art installations, social media, and program development.
Thanks to local Federal Work-Study programs, two new assistants were hired: Sandra Kété, is an Ivy Tech Associate’s student majoring in business administration and marketing and Angie Jilani, a Ball State University senior studying psychology and creative writing. Sandra is the Accounting and Communications Assistant and Angie is the Development and Database Assistant. Both students converted their interest in the arts to valuable job and community improvement skills.
Tania Said, executive director, at the new Ovation event, November 2025.
Andie Arana Gomez, arts administration apprentice.
Student assistants Sandra Kété, accounting and communications assistant (left) and Angie Jilani, database and development assistant (right).
MuncieArts Building Reenergized
On two volunteer work days on April 21 and October 25, a dedicated team of volunteers met at 600 W Jackson St, the building owned by MuncieArts to maintain the grounds and interior. We worked together to remove an old fence, pull old tree stumps, pick up trash, and clean and declutter the main interior areas to make them more accessible for future work, while performing essential maintenance on this historic Old West End structure. The volunteer days also helped strengthen the links between our team and local residents over a communal lunch. During the work, we even discovered a hidden circular brick area under the dirt, which we hope to use for a future public art project. As building stewards, we are proud to keep this home beautiful for our community.
36 volunteers x 116 hours x $36.14 = $150,920.64 in-kind volunteer support for building maintenance
2025 rate for volunteer service according to Independent Sector is $36.14 per hour (a 3.9% increase from 2024).
C.S. Hendershot and Jeff Robinson volunteering at the MuncieArts building Clean Up day, April 2025.
Neighbors, board members, and volunteers (John Stovall, Kim Miller, Dave Herbert, and Rob Miller) joined forces to remove overgrown shrubs and trees, April 2025.
Volunteer Tracy Whelan lends her talent for painting, April 2025.
New Programs Launched
Under Tania Said’s leadership, the organization has launched several innovative programs designed to connect residents, celebrate local artists, and gather public input. These include Creative Chill, a casual mixer and potluck fostering conversation and collaboration; Dreaming with MuncieArts, a spring initiative inviting community ideas for upcoming celebrations gathered community input during three spring events, gathering ideas for America’s 250th (2026), the Delaware County Bicentennial (2027); MuncieArts Artist Spotlight, featuring a different local literary, performing, or visual artist highlighting local talent and building connections between artists and audiences. each First Thursday at the Muncie Civic Theatre; and Ovation, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the arts.
To keep the community informed and engaged, MuncieArts sends a monthly newsletter every Tuesday, ahead of each First Thursday event, sharing updates, upcoming programs, and opportunities to participate in our community and grow as an artist, creative, or maker. We also updated our website in preparation for the 15th anniversary of MuncieArts in 2026. Volunteer Jara Rowe of Unbounded Strategies helped reimagine the newsletter for its May 2025 relaunch.
Community members, artists, creatives, makers, and arts supporters together for the first Creative Chill, December 2025.
Supporters discussing feedback at Dreaming with MuncieArts, April 2025.
Artist Leslie Price talks about her work with Nancy Carlson, November 2025.
Threads of Home Celebrates Heritage and Home of New Americans and Recent Immigrants
As a co-sponsor of Threads of Home, MuncieArts was proud to support an exhibition at Minnetrista Museum & Gardens featuring work by 2025 MuncieArts PlySpace resident Jessica Calderwood, with photographic documentation by Mark Sawrie. The project transformed textile traditions from East Central Indiana families into metal and enamel works, highlighting the connection between memory, identity, and community. Through stories and heirloom fabrics, Calderwood explored themes of fragility and permanence while honoring the experiences of new Americans and immigrants. Photography by Mark Sawrie documented the exhibition and artworks, helping to capture and share the visual narrative of the installation. MuncieArts was grateful for the partnership with Minnetrista and proud to have contributed to an exhibition that strengthened dialogue, inclusivity, and cultural understanding across the region.
In the Spring of 2025, Jessica Calderwood led a free hands-on enameling workshop at Ball State University for members of the public as part of her PlySpace residency.
PlySpace was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Artist Jessica Calderwood leads an enameling workshop as part of her PlySpace residency, March 2025.
One of her beaded works of art created using the processes of metal spinning, enameling, and patterninging with glass beads to reinterpret personally meaningful batik clothing submitted by a participant, December 2025.
A participant in the workshop led by Jessica Calderwood, PlySpace resident in conjunction with her work as a Plyspace Resident artist. It was a component of her community-focused “Threads of Home” art project that will be exhibited this winter at Minnetrista Museum and Gardens in Muncie, Indiana.
FINANCIALS
Income
Foundation Grants: $170,132
Individual and Corporate Donations: $42,115.57
Local and State Gov’t Grants: $98,903.07
Investment and Program Income: $1,126.32
TOTAL: $312,276.96
Expenses*
Business Expenses: $923
Contract Services: $55,087.49
Facilities and Equipment: $8,977.65
Operations: $9,351.42
Payroll: $62,597.10
Programs: $405719.90
Travel and Meetings Expenses: $2,072.01
TOTAL: $550,722.22*
*Expenses exceed income due to public art projects from American Rescue Plan funds awarded in 2022.
THANK YOU
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ArtRize
City of Muncie
College of Fine Arts Ball State University
Destination: Muncie
Economic Development Alliance of Muncie-Delaware County
First Merchants Bank
First Merchants Bank & Private Wealth Advisors
Flat Land Resources LLC
Gordy Fine Art and Framing Company
Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce
Indiana Arts Commission
Madjax Maker Force
Meridian Health Services
Minnetrista Museum & Gardens
Muncie Downtown Development Partnership
Muncie Public Library
Normandy Flower Shop
Old National Bank
Pridemark Construction
Sherman and Marjorie Zeigler Foundation
Studio 165+
The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County
Vera Mae's Bistro
Whitely Community Council
Elizabeth Agnew
Rachel Andrews
Rachel Cohn
Andrew Dale
Ashlee Anderson
Ben Bascom
Betty Brewer and Steve Perry
Catherine Bretz
Jessica Calderwood
Nancy Carlson
JoAnna Darda
Susan Fordyce
Margie Frank
Dave Franklin
Reagan Furqueron
Jeannine and Gayle Harrold
C.S. Hendershot
Lindsey Horan
Kelli Huth
John Keith
Kathleen Kelly
James Kerestes
Michelle Kinsey
Kevin Klinger
Kristi Koriath
Mary Laramore
Peggy Lewis
Charles Livermore
Grace Marshall
Kim McKenzie
Julie Meares
Geoff Mearns
Kim Miller
Mark Mordue
Lexi Musselman
David Nelson
Nancy Norris
Zach Poor
Tania Said and Steven Schuler
Mark Sawrie
Carl and Barbara Schafer
Cathy and Richard Swift
Jane Sulanke
Chris Taylor
Sarah Vitale
Doug and Kathy White
James and Pam Wingate
Barbara Ziolkowski
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2026 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kim Miller, President
Michelle Kinsey, Vice President
C.S. Hendershot, Secretary
Carl Schafer, Treasurer
Jennifer Johnson
Kevin Klinger
Lexi Musselman
Zach Poor
Joy Stewart
2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kim Miller, President
Michelle Kinsey, Vice President
C.S. Hendershot, Secretary
Jennifer Johnson, Treasurer
Kevin Klinger
Lexi Musselman
Zach Poor
Carl Schafer
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Building Committee
Kevin Klinger, chair
Jonathan Chambless
Josh Coggeshall
Jason Haney
Communications and Outreach Committee
Zach Poor, chair
Michelle Kinsey
Kevin Klinger
Lexi Musselman
Molly Schaller
Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell
Development and Fundraising Committee
C.S. Hendershot, chair
Ashlee Anderson
Sue Bonneau
Andrew Dale
Carl Schafer
Kim Miller
Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee
Lexi Musselman, chair
Michelle Kinsey
Governance Committee
Carl Schafer, chair
Kim Miller
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John Fox
Jayme Markus-Fisher
Margie Frank
Treva McJury
Aaron Nicholson
Melena Slaven
Lynette K. Waters-Whitesell
Deb Wise
Jerry Wise
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Tania Said, Executive Director
Andie Arana Gomez, Summer 2025 Arts Administration Apprentice
Student Assistants
Angie Jilani, Fall 2025 Database and Development Assistant
Sandra Kete, Fall 2025 Communications and Financial Assistant