Jim Rawlinson, formerly of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, presented "Invest in Yourself! Quality of Life Investments Drive Economic Development," at the Muncie Arts and Culture Council’s Ovation: We the People donor and volunteer appreciation event on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
Economic development leader Jim Rawlinson highlights how quality of life investments, including arts and culture, help communities attract people, talent, and opportunity.
MUNCIE, Ind. — The Muncie Arts and Culture Council (MuncieArts) welcomed a packed house of donors, volunteers, sponsors, and community partners on Thursday, October 29, for its biennial Ovation celebration and the We the People theme. Held in the architecturally significant Patterson Building in downtown Muncie, the evening recognized the people and partnerships advancing arts and culture while exploring the growing role of the creative economy in shaping vibrant communities.
The evening's featured speaker, Jim Rawlinson, Principal and Founder of Karass Consulting and former Regional Vice President of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), challenged attendees to think differently about economic development and the investments that make communities attractive places to live, work, and grow.
Under the presentation title, "Invest in Yourself! Quality of Life Investments Drive Economic Development," Rawlinson made the case that the future of economic development is increasingly driven by quality of place, especially noting that jobs follow people, not the other way around.
Drawing on more than 15 years of economic and community development experience, including his leadership in Indiana's Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI), Rawlinson described the evolution of economic development thinking. Traditional approaches focused on attracting businesses through incentives, with the expectation that jobs would bring workers. More recently, communities have recognized the importance of attracting and developing a talented workforce. Today, he explained, successful communities understand that quality of life is what attracts and retains people in the first place.
"Quality of life is what is driving population growth. Jobs follow people. Quality of life is what attracts and keeps people," Rawlinson emphasized.
His presentation connected investments in housing, childcare, education, arts and culture, and other quality-of-place amenities to broader economic prosperity. He also highlighted Indiana's READI investments, which have supported community improvements and regional initiatives throughout the state, including East Central Indiana's Muncie Creative Corridor.
Rawlinson encouraged attendees to recognize the creative talent already present in their own communities, including artists, designers, chefs, and dancers to the many people whose work contributes to a region's creative economy.
"If you want to grow your creative economy, find a way for these people to succeed here," he urged.
His message resonated with MuncieArts' ongoing work to position arts and culture as essential contributors to economic development, neighborhood vitality, a more livable community, health and wellness, and quality of life. Through public art, artist support, cultural programming, and partnerships, MuncieArts works to create opportunities for people to experience the arts while strengthening the city's creative infrastructure.
Rawlinson concluded by reminding attendees that public-private partnerships have long played an important role in improving quality of life, pointing to the historic example of Andrew Carnegie's investments in libraries and other civic resources. His closing message was a call for continued local investment: when communities believe in themselves and invest in their own future, they create opportunities for lasting impact.
Celebrating the people and partners behind the progress
In addition to Rawlinson's presentation, Ovation recognized the volunteers and supporters whose contributions make MuncieArts' work possible.
Cheryl Klimaszewski was named MuncieArts' 2026 Volunteer of the Year in recognition of nearly 40 hours of volunteer service consolidating and organizing public art records from Destination Muncie, Box!Box!, and the Muncie Public Art Directory into Public Art Archive™ collections. Her work helps preserve and improve access to the city's growing public art history.
On behalf of Mayor Dan Ridenour, Amber Greene, Director of Communications for the City of Muncie, began the event by reading the Mayor's proclamation honoring Arts and Humanities Month and what arts and culture contribute to our community.
The evening also featured remarks from Bette Smith, Director of the Center for Innovation and Collaboration at Ball State University, representing the event's lead sponsor. Kim Miller, MuncieArts Board President, welcomed guests, and C.S. Hendershot, Secretary and Chairperson of the Development and Fundraising Committee, shared reflections on the organization's progress, impact, and opportunities for continued involvement.
Tania Said introduced Amy Leffingwell, formerly of Muncie Civic Theatre, as the new administrative coordinator, along with new student intern Samantha Cooper of Ball State University and student employee Bristol Hughes of Ivy Tech Community College.
The Prairie Creek Sirens provided musical entertainment, adding to an evening celebrating the creative people and partnerships that help make Muncie a more vibrant place.
MuncieArts extends its sincere appreciation to the Ovation Committee and generous sponsors who made Ovation: We the People possible:
Lead Sponsor: Center for Innovation and Collaboration at Ball State University
Champion Sponsors: The Patterson Building and RoHo's Martini Bar
Community Sponsors: Economic Development Alliance, Horizon Convention Center, J2 Design Studio, and Stallings Wealth Management
Supporting Sponsor: Greater Muncie Chamber of Commerce
Friends Sponsors: Cornerstone Center for the Arts, CRU Construction, and MITS
Their investment demonstrates a shared commitment to the importance of arts and culture in strengthening Muncie and creating a vibrant future for our city.
MuncieArts is equally grateful to its volunteers, speakers, performers, and guests. Their generosity and engagement help sustain the organization's mission to champion arts experiences, public art, and a thriving community of artists and allies.
Building on a year of arts and culture impact
Ovation: We the People comes during a year of significant growth and accomplishment for MuncieArts. From its Art for the People Public Art Celebration Weekend to new murals, sculptural installations, the Box!Box! traffic-control-box art initiative, and other cultural programming, the organization continues to bring arts experiences to thousands of people throughout the city.
With more than 50 volunteers on its roster and an expanding network of artists, donors, sponsors, and institutional partners, MuncieArts is building the capacity to serve more people and create greater opportunities for the arts to contribute to Muncie's future.
"Jim's message reinforces something we see every day through our work: arts and culture are not extras. They are essential investments in the kind of place people want to call home," emphasized Tania Said, Executive Director of MuncieArts. "When we support all artists, create meaningful public spaces, and make arts experiences accessible, we are also investing in Muncie's economic vitality, quality of life, and future. Ovation gave us an opportunity to celebrate how far we've come and the people who are helping us expand our reach."
MuncieArts extends its gratitude to its sponsors, volunteers, speakers, performers, and guests who made the evening possible. Their generosity and engagement help sustain the organization's mission to champion arts experiences, public art, and a thriving community of artists and allies.
As Muncie and Delaware County look toward the 2027 Bicentennial, MuncieArts invites individuals, businesses, and organizations to become part of the next chapter through volunteering, partnerships, sponsorships, and financial contributions.
To learn more about MuncieArts, view the most recent impact reports, support its work, or explore opportunities to become involved, visit munciearts.org.