Happy Birthday to Indiana University Women’s Basketball Coach Teri Moren!
Bloomington-based art grant information
The Bloomington Arts Commission (BAC) invites area arts groups to apply for funding through the Spring 2021 Grants for the Arts program. Nonprofit organizations and arts-based entities in the arts and cultural sectors may apply for operational funds (only for eligible nonprofits) or support for projects that foster the arts and cultivate cultural experiences in Bloomington.
Applications will be evaluated according to organizational or artistic capacity, community impact, equity and inclusion efforts, and programming needs. Completed applications are due Friday, April 30 at 5 p.m. with awards to be announced and distribution anticipated by early June. Grants are to fund projects taking place between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. Applications and more information are available at https://bloomington.in.gov/arts/grants.
Since May 2020, the BAC alongside the Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association (BUEA) has administered grants totaling $170,000 to continue to support arts and culture organizations whose programming was interrupted or otherwise impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including $60,000 in additional grants offered in the Fall of 2021 as part of Mayor John Hamilton’s Recover Forward initiative.
“As we recover and rebuild from this hard year, we remain committed to the arts organizations that are such a big part of our identity and economy in Bloomington,” said Mayor Hamilton. “Our local arts groups have continued to delight, console, and inspire us throughout this crisis, even as they’ve adapted to radically changing business models.”
Prospective applicants may attend an informational workshop about the grants on Friday, April 16 at 12 p.m. Registration for the Zoom session is available at this online form. The BAC will also offer office hours for applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. More information is available by contacting BAC staff liaison Sean Starowitz at starowis@bloomington.in.gov.
Bloomington’s Hidden River Pathway Project Update
The Bloomington Hidden River Pathway Project is progressing with the replacement of the network of culverts that carry the Campus River (formerly the Jordan River) from Dunn Meadow on the Indiana University campus southwest under downtown Bloomington to 1st Street and College Avenue, where it reappears as Clear Creek.
Last week saw the completion of the concrete pour for the new “cast-in-place” box culvert on South Washington Street between Smith Avenue and East Second Street, allowing for the restoration of the roadway to take place this week. Depending on the weather, Washington is scheduled to be closed for paving this Thursday, April 15 and should reopen to traffic by the end of the day. Crews will continue to complete a sidewalk and curb on the east side of the street. The installation of a large siphon structure last week has also allowed for the reopening of the intersection of Smith and Lincoln. Installation of conduits for cable continues until early Wednesday morning, April 14 on East Third Street, where traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction for the duration of the installation.
On Thursday, April 15, waterline installation on East Third Street between Grant and Lincoln will require the closure of the southernmost eastbound lane of East Third. Also on Thursday, excavation in the alley on the east side of Grant Street between Long Fei Restaurant and Trinity Church will require the closure of the alley for approximately three weeks. Excavation will also proceed across Grant Street, with work on half of the road at a time, allowing for it to remain open to traffic.
Over the next two years, City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) and its contractor, Milestone Contractors, LLP will be reconstructing 1,829 feet of culverts. In addition to stormwater improvements, some reconstruction of sanitary sewers and water main infrastructure will be simultaneously completed to support Bloomington’s vibrant downtown. More information, maps, and updates about the Hidden River Pathway Project are available at www.bloomington.in.gov/utilities/hidden-river.