Pulaski County Tribe Launches Creative Hub Vision

Something meaningful is taking shape in Pulaski County, and it’s rooted in what we know to be true. When creativity, culture, and community come together, incredible things happen. We’ve seen the power of the arts to bring people together in moments. Now, we’re imagining what’s possible when we make it part of our foundation.

The Arts & Culture Creative Concept Celebration, held on March 20, 2025, brought business owners, organizational leaders, community members, artists, and local officials together for an evening of music, interactive engagement, and visionary thinking.

The highlight was the big announcement: PCT has received a $10,000 Early Action Grant to explore the concept of a Creative Hub in Pulaski County. Activities are made possible in part by the Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Over the last several months, we’ve committed a significant amount of time to learning how communities like ours can leverage arts and culture not only to strengthen identity, but also to drive economic growth and enhance quality of life. Participating in the Creative Convergence Workshop last fall challenged us to think bigger, to imagine what’s possible when arts and culture are woven into the fabric of community planning and development.

And now, we’re ready to begin, together.

Why We're Doing This

The arts bring people together. They create pride, spark creativity, support mental health, strengthen schools, and build stronger economies.

• Rural counties with performing arts organizations experience three times the population growth compared to those without.

  
  

• Communities that prioritize arts and culture see higher visitor engagement, stronger businesses,

  improved school outcomes, and lower crime rates.

  
  

• In Indiana alone, the arts sector contributed $8.6 billion to the economy in 2021.

The benefits are backed by data, experience, and a growing number of success stories from communities like ours.

But this project isn’t about recreating someone else’s story. It’s about writing our own, built on the voices, ideas, and experiences of people who live, work, and play here.

“Before we fully define what it could look like or how it would operate, we’re starting with the WHY and the WHO,” said PCT President and Founder Brandi Larkin. “The WHY is clear, arts and culture improve quality of life and drive economic growth. The WHO is all of us: businesses, organizations, community members, and local leaders. This Creative Hub isn’t something being built for the community. It’s being built BY the community. We’re inviting everyone to help piece together something that’s not only meaningful, but impactful.”

A Night of Celebration and Feedback

The event offered more than just an announcement, it offered a voice to the community. We invited guests to help us imagine what a Creative Hub could look like. We gathered valuable input!

• Question cards on the tables encouraged reflection on how arts and culture could shape the county’s future.

  
  

• Puzzle piece voting let participants cast votes for categories of how they’d like to see a future Creative Hub used.

  
  

• Sticky note stations on flip charts captured a wide variety of thoughts and visions from attendees.

A live performance by Scotty Darda and a display of graphite art from local student artists added an inspiring creative touch to the evening.

The celebration and announcement were rooted in PCT's 5 years of community development groundwork and history of involvement in community-building focused efforts. While we have long recognized the value of the arts in enriching community life, recent team member development initiatives have deepened our understanding of the substantial impact that comes from strategically investing in arts and culture.

Following our participation in the Creative Convergence Workshop last fall, a program that explored how arts and culture can enhance quality of life, fuel economic growth, and serve as tools for placemaking, we started making significant steps toward creating an intentional, community-rooted strategy to draw people to Pulaski County and strengthen local pride and livability.

“Creativity isn’t just something that happens in the margins,” Larkin said. “When it’s intentionally built into our community, it adds value, inspires pride, and draws people in.”

What’s Next

This project is community-driven and still in the concept phase, and the Creative Hub concept is just the start. 

• Collecting feedback to shape the pilot framework

• Developing a partner, supporter, and volunteer network to bring the vision to life

• Researching locations that fit the pilot phase objectives

• Seeking partners, sponsors, and grants to further fund the project

• Securing necessary support (time, talent, financial, resources/supplies)

  
  

We’ll be reaching out with more ways to get involved soon. This is a team effort, and we want to hear from YOU . . . what you’d like to see, how you’d like to participate, and what ideas you think could help shape something meaningful.

Help Put the Pieces Together

Whether you’re an advocate for arts and culture, enjoy attending community events, a fellow Pulaski County enthusiast, or simply curious, this is your invitation to join the movement. We’re not just talking about a building. We’re talking about building something together: a space that reflects our values, amplifies our talent, and opens the door to new opportunities for our county. This special space, if achieved, could be home to valuable conversations that could shape the legacy of Pulaski County.

If you couldn’t attend the celebration, you haven’t missed your chance. There’s plenty more to come! The puzzle isn’t complete without you. Let’s imagine boldly, build collaboratively, and celebrate each piece - together.

Stay Connected

We encourage everyone to follow our journey:

• Sign up for the PCT newsletter.

• Follow Pulaski County Tribe on Facebook for updates.

• Visit www.pulaskicountytribe.com often for project details and future feedback opportunities.