Traditional Arts Indiana to receive Governor’s Arts Award

Roots that run deep in Hoosier culture have grown up to be some of the strongest not only in Bloomington, but in the state.

This month, one of six Governor’s Arts Awards was given to Traditional Arts Indiana, an organization partnered with IU that surveys the state to find and promote local folk and traditional artists.

And in a state where nearly 53,000 residents are employed in the arts, and previous winners include creative legends like Robert Indiana and Kurt Vonnegut, the recognition says a lot.

“Having directed Traditional Arts Indiana at IU for the past decade, it is greatly rewarding to see our work honored with a Governor’s Arts Award,” said director of TAI Jon Kay in a press release.

The award, whose recipients are determined by a panel of venerable representatives of Indiana’s arts, education, public and private sectors, is given for making a positive impact on Indiana’s art culture. Anyone, from a single individual to a large city, can earn it.

“I know what it takes to make a good folk arts program,” Kay said. “And by partnering with libraries, state parks and other community organizations around the state, we ensure that our programs reach a large and diverse audience.”

The organization has a strong track record to back their success. Nine years after its inception, TAI was legally recognized as Indiana’s official folk and traditional arts organization in 2007. It’s also received more National Endowment for the Arts grant funds than nearly any other unit on campus.

But unlike some may assume, the fruits of TAI’s labor didn’t come from writing fund proposals out of an office. Lots of legwork went into getting this far.

“Our program is driven by strong place-based research,” Kay said. “We do fieldwork throughout the state, interviewing and photographing artist and their work on wide variety of topics.”

According to Kay, TAI does about one large “folklife survey” a year, where it identifies, networks with and starts public programming for 30 to 50 artists statewide. Many of Indiana’s cultural hotspots are documented on an interactive map that TAI has compiled, which is featured on its website.

Right now, 232 artists are tagged and listed on the map according to what they do.

“From African American quilters and Amish buggy makers to bluegrass fiddlers and mariachi ensembles, Indiana is home to a diverse array of traditions,” Kay said. “The Governor’s award recognizes the value of the everyday creative lives of Hoosiers and TAI’s work supporting it.”

Other recipients of this year’s awards include philanthropist Christel DeHaan, music educator and vocalist Cynthia Hartshorn, singer/songwriter John Hiatt of Nashville, Tenn., Bloomington mayor Mark Kruzan, and the late director, producer and actor Sydney Pollack.

First Lady Karen Pence, known by many as an artist herself, will serve as honorary chair at the awards ceremony Sept. 26 at the Carmel Center for the Performing Arts.

“The arts mean a great deal to me personally, but even more importantly, Mike and I realize the significant impact the arts have in our state,” Pence said in a press release. “To be sure, the arts enhance our quality of life, but they also contribute to further economic development, tourism and excellence in education, which make Indiana a great place to live and work.”