|
Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman recently announced that eight Indiana communities have received Indiana Artisan Trail Development Grants, totaling $75,000. The grants provide funding for the development of trails, or geographic clusters of related businesses and attractions, that promote Indiana artisans with an emphasis on tourism. "I congratulate these eight communities for developing projects which encourage tourism in our state and support Hoosier artisans in their entrepreneurial efforts," said Lt. Governor Skillman. "Developing artisan trails is an innovative way to promote economic sustainability in Indiana."
The Indiana Artisan program is designed to help artisans and communities. Funding for communities to create or further develop artisan-related, tourism-focused thematic trails was available through the 2008 Indiana Artisan Trail Development grant program, designed as a competitive effort to aid local/regional groups to broadly attract visitors to their area, and to specifically attract them to the studios, workshops and galleries of the artisans involved with Indiana Artisan.
This grant program is just one component of the Indiana Artisan program. Indiana Artisan supports Hoosier entrepreneurs who produce fine art, crafts and value-added foods and agricultural products (salsa, wine, jams, spices, soaps, lotions, etc). The program strives to grow the economy, especially in rural Indiana, through increased artisan activity and capacity and through related tourism development. In addition to augmenting existing artisan activity ongoing throughout the state and encouraging new or enhanced artisan development with this grant program, the Indiana Artisan program is establishing a brand that promotes high-quality products, providing better access to entrepreneurial support and creating ways for artisans to more easily reach the marketplace.
The eight Artisan Trail Development grants awarded in 2008, along with a synopsis of each of those projects, is here.
Indiana Artisan Contact Info:
|
|
 |
|
|
