Indianapolis Cultural Districts are neighborhoods of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States that are officially designated by the City of Indianapolis government.
History Indianapolis's cultural district program was established as an economic development initiative of Mayor Bart Peterson's administration to promote public art and cultural development in the city. In 2002, Peterson formed the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission whose steering committee selected the initial five cultural districts in 2003: Broad Ripple Village, Canal and White River State Park, Fountain Square, Mass Ave, and the Wholesale District. Indiana Avenue was designated in 2004. In response to the Great Recession, the commission disbanded in 2009; however, the program continued to operate with nonprofit support from the Indy Arts Council and Downtown Indy Inc.
In 2014, Mayor Greg Ballard designated Market East as the city's seventh cultural district. In 2025, Mayor Joe Hogsett's Department of Metropolitan Development oversaw an open call for applications that resulted 12 newly designated cultural districts and $500,000 in one-time grant funding distributed.
List
The following are the neighborhoods and years that they received cultural district designation: 10 East Arts, 2025 Broad Ripple Village, 2003 Canal and White River State Park, 2003 Community Heights, 2025 Cottage Home, 2025 East 38th Street Corridor, 2025 Fletcher Place, 2025 Fountain Square, 2003 Franklin Township, 2025 Garfield Park, 2025 Indiana Avenue, 2004 Irvington, 2025 Little Flower, 2025 Market East, 2014 Mass Ave Cultural Arts District, 2003 Midtown Arts District, 2025 Riverside, 2025 SoBro and East 46th Street, 2025 Wholesale District, 2003
See also Economy of Indianapolis List of attractions and events in Indianapolis List of neighborhoods in Indianapolis
References
External links Visit Indy Indianapolis Cultural Districts