There’s no question that art in public spaces is desired by many communities across the country. It defines cultural districts and recognizes what local artists bring to their communities.
Leaders in Hamilton County have set out to make a difference in the artistic arena.
Founded by Hamilton County Tourism in 2012 as a way to support art organizations, Nickel Plate Arts was rebranded in 2024 as Noblesville Creates, signaling the belief that Noblesville is set to be the next creative environment where artists thrive.
“We have two historic buildings in Noblesville with two gallery spaces and seven artist studios between the two buildings,” said Executive Director Ailithir McGill. “We hold events, classes and workshops on campus, and in addition, we run two gallery spaces in Fishers and assist with their Art in City Hall program.”
Their passion and partnerships with the Indiana Arts Commission and artists across the state prompted a regional aim to influence conversations throughout Indiana.
“We offer a service to cities to help them develop an art plan, like a master plan for your community,” McGill said. “We want to look at how to engage and find ways to put public art into your long-range comprehensive plan.”
According to McGill, studies show large areas of growth in the creative middle class and a generation of young professionals will be looking to launch creative businesses. In turn, they’ll be looking for the right location to do so.
“Indiana wants to position themselves to be competitive in that market,” McGill said. “Carmel, for example, is internationally known for being a growing suburban community and the arts have been used effectively there. Big companies no longer see outdoor spaces, trails and art opportunities as amenities. They see it as necessities.”
Closer to home, the City of Noblesville recently asked Noblesville Creates to update the Master Arts Plan. The last time they did so was to develop the cultural district downtown. This time they’re looking at other districts to discover what is still missing.
“It’s a good time to take stock of what’s next, and look at how can we use a new vibe or the arts in different ways so we can build in other areas of town,” McGill said. “It’s really exciting that our elected officials and city staff recognize how important this is going to be for our future.”
The writing is on the wall. McGill said every single day, Noblesville Creates receives a phone call from a local artist, asking how he or she can get plugged in to all the creative things happening in the area.
“They are going to be seen as culture drivers – really valuable assets,” McGill said. “They are going to define what it means to be from Westfield or Noblesville, and it’s going to be so cool to watch the next five to 10 years as it transforms.”
