Indianapolis residents might soon have a new community kitchen on the near southside.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) announced the launch of a crowdfunding initiative to develop a community kitchen. The project, which is led by Big Car Collaborative, aims to raise $50,0000 by Feb. 1, 2025, after which the ICDA would match the grant as part of its CreatINg Places Program.
“The proposed enhancement of the Big Car campus continues to develop a dynamic space that is meeting a variety of needs in Indianapolis,” Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, said in a statement. “This campaign is the essence of the CreatINg Places initiative and would not be possible without the community’s support, dedication and vision.”
If successful, funding from the campaign would be allocated to building and furnishing public culinary and communal dining areas in the new contemporary art museum set to open on Big Car’s Tube Factory campus in 2025, according to a press release.
The 40,000 sq. ft. building will be located on the near southside of Indianapolis, where visitors will have access to a large commercial kitchen and learning lab space complete with culinary training and cooking classes.
The kitchen space will also serve as a training ground for local food businesses.
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“We are thrilled to welcome everyone to the table to engage with culinary arts and community through this innovative project,” Big Car Executive Director and co-founder Jim Walker said in a statement. “This work will allow us to continue building a place that reimagines the role of the museum in the community while welcoming visitors from across the street and around the world.”
Since its creation in 2026, the CreatINg Places program has raised more than $12 million in public funds as well as $10.2 million in matching IHCDA funds.
The program is open to projects located in local communities and nonprofit entities with a minimum total development cost of $10,000, where the recipient receives $5,000 in matching funds from IHCDA should it raise $5,000 through Patronicity. IHCDA provides up to $50,000 in matching grant funds per project.
For more information, visit in.gov/ihcda/placemaking-indiana/creating-places.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
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