Grantee Spotlight: Q&A with MuncieArts

Tania Said, MuncieArts Executive Director

Muncie Arts and Culture Council was established in 2011 to celebrate and support arts in Muncie. Since then, MACC (now known as MuncieArts) has evolved significantly.

Today, MuncieArts finds itself at an important moment. Following the completion of several major public art projects, the launch of a new monthly newsletter, the revival of community programs like Box!Box!, and preparation for a new strategic plan, the organization is reimagining its role as a backbone organization for Muncie's creative sector. That work builds on insights gathered through community input over the past several years and ongoing efforts to strengthen Muncie's creative economy, support artists, and advance new initiatives like Muncie’s emerging Creative Corridor.

We recently sat down with Executive Director Tania Said to discuss MuncieArts' evolving vision, the economic and community impact of arts and culture, and what the future holds for artists and creative organizations across Muncie and Delaware County.

• You joined MuncieArts at a pivotal time. What are you most proud of accomplishing during your first year with the organization?

  One of the things I’m most proud of is the relationships we’ve built throughout the community. When I joined MuncieArts in February of 2025, the board had successfully guided the organization for six months while searching for a new executive director, maintaining key funder relationships and providing a strong foundation for the future. My priority was to build on that stability by reconnecting with artists, creatives, arts organizations, supporters, and community partners, while fostering a more welcoming, collaborative, and inclusive arts community.

  Over the past year, we’ve focused on listening first—meeting with artists, nonprofits, businesses, educators, neighborhood organizations, and local government to better understand the community’s needs—to better understand our path forward, especially as the “reimagined” arts and culture council. Those conversations have led to stronger partnerships, expanded public art initiatives, increased funding, and a growing recognition of MuncieArts as a trusted convener and advocate for the creative sector. 

  More than any single project, I’m proud that we’ve strengthened the trust and collaboration that will continue to shape a vibrant future for arts and culture in Muncie and Delaware County. As part of our commitment to engaging the community, we recently developed a Community Commitment and Values Statement to help guide our future decisions and are seeking public input. We’ll seek additional community input next month as we develop our “MuncieArts Reimagined Strategic Framework,” with community sessions on September 8 and 9. Details will be shared in MuncieArts’ September newsletter, which you can subscribe to on the MuncieArts website.

• A few years ago, the national consulting firm Artspace visited Muncie. During their visit, 300+ individuals participated in focus groups and listening sessions which led to the development of a Creative Space Action Plan. The Plan identified both strengths and opportunities within Muncie's creative ecosystem. What findings from that process continue to resonate with you, and how are they influencing MuncieArts' work today?

  The Creative Space Action Plan, led by The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, was an important milestone because it was grounded in listening to so many artists, creatives, nonprofit leaders, educators, business owners, and residents, including me. One finding that continues to resonate with me is that Muncie has an extraordinary wealth of creative talent, organizations, and spaces, but also faces the challenge of sustaining them with a limited audience and resources. Rather than seeing that as a weakness, I see it as an opportunity to strengthen collaboration. The plan reinforced the need for greater coordination across the arts and culture sector, which aligns perfectly with MuncieArts' mission to champion arts experiences, public art, and cultivate a thriving community of artists and allies.

  One recommendation that has especially influenced our work is Goal 1: Establish a true arts service organization. That is exactly the role we are working to fulfill by serving as a connector, advocate, and resource for artists, arts organizations, businesses, and community partners. We have also embraced the plan's call to broaden the public's understanding of creativity by asking, "Who is an artist?" and "What is art?" We believe more people are artists and creatives than they realize, and that creativity extends far beyond traditional arts disciplines. More people are arts supporters and participants than they think they are too. 

  As Americans for the Arts notes, the creative economy drives jobs, innovation, and economic growth through artistic, design-based, and digital work. By helping people recognize the value of creativity in all its forms, we strengthen not only our arts community but also Muncie's future as a vibrant, innovative place to live, work, and create.

• You often speak about the arts as more than only entertainment or enrichment. How do arts and culture contribute to economic development, talent attraction, quality of place, and community vitality in a city like Muncie?

  Arts and culture are about much more than entertainment or enrichment—they shape how we experience a place. They influence its identity, character, and sense of belonging. When people talk about a city having a certain energy or an unmistakable "it" factor, they're often responding to its arts, culture, public spaces, and creative spirit. It's not just what you see; it's how a place makes you feel. Those experiences encourage people to visit, invest, start businesses, and, ultimately, choose to live there.

  That is why arts and culture are increasingly recognized as essential to economic development and quality of place. In fact, there is an Arts Vibrancy Index to help measure it. A vibrant creative community attracts talent, supports tourism, encourages entrepreneurship, and helps employers recruit and retain a skilled workforce. People want to live in communities that are interesting, welcoming, and full of opportunities to connect with others. The arts help create those experiences while also generating jobs, supporting local businesses, and contributing to a healthy creative economy.

  At MuncieArts, we have intentionally centered public art because it is one of the most visible ways to transform a community. While monuments and memorials have long been part of our landscape, today's public art is about much more than placing artwork in public spaces but working with community partners and neighborhood residents. It is the intersection of place, community input, and artistic expression. Murals, sculptures, creative gathering spaces, and interactive installations tell the stories of our neighborhoods, celebrate our history, and invite people to experience Muncie in new ways.

  Public art also creates a ripple effect. It encourages people to explore downtown and neighborhoods, sparks conversations, instills community pride, and creates memorable experiences for residents and visitors alike. When paired with thoughtful planning and strong community partnerships, arts and culture become powerful tools for revitalization. They help create the kind of community where people don't just come to work—they choose to stay, raise families, build businesses, and invest in the future. In fact, I consider myself one of those people who returned to Muncie for the third time and have now been back for over 20 years. That's why I believe the arts are not a luxury; they are a critical part of building a vibrant, competitive, and resilient Muncie.

• MuncieArts has recently completed several significant public art projects and is preparing to revive the Box!Box! program. What have you learned from these initiatives about the power of public art to connect neighborhoods and create community pride?

  One of the biggest lessons we've learned through programs like Box!Box! is just how much creative talent exists throughout our community. The traffic control box program has shown us that artists aren't limited to galleries or professional studios—they are students, retirees, hobbyists, professional artists, and people who may never have considered themselves artists until they submitted a design. They come from every corner of Muncie, bringing unique perspectives and stories to the project. Box!Box! has become one of MuncieArts' most beloved initiatives because it transforms everyday infrastructure into something people notice, photograph, and take pride in. While many residents don't realize MuncieArts manages the program on behalf of the City of Muncie, they certainly recognize the impact it has on our streetscapes and neighborhoods.

  Public art also creates connections that extend far beyond the finished artwork. Each project brings together artists, neighborhoods, local government, businesses, property owners, sponsors, and residents to imagine what a space could become. The conversations that happen before a mural is painted or a traffic control box is wrapped are just as important as the final piece because they invite people to participate in shaping their community. Now that State Road 32 is under local management, we have an exciting opportunity to add 19 new works of public art along one of Muncie's most traveled corridors, creating a more welcoming and visually distinctive gateway through our city.

  Looking ahead, the timing couldn't be better. As we celebrate America's 250th anniversary and approach the Delaware County Bicentennial in 2027, public art provides a meaningful way to celebrate our shared history while looking towards the future. Our goal is to begin installing several new Box!Box! designs this year as our crowdfunding matching campaign through the CreatINg Places program of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) progresses, creating lasting landmarks that celebrate our community's creativity and identity. I hope these projects inspire pride not only in the artwork itself, but in the artists, people, and neighborhoods that make Muncie such a vibrant place to call home, creating lasting landmarks that celebrate our community's creativity and identity.

• One theme emerging from local conversations is the need to better support artists themselves. What are you hearing from artists, and what new resources, opportunities, or supports do you see emerging in Muncie in the years ahead?

  What I hear most often from artists is simple: they want the opportunity to make a living doing what they love. That's a goal many people share, but building a sustainable career as an artist requires more than talent. It takes business skills, access to funding, professional networks, a market that values creative work, and a stimulating community full of cultural vitality. The 2025 Arts Vibrancy Index suggests Muncie has relatively few full-time artists, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Many local creatives are balancing careers in education, healthcare, or other fields while pursuing their artistic practice. We see tremendous potential to help those artists grow their creative work into viable businesses or full-time careers by connecting them with new opportunities, resources, and audiences.

  That's where MuncieArts can make a difference. Through programs like WorkIt!, our professional development series for creatives, we're helping artists build the practical skills they need to succeed—from grant writing and marketing to public art and project management. Looking ahead, I see even more opportunities to support artists through expanded training, startup funding, mentorship, public art commissions, and partnerships with businesses and community organizations. When artists succeed, our entire community benefits through a stronger creative economy, increased cultural vitality, and a more vibrant Muncie.

• Your team may be small, but you have a lot of work underway. What gives you optimism about the future of MuncieArts and the broader creative sector as you look to the future?

  I'm optimistic because of what we've been able to accomplish with a very small team and an incredible network of partners, volunteers, artists, and supporters. For the past year and a half, MuncieArts has operated with one full-time staff member—me—alongside consultants, two part-time student assistants, and a temporary arts administration apprentice who had recently graduated. Despite our size, we've expanded our reach, strengthened relationships throughout the community, secured new funding, completed significant public art projects, and built momentum that positions us well for the future. That progress demonstrates not only the dedication of our team and board, but also the community's belief in the value of arts and culture.

  We've also introduced new ways for people to connect with MuncieArts and with one another. Programs like Creative Chill have created a welcoming space for artists, creatives, makers, and arts supporters to build relationships. Dreaming with MuncieArts has invited the public to help shape our future, while the MuncieArts Artist Spotlight has provided local artists with opportunities to exhibit and demonstrate their work in a pop-up format in the Muncie Civic Theatre lobby, the same building where our office is located. We've celebrated the people who make our work possible through Ovation, our donor and volunteer appreciation event, and relaunched our monthly newsletter to share opportunities, celebrate successes, and highlight the many ways arts and culture enrich our community. Looking ahead, I'm excited not just about what MuncieArts will accomplish, but about what our entire creative community can achieve together as we continue building a more connected, vibrant, and inclusive arts and culture ecosystem.