Local organization gives hopes to lighten downtown alleyway with art

Caleb Amick, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read

Jun. 20—ANDERSON — A Town Center, Inc. is hoping to give folks visiting even more to explore via the Artist Alley.

A Town Center hopes to transform the alley between the Paramount Theatre and the Union Building into a gallery area.

"With all the new events that Honeywell is putting on at the Paramount and bringing thousands of people downtown, sometimes it's unsightly with either trash or broken battles," said Levi Rinker, executive director for A Town Center.

Even more unsightly could be whatever supposedly lurks in dark alleys.

"The dark alley scenario is that 'good people don't go in dark alleyways.' The idea is to lighten it, brighten it, add some visual stimulation," Rinker said.

"That brings in more random, recurring foot traffic (which) pushes out things you don't want in the alleyway."

Such efforts were estimated to cost about $77,500, Rinker said, an amount not feasible for A Town Center.

The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority announced Tuesday that A Town Center would be participating in a crowdfunding campaign, with the goal of raising $38,750, which the state would match.

"We are excited at the prospect of adding to Anderson's downtown through the transformation of a vacated alley," said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch in a press release.

The grant program campaign is sponsored by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority in conjunction with AARP as part of their CreatING Livable Communities Partnership dedicated to helping seniors age in place.

A Town Center has raised $17,785 as of Tuesday, according to the campaign website.

Rinker said he's also received donations from local organizations such as Community Hospital Anderson, Madison County Visitor's Bureau, Madison County Federal Credit Union and MIBOR Realtor Association.

Funds must be raised by July 15 and will be available soon after.

The project is expected to take about one to two months to complete.

The Artist Alley would house 10 local works of art by local artists for a year.

Rinker said the idea is to have a new exhibition every year.

Follow Caleb Amick on Twitter @AmickCaleb. Contact him at caleb.amick@heraldbulletin.com or 765-648-4254.