Great things are coming
SOON
From Decay to YAY!
Bringing New Life, Art, and Community to the Corner of 12th and Tell Streets.
The vision is taking shape, but we're not finished yet!
Thanks to the generosity of our community, Tell City Regional Arts (TCRA) successfully raised funds through a Summer 2025 crowdfunding campaign in partnership with Patronicity and Indiana's CreatINg Places program. This innovative initiative combines community contributions with matching grant funds to help transform public spaces and strengthen local communities.
With a total project budget of $105,000, Phase One is turning a once-deteriorating property at the corner of 12th and Tell Streets into an inviting, open-air green space patio. This new community gathering place is an important first step toward TCRA's larger vision of transforming the historic property into a vibrant arts and cultural center.
Construction has progressed, including roof demolition and repairs to the building's awning. TCRA members have also helped select finishes for the building, and community volunteers have contributed their time and energy to landscaping improvements. Each step brings us closer to creating a welcoming space for arts, entertainment, community gatherings, and future programming.
Help Us Cross the Finish Line!
TCRA needs to raise an additional $50,000 to complete the exterior facade updates and painting treatments by November 20, 2026.
These finishing touches are essential to improving the property's appearance, addressing neighborhood blight, and creating an attractive, welcoming destination for our community. TCRA is actively seeking donations, sponsors, and community partners to help meet this goal and complete the placemaking project on time.
Every contribution makes a difference. Whether through a financial donation, business sponsorship, or community support, you can help turn this historic corner into a place where creativity thrives and our community comes together.
Let's keep the momentum going! Help TCRA transform this space from decay to YAY!
Looking Ahead: A Home for Arts and Culture
The placemaking project is the first phase of a larger vision for a community arts center in Tell City. Future plans include gallery space featuring local artists, classrooms, a pottery studio, performance and program space, and a small black box theater.
By revitalizing this property, TCRA hopes to create new opportunities for arts education, youth engagement, performances, and community connection while contributing to the continued revitalization of downtown Tell City.
With continued community support, we're building more than a gathering space. We're building a place for creativity, connection, and community pride.
PHASE 2 - 4
TCRA continues to work toward revitalizing the historic car garage into a vibrant, industrial-chic arts and cultural space featuring a classroom, pottery studio, black box theater, and a lobby showcasing handmade art by local artists for sale. Thanks to READI 2.0 state funding, TCRA officially secured ownership of the property in late September, marking a significant milestone in bringing this vision to life.
Community involvement is already making a difference! On October 21, local volunteers and TCRA members came together to plant landscaping along the corner of the property. Plans are also underway to install sun shades over the space by mid-November, continuing efforts to improve the property's appearance and create a more welcoming presence in the community.
Although TCRA was not awarded funding through the Lilly Endowment Arts and Culture grant, we remain committed to moving this project forward. TCRA is exploring alternative funding sources and grant opportunities to support the renovation and transformation of the space.
Our immediate priority is to address the property's existing blight and protect this important community asset by repairing and replacing the roofs on the buildings. TCRA is actively writing grants to secure the capital needed for this critical work while continuing to fundraise and seek sponsors to support the larger renovation effort.
With community support, local partnerships, and continued fundraising, TCRA is working to transform this historic property into a thriving hub for arts, culture, creativity, and community connection.
A portion of the funds from Summer of 2025 crowdsourcing donations went towards architecturally accurate schematic floorplans from Universal Design in Ferdinand. These documents show TCRA's earnest efforts to move the project along, and provide valuable information which will be used in phases 2-4 of the project's plan.
Projected facade update, all designs shown are subject to change.
The new facility will house a musical lesson rental office for local musicians and their students. It will be sound proof and will host a piano. Guitar and other lessons could also take place here.
