Fifteen rural Indiana organizations will collaborate with Indiana University for the 2026 Rural Placemaking Studio to bring beauty to their communities through creative design and public art projects.
IU design students work together with local partners to design vibrant, welcoming and sustainable public spaces that celebrate local identity and strengthen community connections through art.
“Over the last three summers, the Rural Placemaking Studio has connected Eskenazi School students with people throughout south-central Indiana,” said Peg Faimon, founding dean of the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. “These partnerships are transformative for the students, communities and leaders, and they result in impactful, beautiful and educational projects that enhance civic pride. The RPS is at the center of our strategic goal to engage our community, state and beyond.”
The Rural Placemaking Studio works with communities with populations less than 50,000 within approximately a 90-mile radius of Bloomington. Since beginning, RPS has worked with 25 rural Indiana organizations in 19 counties to develop 30 community-guided projects.
“The Rural Placemaking Studio helps communities bring their ideas to life in ways that increase connection and local vibrancy,” said Kyla Cox Deckard, Center for Rural Engagement interim executive director. “Rural Indiana’s beautiful, historic landscapes provide inspiration for thoughtful and welcoming designs, and Rural Placemaking Studio projects continue to deepen partnerships between communities and Indiana University that extend beyond the design experience.”
This year’s partners and projects are:
- Community Action Leading Loogootee in Martin County: A kiosk and window clings will be designed to support the Mesker Walking Tour and highlight the Loogootee Commercial Historic District, expanding on a 2025 Rural Placemaking Studio project.
- The City of Salem in Washington County: A new mural installation will be designed for an alcove off the historic Salem Square.
- Eastern Greene Schools in Greene County: Conceptual designs will be developed for a new public space on 28 acres near the school campus.
- Decatur County Community Garden: Enhancements will be designed to expand the community garden, including shaded areas, raised beds and signage.
- Heartland Artists in Marshall County: A small park and public art installation will be designed at the intersection where four historic byways converge in downtown Plymouth.
- The University of Southern Indiana’s Historic New Harmony in Posey County: Improvements to Church Park and Maclure Square will enhance interpretation, gathering spaces and connectivity.
- Blue River Community Foundation, Marietta Fire Station in Shelby County: A community gathering space with a pavilion and landscaping will be designed at the Marietta Fire Station.
- Blue River Community Foundation, Blue River Trail in Shelby County: Enhancements along the Blue River Trail will include improved seating, wayfinding and interpretive signage.
- The Heart of Lebanon in Boone County: A plaza will be expanded by activating an adjacent street for event and market use.
- The City of Bluffton in Wells County: Concepts for public art installations will be designed to activate the downtown plaza and strengthen the community’s emerging arts initiative.
- The Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand in Dubois County: Drawings and conceptual designs will be developed for the renovation of one floor of the historic annex to support future community-serving uses.
- Cannelton Grows Inc. in Perry County: Conceptual designs will reimagine the main floor of a former school to support a new community hub focused on local food, wellness and entrepreneurship.
- Clarksville Historic Preservation Commission in Clark County: Interpretive signage will be designed for the new Lincoln Park Trail trailhead, including directional and historical displays that share the story of Clarksville’s historic Black neighborhood.
- Heart of Jasper in Dubois County: Wayfinding and welcome signage will guide visitors and highlight Jasper’s downtown attractions.
- Main Street Greencastle in Putnam County: Public‑facing historical displays and digital storytelling elements will highlight downtown Greencastle’s buildings, residents and key events.
