Arts and culture won a pillar fight, gaining equal footing with placemaking, talent, infrastructure, entrepreneurship and innovation, and business development and marketing as a pillar of the Ignite the Region economic development strategy.

Northwest Indiana Forum President and CEO Heather Ennis and Public Sphere Projects planning and placemaking expert Philip Barash discussed the arts and culture Thursday at a Lake County Advancement Committee luncheon in Merrillville.

The latest Ignite the Region plan, with the arts and culture pillar added, will be used to apply for funding under the READI 2.0 grant program, which focuses on blight elimination as well as arts and culture. The 260-page plan, not yet finalized, could be used to seek other grants as well, Barash said. “Money loves a plan

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