Indiana is stepping up its community game with a new crowd-funding initiative aimed at bringing a state-of-the-art culinary space to Indianapolis. Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), have unveiled a plan to establish The Big Table — a community kitchen where locals can stir the pot of their culinary skills, set to open on Big Car's Tube Factory campus.
"The proposed enhancement of the Big Car campus continues to develop a dynamic space that is meeting a variety of needs in Indianapolis," Crouch said. This campaign, part of the CreatINg Places initiative, aims to raise $50,000 by February 1, 2025. If the goal is met, the project will receive a matching grant from the IHCDA’s CreatINg Places program, doubling the available resources for this effort, according to the Indiana State Government's press release.
The funds raised will support the creation and outfitting of public culinary and communal dining spaces within a new contemporary art museum. Featuring a large commercial kitchen and a learning lab, the facility aims to serve as an incubator for local food enterprises and a training ground for aspiring chefs and community members. "We are thrilled to welcome everyone to the table to engage with culinary arts and community through this innovative project," Jim Walker, Executive Director and co-founder of Big Car Collaborative, said in a statement obtained from the Indiana State Government website.
Since its inception in 2016, the CreatINg Places program has accumulated over $12 million through public fundraising. Complemented by an additional $10.2 million in IHCDA matching funds, these projects have ignited various community endeavors across the state. Qualifying entities for the program include non-profits and local governments, with IHCDA offering up to $50,000 in 1-to-1 matched funds, capping an engaging opportunity for public and private cooperation in the heart of Indianapolis.
