21 Aug From Passion to Progress: How the Arts Build a Better Noblesville
Written By: Christi Crosser and Esther Lakes, Board Members, Noblesville Creates
What truly makes Noblesville feel like home? Beyond the historic brick streets and familiar storefronts, we feel it in the shared pride of a new downtown art installation or the energy of a local music performance — experiences that shape our city’s vibrant identity. We believe our local arts and culture scene is the heartbeat of that spirit.
A thriving creative community strengthens our city by creating economic benefits and enriching our children’s education, which together create that “this is home” feeling. As longtime residents, our experiences drawn from leadership roles — spanning the school board to supporting education, local business advocacy, and local nonprofits — have given us a front-row seat of how the arts intersect with and elevate our city. This shared understanding is precisely why we have deepened our commitment to the city’s creative future.
The Tangible Impact of a Creative Economy
The economic impact of the arts in Noblesville is clear and measurable. In 2024, programming from Noblesville Creates alone generated nearly $730,000 in household income for our neighbors and supported 37 full-time jobs, based on an Americans For The Arts study. This impact snowballs with every event. For instance, last year, attendees added another $530,000 to our local economy through their related spending. The direct financial benefit to our creative community is also significant: 161 local artists earned over $69,000 from sales of their work.
These are not abstract figures. They are the tangible result of thousands of people gathering for beloved events like Fairyville, HATCH Fest, and our monthly First Fridays. These experiences, along with intimate offerings like children’s art camps and adult drawing classes, are what build the connections that give our city its distinct character.
A Shared Passion Forged by Service
Our passion for local arts comes from our experiences serving Noblesville. While our professional paths aren’t the same, our work has revealed a simple truth: a community’s health is directly linked to its creative culture. This truth is evident in our shared service on the boards of Noblesville Creates, Prevail, Noblesville Chamber of Commerce, Advancing Noblesville Chamber Foundation, Riverview Health Foundation, and Spotlight on Art.
From an educational standpoint, a strong arts scene is a critical asset. We recognize the power of the arts to enrich student learning while attracting and retaining talented families in our city.
This same principle applies to philanthropy focused on our youngest residents. We support Spotlight on Art, an event that merges art with philanthropy to benefit the Boys & Girls Club, Prevail, and Children’s TherAplay. The community recognition for this work is proof that investing in the arts is a direct investment in our children.
This shared understanding of how the arts connect education and philanthropy to strengthen Noblesville’s well-being led us to take on a new challenge together: co-chairing this year’s “Celebrate Noblesville Creates” gala.
An Invitation to Invest in Our Creative Future
This annual celebration is the primary fundraiser that sustains the programs and economic impact we’ve described. We invite you to join us for Celebrate Noblesville Creates on Thursday, September 25, from 5:15 to 9:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites in Noblesville.
Resources from this single evening are invested back into Noblesville for the entire year. It fuels the creation of public art, beautifying our shared spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Building a Creative Legacy Together
An investment in our creative community is an investment in the economic vitality and spirit that set Noblesville apart. We invite you to partner with us in this mission. Together, we can build a legacy of creativity that will define our city for generations to come.
Learn more at www.noblesvillecreates.org/gala.