Fort Wayne residents will soon be able to enjoy a new sculpture in celebration of Ivy Tech Community College’s 50 years in Fort Wayne if a recently launched crowdfunding campaign is successful. The CreatINg Places’ campaign is led by the Ivy Tech Foundationand sponsored by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA).

“We are pleased to partner with the Ivy Tech Foundation on their efforts to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of their campus in Fort Wayne,” said Carmen Lethig, Placemaking Manager for IHCDA. “I can think of no better way for them to commemorate this major milestone than through the installation of public art.”

If the campaign reaches its $6,500 goal by May 10, the project will receive a matching grant of $6,500 from IHCDA.

Click here for project details and to donate.

The funding raised will cover the costs of creating an interactive sculpture by local artist Jim Merz, which will be a physical reminder of how Ivy Tech Fort Wayne is the bridge to higher education and beyond. The 10-foot-tall sculpture’s interior space echoes the Ivy Tech logo while also symbolizing a transition point from one stage to the next. The magnitude, simplicity, and boldness of this sculpture will capture the attention of pedestrians and motorists.

“Ivy Tech Fort Wayne is celebrating fifty years in Fort Wayne, commemorating its roots as a vocational and technical school and celebrating its current role as Indiana’s comprehensive community college,” says Margaret Sturm, Executive Director of Resource Development at Ivy Tech.

“Jim Merz’s sculpture will be a perfect mainstay at Ivy Tech Fort Wayne and will commemorate the past, present, and future of our campus,” says Ivy Tech Chancellor Jerrilee K. Mosier, Ed.D. “As we move into the future, our roots as a vocational and technical school—along with our more recent designation as Indiana’s comprehensive community college—provide us the opportunity to offer multiple career pathways for individuals throughout northeast Indiana.”

The CreatINg Places program began in 2016. Projects have raised in excess of $1,980,000 in public funds and an additional $1,693,000 in matching IHCDA funds.

The CreatINg Places program is available to projects located in Indiana communities. Non-profit entities (with 501c3 or 501c4 status) and Local Units of Government are eligible to apply.

Eligible projects must have a minimum total development cost of $10,000, where the recipient will receive $5,000 in IHCDA matching funds should they successfully raise $5,000 through Patronicity. IHCDA will provide matching grant funds up to $50,000 per project.