ARI receives state grant to transform campus into cultural destination

(LAWRENCEBURG, Ind.) – The Archaeological Research Institute (ARI) in Lawrenceburg is receiving a major grant to enhance the visitor experience.

ARI is one of only 10 public archeology organizations in the United States and is dedicated to studying and preserving the region’s rich history. 

On Monday, the nonprofit was one of 49 organizations in Indiana to receive a READI 2.0 Arts & Culture grant, which is a $65M initiative to advance the state's arts and culture economy. 

ARI received $424,545 in READI 2.0 funds to transform their downtown campus into a fully integrated, publicly accessible cultural destination.

It will take place through three projects:

• An outdoor Cultural Gardens featuring public art, a large-scale augmented reality mural and 24/7 interpretive installations; 

• An interior facility renovation creating ADA-accessible labs, immersive technology zones and expanded educational capacity; 

• A comprehensive immersive exhibit design and development program engaging Indiana artists, designers and technology professionals. 

“Together, these investments create a seamless visitor journey rooted in the cultural history of the Ohio River Valley, activating downtown Lawrenceburg, supporting the local creative economy, and establishing ARI as a regional leader in innovative public archaeology and cultural education,” officials said. 

ARI is located at 126 West High Street and you can click this link to see upcoming events.

This was one of four local READI 2.0 projects awarded on Monday. Here are the others:

• The Dillsboro Friendship Arts Gallery is getting $40,000 for the creation of the Dillsboro Studio Residency to develop local artists and cultivate creative entrepreneurs.   

• The Union County Foundation has received $1M to build an open-air pavilion and a documentary series to spotlight creative entrepreneurs.

  
  

• Oldenburg Freudenfest Committee received a $148K grant to build a new performance pavilion, create a new festival and a paint one-of-a-kind mural at Maypole Heritage Park. Read that story here.