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The 10th Street Emerging Cultural District
Little Flower Neighborhood Association was granted $30,000 by the City of Indianapolis to create an “Emerging Cultural District” with a block party, art, placemaking, branding, safety upgrades, and more on East 10th Street between Sherman Drive and Leland Ave.
This project is in partnership with:
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Mark your calendars
Upcoming Events
10th Street Block Party - Oct. 10, 4-7 PM
Join us for a celebration of our 10th Street community on 10/10! The party will feature several local vendors and community orgs, games & kids' activities, discounts on food & drink in the district, and more!
We'll also display information about the Emerging Cultural District project, including neighbor feedback on corridor identity, plans for naming the district, plans for upgrading useful amenities in the district, and more.
Safety Demonstration Teardown - Nov. 1
This is the date for the installation of our tactical urbanism project on 10th St. in partnership with DPW. We're awaiting finalized designs for this from DPW, and will share with neighbors when we're able!
Goals and Budget
Transform 10th Street from N. Sherman Drive to N. Leland Avenue from a "pass-through" corridor into a walkable destination by building coalitions to plant the seeds of a healthier, more vibrant community
Corridor Identity -$4,700
Community outreach, corridor branding, and branded banners along 10th Street
Beautification & Placemaking - $18,000
Art, murals, benches, planters, trash cans, bike racks, and a community bulletin board
Community Events
$5,500
A block party, storytelling and poetry session, and other cultural programming.
Multimodal Safety & Accessibility
$1,000
Safety demonstration project to calm traffic between Wallace Ave and Drexel Ave
Monthly Updates
March
A committee has formed with representatives from Little Flower, Grace-Tuxedo Park, and Emerson Heights to work towards the creation of this cultural district in 2026. You can learn more about the committee and its members via the Committee Charter.
April
April was mainly spent on backend planning such as creating flyers, website, donation page, Instagram account, etc.. Businesses and residents near 10th and Bosart Ave were given flyers for the May 2nd listening session.
May
We held a listening session with 10th and Bosart Ave businesses and residents at Love Indy Bar and Grill. The summary can be found here: Listening Session Summary
We met with DPW about the safety demonstration project. Flyers were created and printed to be distributed ahead of the May 21st town hall.
June & July
We synthesized feedback from our May 21st Town Hall and created summary materials to share with the community: Town Hall #1 Feedback Summary
We focused heavily on refining our designs for our street safety demonstration with DPW with help from neighbor feedback, and submitted those to our project manager with the city. However, this project (originally slated for a July 11th installation) was delayed due to staffing capacity at DPW. This postponed our safety installation to the fall, though we are assured it will move forward before the end of the year.
Our Community
Committee Mission and Values
We will provide sustainable, community-driven oversight and planning guidance for the implementation of the Cultural District Grant, associated projects, and the development of the 10th Street Emerging Cultural District corridor. This work will center equitable representation of neighborhood associations and community stakeholders in planning decisions while supporting the establishment of a permanent 10th Street Cultural District organization, possibly a 501(c)(3).
Community-Driven
We prioritize legitimacy and trust in the decision-making process through comprehensive outreach, inclusive engagement, and transparent communication with all affected communities.
Local Empowerment
We support the creative and small-business ecosystem that defines the cultural district by elevating artists, makers, and entrepreneurs as key contributors to the district’s identity, vitality, and economic development.
Collaboration
The district represents a shared cultural and economic engine across multiple neighborhoods. Its success depends on strong partnerships and sustained collaboration among community groups, stakeholders, and institutions.
Equity and Inclusion
Given the diversity of our community and the historic and ongoing barriers related to housing, mobility, and access, our outreach and decision-making processes will prioritize equitable participation and ensure meaningful engagement with underrepresented groups.
Sustainable Development
We support development that strengthens the community long-term—socially, culturally, environmentally, and economically—while minimizing displacement.
People-Centered Public Realm
A thriving cultural district depends on streets and public spaces that are safe, welcoming, and people-centered. We promote street design and public space stewardship that prevents serious and fatal crashes, creates vibrancy, and enables people to walk, gather, and engage with the district with comfort and dignity.
Outreach and Events
10th/Bosart Business Focused Listening Session
Saturday, May 2nd at 1PM
Love Indy Bar and Grill, 4623 E 10th St
Community Canvassing
Weekend of May 15th
Town Hall 1: Listening Session
Thursday, May 21, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Zion Unity Baptist Church, 3855 E 10th St
Community Canvassing 2
August 10 - 12
Town Hall 2: Identity Development
Thursday, August 13, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Zion Unity Baptist Church, 3855 E 10th St
Safety Demonstration Project Installation (delayed from July)
Street safety test in partnership with DPW
September 19th
Placemaking Installation
Installing placemaking investments along the corridor, including things like benches, trashcans, bike racks, etc.
Date TBD
10th Street Cleanup
October 3rd, 9 AM - Noon - Meet in the front lawn of Linwood Plaza
Block Party
October 10th, Location TBD
Safety Demonstration Project Teardown
Date TBD
Town Hall 3: Wrap Up & Next Steps
November, Date TBD
Gentrification
gen·tri·fi·ca·tion
"the process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, typically displacing current inhabitants in the process."
Community is Key
Though culture alone cannot stop displacement, it can help ensure that existing residents benefit from change rather than being pushed out.
By creating opportunities for neighbors to gather, collaborate, and share resources, we aim to strengthen the relationships and networks that help communities resist displacement and advocate for themselves.
Our approach to building an emerging cultural district is rooted in supporting the people who already call this neighborhood home. We will prioritize small-scale, accessible initiatives that reflect the area’s working-class, diverse identity.
Our goal is to build vibrancy without erasure: reinforcing that this place already has value and ensuring that growth is shaped by and for the community, not imposed upon it.