Jasper recognized for creation of Thyen-Clark Cultural Center

The City of Jasper and Thyen-Clark Cultural Center jointly received the Quality of Place Attraction Award by the Regional Opportunity Initiative as part of the Indiana Uplands Regional Innovation Awards.

This was the first year for the award that recognizes a community, organization, or group that has coalesced around a project or program that welcomes both residents and visitors to enjoy the arts, culture, and natural beauty found only in the Uplands.

The inaugural award was presented jointly to the City of Jasper and the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center — both responsible for creating the amenities and linkages that bring people downtown.

It was in 2013 when the community began to focus on bringing people back to their downtown. It was arduous work that required planning, partnerships, and investment to create a downtown that residents would want to rediscover and visitors to explore.

Today, a redeveloped Downtown Jasper is a place where everyone wants to be. People can dine and shop downtown, spend time with friends around a fire pit on cooler evenings, or swing in front of City Hall on warmer nights. You can catch a show or an art exhibit at the nearby cultural center or watch a movie in a renovated historic theater. And if you want to exercise, you can power walk or ramble down the 2.1-mile scenic, paved walking path along the river.

The Thyen-Clark Cultural Center is the epicenter of cultural enrichment in downtown Jasper. Developed as a partnership between Jasper Community Arts and the Jasper Public Library, this new 63,000-square-foot facility features three galleries, four workshops, a black box theater, meeting rooms, a maker space, and private study rooms. Its large atrium serves as the venue for many community events and has become a very popular wedding reception venue. The Center has also expanded its reach beyond its walls to include, for example, the community Farmer’s Market and activities at the historic Alexander Schoolhouse.

The City of Jasper implemented an updated plan for downtown with the goal of creating vibrancy through more than just gathering places. Today, new businesses are taking up residence downtown, and new housing has been added to the mix. The recently completed Stewart Hotel project added 18 units, including several units for short-term stays. The completed River Center offers 76 market-rate apartments, and the former library block is under construction and will add 18 townhomes to the downtown housing inventory. This work took years of preparation, planning, and substantial public and private investment.

The Indiana Uplands Regional Innovation Awards recognize deserving people, organizations, and projects that have made meaningful improvements to education, workforce, economic development, and quality of place within the 11 counties of the Uplands region (Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen, and Washington counties).

This year’s nine award winners were announced at ROI’s 2023 Annual Report to the Region held at French Lick Resort on Thursday, April 13.

“This year’s award honorees have demonstrated leadership and an unwavering commitment to
making a difference in the lives of Uplanders,” said ROI President and CEO Tina Peterson. “Recognizing these incredible organizations and individuals is a remarkable honor.”