Articles by Mike Rhodes

MOMIX Alice to Perform at Ball State’s Emens Auditorium, March 10

By Ball State Communications— MUNCIE, IN — MOMIX Alice will bring acrobatics, illusion, and inventive movement to Ball State University’s Emens Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Tickets are on sale online at Ticketmaster, at the Emens Box Office (1800 W. Riverside Ave.),  or by phone at 765-285-1539. Created by Moses Pendleton, MOMIX Alice is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and blends illusion, acrobatics, magic, and whimsy as audiences travel down the rabbit hole. “I don’t intend to retell the whole Alice…

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Community Grants Totaling $1 Million Awarded By Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County

By Kallie Sulanke—  MUNCIE, IN—The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County awarded $1,001,186 in Community Grants this week. Community Grants provide nonprofit organizations serving Muncie and Delaware County the opportunity to apply for funding to support their work. Grants are awarded to address the broad needs of Muncie and Delaware County. Organizations interested in applying for funding are encouraged to connect with the Foundation’s Program and Nonprofit Relations team. Through these conversations, Foundation staff and volunteers develop a deeper…


2026 ViVA Award Nominations Are Now Open

By Ben Polk, Muncie Sunrise Rotary Club— MUNCIE, Ind. — The ViVA (Very Important Volunteer Award) Awards were developed as a gift to the community in 1993 by the Muncie Noon Rotary Club and are now held in conjunction with the Muncie Sunrise Rotary Club to recognize Delaware County’s proud volunteer heritage. Up to four individuals and one organization will be recognized with ViVA Awards for their volunteer efforts to the community within the past 12 months. In addition, The Edmund F. Ball…


Ball State University Foundation Unveils 2026 ‘Top 100 Student Awards’ Recipients

By Ball State Communications— MUNCIE, IN — The Ball State University Foundation today revealed the recipients of the University’s annual “Top 100 Student Awards,” now in its fifth year of recognizing outstanding undergraduate student achievement. This awards program honors 100 exceptional junior and senior undergraduates who represent beneficence in three areas: academic excellence, campus leadership, and community impact. The full list of Ball State’s 2026 Top 100 Students is available on the Foundation’s website. “We’re proud to celebrate this remarkable group of…


Ball Brothers Foundation Grantee Spotlight: Q&A with IU Health Ball Memorial Chief Operating Officer

By Jud Fisher, President/CEO, Ball Brothers Foundation— MUNCIE, IN — Ball Memorial Hospital has long been shaped by strong local leadership and a deep commitment to the communities it serves. Following the retirement of Dr. Jeff Bird, Art Vasquez has been named President of IU Health’s North Region, supporting Muncie and surrounding communities as part of a broader regional network. Local leadership in Muncie remains central to the hospital’s work. Kreigh Cook, Chief Operating Officer of IU Health Ball Hospital…


Ball State’s David Owsley Museum of Art to Present Nora Krug Exhibition, Feb. 19–June 13

By Ball State Communications— MUNCIE, IN—The David Owsley Museum of Art (DOMA) at Ball State University will showcase a special exhibition of work by award-winning illustrator Nora Krug from Feb. 19–Jun. 13, 2026. Nora Krug: Belonging features more than 200 original drawings and paintings, along with historical artifacts, letters, photographs, and personal items that inspired the artist’s work. The exhibition was organized by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass., and curated by Stephanie Haboush Plunkett, chief curator. DOMA will also host…


Arts Organizations Encouraged to Apply for ‘Community Engagement for the Arts Grant’

By Michelle Kinsey— MUNCIE – Ball State University’s Office of Community Engagement is now accepting proposals for the 2025 Community Engagement for the Arts (CEFTA) Grant. This competitive grant program provides up to $35,000 annually to an East Central Indiana community arts-focused organization or program. Application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, March 27. To apply for the grant or for more information, go to https://www.bsu.edu/about/administrativeoffices/community-engagement/arts-grant-application The Community Engagement for the Arts Grant affirms Ball State’s commitment to community engagement with…


MadJax Maker Force Opens New Art Exhibition Space: TOOLSONG Gallery

By Carly Acree-King—  MUNCIE, IN —MadJax Maker Force announces the opening of TOOLSONG Gallery, a new art exhibition space located on the first floor of its downtown Muncie facility (515 E. Main Street, Muncie, IN). The gallery will officially open to the public on Thursday, February 19 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, with an inaugural exhibition and opening night celebration featuring Untied: On Process, Drift, and Letting Go by Kevin R. Klinger. TOOLSONG Gallery is housed within a former transformer…


Emergence Leadership Program Returns Spring 2026

Registration Now Open for Shafer Leadership Academy’s Core Leadership Experience By Arrick Garringer— MUNCIE, IN—Shafer Leadership Academy (SLA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to inclusive leadership development, is now accepting registrations for Emergence: Personal Foundations of Effective Leadership, its core leadership development program, returning Spring 2026. Emergence will run April 9 through May 7, 2026, in a five-week, highly interactive format designed to accommodate working professionals while delivering meaningful, practical leadership development. Sessions will be held at the Innovation Connector in…


Cornerstone Center for the Arts Celebrates 100 Years of the Masonic Temple and 20 Years of Creative Impact

By Cornerstone Board of Directors— MUNCIE, IN — Cornerstone Center for the Arts will host Illuminate the Arts on March 19. The fundraising celebration honors 100 years of the historic Masonic Temple and more than 20 years of Cornerstone serving as a vital hub for arts, education, and community connection in downtown Muncie. The event comes during a year of continued growth for Cornerstone, marked by expanded class offerings, increased community events, and a renewed focus on making the arts…