By Dr. Jeff Bird—
MUNCIE, IN—Muncie Arts and Culture Council (MuncieArts) was established in 2011 as a 501c3 to support public art. The organization partners with many other arts and cultural organizations to promote the Arts in Muncie, Delaware County and East Centra Indiana. It is also the partner for the Arts with the City of Muncie.
I had the pleasurable opportunity to chat with Tania Said, the Executive Director of MuncieArts recently to learn of her love for the Arts and her role leading the organization.
Tania’s love for the arts was cultivated in large part by her mother, who was an art teacher and artist. She spent her teenage years in England, studying ballet and playing the Viola. She decided to return to be with her mother, who was experiencing significant health issues and matriculated to Ball State and graduated with a BA in Media and Art History. She then pursued a MA at George Washington University in Museum Studies. After graduating, she spent 2 decades in the Washington, DC area working in the Arts in a variety of roles including stints at the Smithsonian Museum, the George Washington University Dimock Gallery and the Beam Museum as its Director.
Tania came back to Muncie in 2005 to take the role as the Director of Education at the David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University and spent 15 years there. She then became the Director of Development at the Ball State University Foundation. She then moved to Minnetrista Museum and Gardens to serve as Vice President of Exhibitions and Programs before landing at MuncieArts as the new Executive Director in 2025.
MuncieArts Mission is to champion arts and cultural experiences, public art, and a thriving community of artists and allies in Muncie, and its Vision to spark diversity of thought through community conversations and inspiration. Its impact on the local arts scene is significant and acts as a cornerstone to the arts world and its creators. It is a not-for-profit organization with a strong board of directors which relies on grants, individual and corporate donors, local philanthropic foundations and City government for funding.
Tania has a clear love for the Arts and demonstrates that love in her role leading MuncieArts. She is very active in the community as a champion for the Arts. MuncieArts has many public arts examples locally and is in the process of another push for one of my favorite public art endeavors: BoxBox. Since 2018, over 70 utility and traffic boxes have become pieces of public art and a new fundraising campaign hopes to raise the resources to beautify another 19 utility boxes along the State Road 32 corridor through Muncie.
MuncieArts is also embarking on a Reimagination Framework with four strategic realms working together to advance one shared mission that include Build a Strong, Sustainable MuncieArts; Connect and Strengthen the Arts Ecosystem; Help Artists Thrive; and Advance Muncie’s Creative Economy and Civic Identity. Importantly, public input sessions will be held, and anyone may attend.
A thriving Arts Culture significantly impacts a communities Quality of Place and economy, and the leadership of Tania Said and MuncieArts is dedicated to inspiring that for Muncie. We should all be supportive of these important efforts. Tania says, “If I’ve done my job, everyone will see how the Arts and culture mean something to them and is important to the future of Muncie.”
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