INDIANA – Communities across southern Indiana will align directly with the path of totality during the 2024 solar eclipse. This provides a unique opportunity for Hoosiers and tourists alike to explore the cultural dimensions and creative inspiration of a solar event that will remain in our memories for a lifetime.
A new initiative, supported by the Simons Foundation, Regional Opportunity Initiatives, and the Center for Rural Engagement, will support rural communities located in the path of totality with staffing, resources, and outreach for arts and culture-focused community activities. Organizations in communities with populations less than 50,000 can also apply for microgrants up to $2,000 to support the implementation of eclipse activities.
Grant applications will be accepted unit September 1, 2023.
Indiana counties in the path of totality will experience a period of time when the sun is 100% covered. Other counties in Indiana will experience 90% coverage.
The path of totality of the April 8 solar eclipse will cover a segment of the U.S. and Mexico, including a large part of Indiana, in complete darkness for up to four minutes as the moon shadows the sun. The next time Indiana will fall in the path of the totality of a solar eclipse will be in 2099.
Counties in the path of totality include:
Adams, Allen, Bartholomew, Blackford, Boone, Brown, Clay, Compton, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, Dubois, Fayette, Franklin, Gibson, Grant, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Huntington, Jackson, Jay, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Orange, Owen, Park, Perry, Posey, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Sullivan, Tipton, Union, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Warrick, Washington, Wayne, and Wells.
The Center for Rural Engagement invites community organizations to submit ideas for eclipse-related events and activities leading up to April 8 that include visual, public, or performing arts; placemaking and design; film and cultural heritage. The micro-grant application will open this summer at rural.indiana.edu. For more information about the initiative, contact Hannah Jones at hanejone@iu.edu.
