By Cornerstone board of directors—
MUNCIE, IN—2024 is off to a great start for Cornerstone Center for the Arts. We began the year by announcing that CCA successfully raised $22,000 at the end of last year, during our December fundraiser. We also secured during the first quarter $50,000 in grant funding alone. The community’s generous support has put us on the right track.
However, we know our work is not over. In honor of May being National Historic Preservation Month, we are doing a fundraiser to support Cornerstone. Your donation will help cover the maintenance and preservation costs of our grand building. This building provides an inspiring location that enriches our community by providing opportunities for creative expression, educational programs, and events.
In addition to raising funds, we are partnering with the City of Muncie’s Preservation Office to host events at Cornerstone throughout the month to bring awareness to our building and City’s preservation. Events hosted at Cornerstone will be:
- May 1st, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Cornerstone, Auditorium – Opening Ceremony – Highlights: Cornerstone and Emily Kimbrough
- May 11th, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Cornerstone, Grand Hall (3rd Floor) – Historic District Highlights: Beech Grove; Minnetrista Boulevard, Kirby
- May 17th, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Cornerstone, Heritage Room (2nd Floor) – Historic District Highlights: Gilbert, Meeks Avenue, Wysor
- May 24th, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Cornerstone, Legacy Room (3rd Floor) – Boyce Block, Old Federal Building, Walnut
- May 31st 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Cornerstone, Auditorium – Closing Ceremony – Historic District Highlights: Old West End and Riverside
Cornerstone pursues its mission in Muncie’s historic 1926 Masonic Temple, located on the northeast corner of Madison and Main streets downtown. Our building was designed by locally renowned architect Cuno Kibele in 1919. At the time, Muncie’s freemasons had outgrown their old temple and needed something new. They wanted a building to “surpass all other structures in the city for beauty and architecture,” according to a Muncie Morning Star article at the time. As per custom, when the masons laid the cornerstone in October of 1923, they declared it “well formed, true and trusty.”
These words remain relevant today almost a century later. Our building is a solid standing testament to architectural excellence. Kibele designed the structure to last generations, but it’s expensive to operate and maintain. That’s where you come in! We need your help to continue preserving the temple and maintaining it for generations that follow; we’re merely just stewards in this time and place of Muncie’s grand Masonic Temple.
Cornerstone Center for the Arts was founded in 2006 with the merger of Muncie Center for the Arts and the Community Arts and Building Foundation, then owners of the Masonic Temple. Since then, our organization has remained dedicated to providing arts access to all, improving the quality of life in Muncie, and maintaining one of the city’s most iconic structures.
We hope you’ll consider supporting Cornerstone’s efforts to preserve this grand building for today and the many tomorrows that will follow. Donations can be made through our fundraiser link as well as cash or check could be sent to 520 E Main St, Muncie, IN 47305. For more information about Cornerstone’s events and summer classes, please be sure to visit our website or follow us on social media.
