Minnetrista Cultural Foundation Inc

MINNETRISTA IS THE HOME OF THE BALL JAR; A GATHERING PLACE AND CATALYST FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE CREATE SHARED EXPERIENCES THAT CONNECT PEOPLE, LEADING TO A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.

ADDITIONALLY, MINNETRISTA OPENED THE SHORT-TERM ORIGINAL EXHIBITION, JARRING OUR MEMORIES, AND TWO LONG-TERM EXHIBITS, BOB ROSS EXPERIENCE AND OAKHURST EXPERIENCE, CONTINUED TO DELIGHT LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND TOURIST AUDIENCES. THE MINNETRISTA HERITAGE COLLECTION INCLUDES ARTIFACTS, ART, AND ARCHIVAL MATERIAL THAT DOCUMENT THE PEOPLE, PLACES, ORGANIZATIONS, EVENTS, AND BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIES OF EAST CENTRAL INDIANA. A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE COLLECTION IS BALL FAMILY MATERIAL AND BALL CORPORATION BUSINESS RECORDS. SEVERAL ACQUISITIONS RECEIVED IN 2021 ENHANCE THE EXISTING BALL BUSINESS COLLECTION AND INCLUDED BALL-MADE PRODUCTS SUCH AS FRUIT JARS, ACRYLIC PRODUCTS, AND OTHER CANNING RELATED PRODUCTS. OTHER BALL-RELATED ARTIFACTS INCLUDE NEWSLETTERS, ADVERTISING MATERIALS, POSTERS, AND OTHER ARCHIVAL ITEMS. THE MINNETRISTA HERITAGE COLLECTION, BOTH ON-SITE AND ON-LINE, IS ALSO A DESTINATION FOR RESEARCHERS. IN 2021, THERE WERE MORE THAN 181 REMOTE AND IN-PERSON RESEARCH REQUESTS AND APPOINTMENTS. BY THE END OF THE YEAR, THERE WERE MORE THAN 7,500 ARTIFACTS; 6,271 PHOTOGRAPHS; AND 2,452 ARCHIVAL RECORDS FROM THE MINNETRISTA HERITAGE COLLECTION ON-LINE. THOUSANDS OF ADDITIONAL RECORDS WERE AVAILABLE ONSITE TO RESEARCHERS THROUGH OUR COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 12,800 SEARCHES OF THE ON-LINE COLLECTION IN 2021.

AS THE HOME OF THE BALL JAR, MINNETRISTA CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A LEGACY SITE AND GATHERING PLACE FOR EAST CENTRAL INDIANA. VISITORS COME TO EXPLORE, RECHARGE, AND CONNECT. IN 2021, MORE THAN 64,000 VISITORS FOUND SOLACE ON OUR GROUNDS, THROUGH OUTDOOR EVENTS AND EXHIBITS ADAPTED FOR A YEAR OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASK-WEARING. FAMILIES ATTENDED ADAPTED VERSIONS OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS LIKE FAERIES SPRITES & LIGHTS AND ENCHANTED LUMINARIA WALK. WE OPENED AN EXPANSION TO OUR 2020 BOB ROSS EXPERIENCE INCLUDING A PAINTING WORKSHOP AND GALLERY SPACE ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE LL BALL HOME. WE CONTINUED TO OFFER ONLINE OFFERINGS ALONGSIDE RETURNING IN PERSON EXPERIENCES TO ALLOW OUR COMMUNITY TO ATTEND PROGRAMS LIKE TEA AND TALK AND EXHIBIT OPENINGS ACCORDING TO THEIR COMFORT LEVEL.

MINNETRISTA IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EAST CENTRAL INDIANA BY OFFERING A BEAUTIFUL LOCATION IN THE MIDDLE OF MUNCIE. WITH A SIX-ACRE NATURE AREA, 23 ACRES OF THEMED AND HISTORIC GARDENS, AND A STRETCH OF THE WHITE RIVER GREENWAY, MINNETRISTA SERVES AS GREEN SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY. THIS SPACE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE INVALUABLE RESPITE TO OUR COMMUNITY DURING 2021 AS THE VISITORS SOUGHT WAYS TO GET PHYSICAL AND FIND MENTAL RELIEF FROM LIFE STRESSES CAUSED BY BOTH PERSONAL AND NATIONAL FACTORS LIKE THE PANDEMIC, ECONOMICS, AND POLITICAL PRESSURES. WE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY GROUPS UNABLE TO CONNECT IN PERSON WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MOVE THEIR PROGRAMS ON LINE ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE TO HOST MANY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND EVENTS.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: THE BREAKDOWN OF THE REMAINING 873,892 IN PROGRAM EXPENSES IS AS FOLLOWS: 452,213 DEPRECIATION EXPENSE; 225,005 IT EXPENSE; 196,673 ADVERTISING.