Full Circle Arts Co-op

Beginning in September of 2007, we have been exploring ways to expand Muncie's bicycle programs, with the goals of promoting bicycling as an alternative form of transportation and providing free or low-cost bicycles to the Muncie community. The Bloomington Community Bike Project has given us a generous donation of bicycle parts that will be used to support this effort. Ideas that have been explored recently are creating a nonprofit bike co-op shop and an earn-a-bike program.

Director Mary Ogle is managing the collection and repair of donated musical instruments for the organization Charity Music. Charity Music is a Michigan-based not-for-profit organization that coordinates musical instrument drop-off points and repair of donated instruments so that they may then be loaned to aspiring artists. If you would like to make a donation, contact Mary or leave the instrument(s) with the staff at Doc's Music Hall.

We're currently booking classes, private lessons, and workshops in our new office building on Jackson. If you would like to teach out of the Full Circle building, email Executive Director Matt Parkison to make arrangements. More information about the educational opportunities offered by Full Circle can be found on our classes, workshops, and lessons page.

Full Circle's most ambitious project to date is the creation of a center for the arts, music, and education in downtown Muncie. More details can be found on our community center page.

An ongoing project of ours is to create community garden spaces in unused lots and atop unused building roofs throughout Muncie, which will yield crops that will be given back to the community. Our ultimate goal is to have community garden space in each neighborhood throughout Muncie and community workshops and other resources to assist residents in collectively managing these gardens. If you are interested in this project, and especially if you would like to donate land or rooftop space to become a gardening plot, please contact us.

We are currently accepting design proposals for a mural in David Letterman's Alley, located next to Doc's Music Hall at 215 S. Walnut St. We would prefer this project to be handled by a self-managed team of artists, but we are accepting proposals from individuals as well. Once a design is approved by both Full Circle and the Muncie Historic Preservation Society, we will take care of the paint, painting supplies, scaffolding, and an installation of night lighting and a 24-hour security camera to protect the mural from vandalism.

Full Circle directors and members have been a large part of the planning, promotion, and management of Muncie MusicFest since its creation in 2007. Development, design, and hosting for MuncieMusicFest.com was provided free of charge by Full Circle. If you would like to help put on the next Muncie MusicFest, contact us for a variety of volunteer opportunities.

We are exploring creative methods of promoting recycling in Muncie, including promotion of the city's "Blue Bag" program, creation of "visually stunning" recycling bins, and initiating an organic recycling program to create compost for community gardens.

Director Graham "Phantom" Watson has begun work on reviving the mission of TheMuncieScene.com, a website created in 2003 to centralize online promotion of community events and projects as well as provide a communications and networking hub for Muncie’s art community. If you would like to take part in its development, promotion, or maintenance, contact Graham.

Member James Nimmer is heading a series of music festivals in conjunction with the Full Circle Arts Co-op with the mission to spread environmental awareness in the community while bringing attention to the talent of local and regional musicians. For more information, visit Wuhnurth.com and MuncieSpringfest.com.

Since 2006, Full Circle has organized Yart, Muncie's annual yard-sale-styled outdoor art sale. We're currently looking for a volunteer that is interested in spearheading the organization and promotion of Yart.