A vibrant new mural is underway in Santa Claus, Indiana, capturing the festive spirit of the holiday town with Santa mid-snowball toss, surrounded by children and reindeer. The mural also features a whimsical snow globe designed for photo opportunities, creating a year-round attraction for residents and visitors alike.
In fall 2024, the Spencer County Visitors Bureau assembled a group of community members to attend the Creative Convergence Workshop—a program from the Indiana Arts Commission in partnership with Ball State’s Indiana Communities Institute. Following the workshop, the group secured a project grant to fund the community mural, which celebrates Santa Claus’s cheerful identity.
The mural is a collaborative project led by the Santa Claus Arts Group. Design work is being spearheaded by local artist Shelly Goodrich of Goodlife Design, with additional input from group members including Tricia Vaal of the Santa Claus Town Council; Brooke Blair of America’s Christmas Hometown, Inc.; Lacey Kilbarger, local artist and elementary art teacher; and Melissa Arnold of the Spencer County Visitors Bureau, Inc.
Installation is planned for the south-facing exterior wall of Holiday Foods, generously donated by Winkler, Inc. This highly visible location offers an ideal canvas to showcase festive cheer year-round.
Community support has played an important role in bringing the mural to life. Santa Claus Exterior Cleaning provided wall-cleaning services, Mulzer’s Crushed Stone contributed pea gravel for the mural base, Goodrich Home & Property Care assisted with setup and groundwork, and Klem’s Signs & Restyling donated signage for the site.
Those interested in supporting the project can reach out to Melissa Arnold at the Spencer County Visitors Bureau by email at marnold@SantaClausInd.org or by phone at (812) 937-4199. Volunteer opportunities will also be available during the installation. For updates, including volunteer dates and times, follow Santa Claus Arts on Facebook at Facebook.com/SantaClausArts.
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