The Indianapolis City Council approved its own "percent for art" program with a vote of 18-9 on November 30, 2015. The newly passed ordinance will require city developers to “devote 1 percent of any city tax-increment financing incentives they receive to public art.” The new program has long been in the works—the city’s public art master plan released in 2003 called for a similar program, and City Council Vice President John Barth—sponsor of the current ordinance—introduced a percent for art program proposal in 2013.

While opponents stated that they were not against the arts, rather the added restriction placed on developers, Republican Councilman Ben Hunter commented “that the money can be used creatively in support of re-entry programs for ex-offenders, or to target blight, as long as there is an art component.” To make sure the funds are evenly distributed, the developers must pay the 1 percent of the incentive's value into a Public Arts for Neighborhoods Fund—half of the grant money in the fund must be spent in low-income neighborhoods.