Indianola and Staton have received the Iowa Great Places designation, an award that recognizes communities that cultivate their unique and authentic qualities of their neighborhoods and districts, making them attractive places to live and work. According to the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, qualities of communities that receive the designation include arts and culture, architecture, business incentives, diversity of its residents, historic assets, housing options and the natural environment. The cultural affairs department has invested nearly $21 million in 44 Iowa Great Places since the program was launched in 2006. Funding for the program comes from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund. Assets cited for Indianola’s designation are the National Balloon Classic, the National Balloon Museum, Des Moines Metro Opera and Simpson College. The city also plans to develop an art center and build an art corridor to connect downtown to the Simpson campus. In Stanton, a town of about 680 in southwest Iowa’s Montgomery County, new businesses have sprung up in recent years, a new events center opened last year, and there is a plan to add public arts in the future. The Department of Cultural Affairs also issued Great Place re-designations to the Sixth Avenue Corridor in Des Moines, Ames Main Street, the Czek Village district in Cedar Rapids, the Grand and Ingersoll neighborhoods of Des Moines, Main Street Elkader and the Spencer Arts District.