Northwest Indiana "Just Around the Corner" The Northwest Indiana Forum www.nwiforum.org The Northwest Indiana Forum has embarked upon an historic campaign to recreate one of America's most endearing and enduring poster art collections. The Forum is the regional economic development organization for Northwest Indiana, home of the largest steelmaking capacity in the world and the globally important Indiana Dunes located within 1-hour commuting distance of downtown Chicago. Like other former rustbelt communities, this region experienced double-digit unemployment and loss of population during the economic downturn of the 1980's. However, through aggressive economic development spearheaded by the Forum, the region has remarkably rebounded. Today, the challenge is to help the world recognize the amazing changes that have transformed Northwest Indiana into dynamic 21st century community. The Forum chose art to tell its story of a "Region in Renaissance." The organization decided to build upon the tradition of an original series of posters created during the 1920's to promote travel and economic development via the South Shore Line in Northwest Indiana. Unfortunately, the campaign stopped after 1929, although the South Shore continues to operate today as the nation's oldest interurban on 90 miles of track between Chicago and South Bend. When the original campaign was launched by Midland Utilities, an estimated 50 posters were painted of the Dunes and industry. Many survived and can be found in art collections, libraries and restaurants around the world. Today, the Forum has launched a new series of 52 modern images of the region in the grand tradition of the original campaign. "Northwest Indiana has been undergoing remarkable change as we have diversified our economy, strengthened our infrastructure, and invested in high-tech steelmaking and other manufacturing," said Thomas M. McDermott, president of the Forum and former mayor of Hammond, IN. "Amid one of the Midwest's most successful regional rebirths, we have been discovered by Chicagoans and are enjoying one of the greatest economic development and housing booms in our history." Starting in 1997, the Forum released the first painting by artist Mitch Markovitz that was commissioned by NIPSCO Industries, now a NiSource company. The painting of the Dunes was entitled, "Just Around the Corner," showing the spectacular Crescent Dunes now part of the Indiana National Lakeshore, with a Chicago skyline in the distance. The theme of "Just Around the Corner" is found on all 52 paintings in the new series. Approximately every three months, the Forum releases three new paintings by eight participating artists in the campaign and makes available posters of each painting through its International Society for South Shore Collectors. The Society is a partnership of the Forum, NetNITCO and Chicago's WFMT radio in cooperation with the Framing Station, Michigan City, IN. Additionally, the Forum sponsored the coffee table book published by Indiana University Press called, "Moonlight in Duneland," showing 38 of the original posters and five of the new ones. The Forum plans to continue the new poster series into the future, introducing one a year starting in 2002. For more information, contact Thomas McDermott at (219) 763-6303, or ask for Susan Zlajic, Director of Investor Relations.