ndianapolis, Ind., has a wealth of cultural amenities, facilities, events and activities supported and promoted by numerous organizations such as the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission (www.culturalindy.org). According to their Web site they feel that few people are aware of what this city has to offer in terms of the arts.

This harsh self-critiquing theme is echoed throughout the vibrant arts supporting community, composed of six unique designated cultural districts. The six cultural districts are Broad Ripple Village, Mass Ave, Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, The Canal & White River State Park and Wholesale.

SMALL-TOWN AMBIENCE

The ArtsPark at the Indianapolis Art Center.

Broad Ripple Village was a small, riverfront town in the 1800’s, six miles from the state capitol of Indianapolis. Over time, the city grew and expanded its limits, thus encapsulating The Village and making it its own.

“Broad Ripple has since become a very popular neighborhood on Indianapolis’ north side, bustling with art galleries, quaint boutiques, eclectic shops, great restaurants and a lively nightlife,” Sharon Butsch Freeland director of the Broad Ripple Village Association says.

The Indianapolis Art Center (www.indplsartcenter.org) makes its home in this section of the city, which is often simply referred to as “The Village.” The Indianapolis Art Center claims to be one of the premier community art centers in the Midwest, striving to make art accessible to all people and enhance lives through art.

The Broad Ripple Village Association sponsors a Spring Art Gallery Tour every May and a Fall Art Gallery Tour which will be held on Sept. 15. The 36th Broad Ripple Art Fair was held this past May, featuring 225 artists drawing in approximately 30,000 people.

“The Village has a laid back feel to it. It’s just minutes away from downtown Indianapolis, but it still retains a small-town ambience due in part to the fact that, at one time, it was indeed a small town separate from the big city,” Freeland says.

Artifacts gallery also is nestled in The Village selling crafts such as jewelry, ceramics, art glass, wood boxes and furniture. Gallery president Ann Kaplan believes that Indianapolis’s art and craft scene is not as thriving as it should be. “We should be doing better! Some people here are not confident enough about their taste and feel they need to go to Chicago to buy ‘art,’” Kaplan says. That fact withstanding, wonderful architecture, creative sculptures, murals, art pieces and historic buildings round out this district of the city.

Looking into the front window of The Bungalow, in the city’s Broad Ripple Village district.

BENEFITS OF THE BIG CITY

The Mass Ave District promises a complete arts and theater experience offering many galleries and original outdoor art as well as amazing restaurants and entertainment. This section of the city boasts nine art galleries with a variety of media from glass to paintings to sculpture. Located nearby is the Indiana Humanities Council (www.ihc4u.org), which is dedicated to building stronger communities through targeted initiatives in leadership, education and culture.

Also located near Mass Ave is the Indianapolis Downtown Artists & Dealers Association (IDADA), (www.idada.info). A non-profit membership based organization of art galleries, art related businesses and artists within a 20-block square of the center of the city, its prime business is the creation and marketing of unique original art. Its mission is to create public awareness of the artist and art dealer, encourage strong continuing support of the visual arts and promote the highest professional standards.

Mass Ave hosts its Fall Gallery Walk (www.DiscoverMassAve.com) on Sept. 9, with openings of new shows at all the galleries in the district.

LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE

“A place becomes memorable when we take the time to find out why it’s not like any other place. A language, a style of building, food, celebrations, the arts, all of these aspects are important to a community’s unique identity,” Corrie E. Cook, coordinator of the Association of Indiana Museums (www.indianamuseums.org) says. “When these aspects are developed and supported — when the crafts and craft artisans of a community thrive — the community’s economy and arts can flourish simultaneously as residents take pride in their native uniqueness and guests are excited to discover something new.”

The Indiana Avenue District is rich with an African-American influence and a strong jazz heritage is witnessed in the art and architecture. Also planted here is the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission, which supports and encourages an environment where arts and culture flourish, and works cooperatively to increase cultural tourism’s economic and quality of life impact on the community.

“One of the essential ingredients of a thriving artistic community is the opportunity to not only admire but also participate in that community, and Indianapolis provides those opportunities for its residents and its guests,” Cook says.

MINI-RENAISSANCE IN INDY

A student participating in a class at the Indianapolis Art Center.

There are certain factors in place that make Indianapolis a prime city for craft artists. “As Indianapolis grows, there is a desire to include the arts in it’s development,” according to Jim Kemp, vice president of Indiana Artist Craftsmen (www.talbotstreet.org). “The Indiana Arts Commission and Arts Council of Indianapolis offer grant opportunities, and the cost of living is reasonable in Indiana.”

Shannon Linker is the artist services manager of Arts Council of Indianapolis, which is located in the center of town on Monument Circle, in the Wholesale District. “Indianapolis is a culturally and economically thriving community,” Linker says.

Linker explains that over the last five years, the Arts Council and the city have gone through what she calls a “mini-Renaissance” with a strong focus on cultural tourism. “Most people who visit Indianapolis for the first time are blown away by the quality and quantity of our arts and cultural offerings — it is always a pleasant surprise when one learns that Indianapolis really is more than race cars and basketball,” Linker says.

At the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) (www.ima-art.org) supporting art and craft is the number one priority. “IMA has made a true commitment to showing decorative arts,” says Katie Zarich communications coordinator of the IMA. Every year on the first Saturday following Labor Day, the Penrod Society hosts the annual Penrod Art Fair on IMA’s grounds, featuring more than 300 artists.

It seems people in this concentration of the country greatly appreciate when government lends its supports to the arts. “We owe a lot to the leaders of this city for encouraging and valuing art in all its forms. Our city’s museums are rich in craft collections and showcase these in many temporary and permanent collections,” Carol Conrad, executive director of Art With a Heart, Inc., says.

Outside the Indianapolis Museum of Art, showing the museum’s fountain.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

The Canal & White River State Park District is an oasis of inspiration for artists some of whom attend the nearby Herron School of Art and Design (www.herron.iupui.edu). “In our studios and classrooms, I seek to provide an intellectually stimulating environment,” says assistant professor of sculpture Greg Hull. “Ultimately, each student’s capacity to learn, adapt and successfully problem-solve outside of academia will measure the impact and effectiveness of their education.”

The message here is that simply by involving education of the arts, you better the future of your city. Art With A Heart, Inc. (www.koart.us/awah) works throughout the city with the strategy to provide art and craft education where underprivileged children can achieve their full potential. “It has been shown that students who do not do well in traditional academics often have artistic talent that has not had an opportunity to flower,” Conrad says.

ALL THE COMFORTS OF HOME

The Fountain Square District is said to be as unique as the people who call it home, including the more than 75 artists that live and work in the Wheeler Arts Community or have studios in the Murphy Art Center.

“We hope to give our local artists the skills and the support they need to successfully make a living in Indianapolis,” Linker says. “What it comes down to is, we want them to stay in Indianapolis so we will do whatever we can to make sure they think Indy is a better option than any other city in the country.”

Jim Calder is the associate editor of The Crafts Report.

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