Programs:Artsgarden Public Events & Exhibitions

Public Events and Exhibitions at the Artsgarden

Situated in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Artsgarden is a seven-story glass and steel spectacle at Washington and Illinois Street. Owned and operated by Indy Arts Council, the Artsgarden hosts free concerts and exhibitions by central Indiana artists year-round.

at the Indianapolis Artsgarden

Garden Sessions

Experience exhilarating live performances at the Indianapolis Artsgarden! The Garden Sessions present an eclectic mix of Indy performers, delivering jazz, hip hop, classical melodies and electrifying breakdance performances. All are welcome to these free events.

Artsgarden Public Events & Exhibitions

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Nopal Cultural's Más Arte Más Cultura

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Arte Mexicano en Indiana & Red Global MX Crossroads present Identidad, Dreams, y Marchas 2024 an art exhibition featuring works by established, emerging and young Mexican and Mexican-American and Latina/o/e/x artists, in collaboration with the Indy Arts Council.

The artwork on display is inspired by cultural Identity, the immigrant Dream and Marches (Social Justice).

September 19 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Rodrigo Hernandez: Colombian Folk Music Harpist
Más Artes Más Culture presenta Rodrigo Hernandez, an event in collaboration with SADCO

September 26 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
D’Classics: Rock en Español
Más Artes Más Culture presenta D’Classics in collaboration with Costa Rican Association

September 29 | 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
La Salsoteca: A Salsa Orquesta
Más Artes Más Culture presenta La Salsoteca in collaboration with Indy Latino Network

October 3 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Flor y Cancion: Latin American Music from the Heart
Más Artes Más Culture presenta Flor y Canción in collaboration with Mujeres Conectadas

October 17 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Ballet Folklorico Mosaicos
Más Artes Más Culture presenta Ballet Folklorico Mosaicos in collaboration with Consulado de México en Indianápolis

October 20 | 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Indygaita: Venezuelan Traditional Music
Más Artes Más Culture presenta Indygaita in collaboration with Venezuelan Association

Mistletoe Music Festival

Celebrate the holiday season with local and regional school choirs, bands, and orchestras at the Indianapolis Artsgarden. Mistletoe Music Festival is an annual event that showcases the talent of school music groups from in and around Indy. It’s a holiday extravaganza you won’t want to miss. All performances are free and open to the public.

December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18
Elementary, Middle + High School Choirs

December 5, 12, 19
Elementary, Middle + High School Instrumental Groups

December 8 | 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Saxy Santas

December 8 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Indy Pride Band

December 8 | 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Jingle Bones

December 14 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Indianapolis Municipal Band

December 15 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Merry Tuba Christmas

December 21 | 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Tinsel Trumpets

Past Events and Exhibitions

  • Concert & Jam: Hosted by Emma Hedrick & Christopher Pitts

  • Hip Hop Anthology V

  • 2024 Art & Soul Sundays

  • MITH: All Styles Dance Battle

  • Chreece Last Shot Competition Finals 2024

  • il Troubadore

  • Instrumental Indy

  • Mélange Ensemble

  • Spring Sing

  • Identidad, Dreams, y Marchas

  • The Garden Sessions

  • Art & Soul featured Artist Exhibition

  • Art & Soul Celebration and Wes Montgomery Tribute

  • Mistletoe Music Festival

Each Concert & Jam show in the series kicked off with a 45-minute concert featuring top local jazz artists, showcasing a variety of exciting styles. After the concert, attendees joined Emma Hedrick and Christopher Pitts for a lively 45-minute jam session open to all levels.

Hip-Hop Anthology is founded on the elements of classic hip-hop culture from a visual artist experience, cultivating creativity in the community since 2020. Hip Hop Anthology Vol. 5 is a visual narration collectively curated by visual artists authentically inspired and influenced by hip-hop culture, music, fashion, film, literature, lifestyle, politics, social commentary, and voice of the underdog.

Since 1996, the Art & Soul festival has kicked off Black History Month in Indianapolis, but now this celebration of Black culture and creativity is going year-round.

June 16 | AshLee “PsyWrn Simone” Baskin (2021 Featured Artist)

July 7 | Brandon Douthitt with Tom Foolery and the Laughing Stock (2023 Featured Artist)

August 4 | Penny English 

The MITH: All Styles Dance Battle featured three workshops on popping, breaking and hip hop from local street style dancers. The dancers competed in an all styles breakdance battle with a $1,000 prize on the line.

Chreece presented The Last Shot Finale at the Indianapolis Artsgarden.  Three finalists performed in front of a panel of judges to show their talent in the final round of competition.

Since 2004, they’ve been captivating audiences with their music from around the world. Starting in 2009, they began augmenting their repertoire with music from galaxies far far away. Join them at the Indianapolis Artsgarden at 12 p.m. on August 2, where they’ll perform in Star Wars regalia. Get ready for an out-of-this-world experience!

JUNE 2024

Instrumental Indy, led by clarinetist Eric Salazar, featured performances by classical, experimental and jazz artists from Indianapolis including pianist Li-Wen Weng, the project acre, Forward Motion and the Premium Blend Duo.

JUNE 2024

Mélange: Variation on a Theme is a new, visionary suite that interprets the intersected historical experiences, modalities, and musings emerging from thought, sound, movement, and fusion. The presentation centers authentic and dynamic explorations of community, connection, and social cohesion. We invite both seasoned arts patrons and the next generation of art lovers to engage with spoken word, live music, visual & performing art in ways that challenge our notion of creative exploration, improvisation, and craft. This event features live music, original spoken word poetry, dance, singing, storytelling, and visual artmaking. The presentations are connected by the dynamic arc of cultural experiences, sociopolitical tensions, and aesthetic contours framing and fueling the lives and narratives of a people.

This new suite is conceptualized by Lasana D. Kazembe and Rob Dixon and interpreted by a fearless cohort of creative improvisers.

APRIL 2024

Spring Sing welcomed the spring season with local and regional school choirs, bands, and orchestras at the Indianapolis Artsgarden. Spring Sing is an annual event that showcases the talent of school music groups from in and around Indy. All performances are free and open to the public.

SEPT 10 - NOV 3, 2023

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Arte Mexicano en Indiana & Red Global MX Crossroads present an art exhibition featuring works by established, emerging and young Mexican and Mexican-American and
Latina/o/e/x artists, in collaboration with the Arts Council of Indianapolis.

The artwork on display is inspired by cultural Identity, the immigrant Dream and Marches (Social Justice).

Featured artists:
Salvador Jiménez-Flores, Judith Flores, Hector Del Campo, Jon Angulo, Mary Mindiola, Frances A. Ruiz, Daniela Cardenas, Alejandra Carrillo, Joy Hernandez, Jazlyn Gomez, Edgar Garcia, Hector Morales, Samuel Peñaloza, Polin MB, Juan Gabriel Tiscareño, Billy Rios Aguilar, Jackie Espinoza, Cuauhtemoc Campos, Gabriela Lopez, Eduardo Robledo, Valadezza, Daniela Cardenas-Cisneros, Peter Julian, Daniela Martín del Campo, Dayra Flores

JULY - OCT 2023

Need a mid-afternoon change of scenery? Take a seat at one of the cafe tables to recharge or get some work done while enjoying live music.

The new series–curated by Drew Kincius, CEO/founder of Sprintable–continues through the fall. Expect raw performances and honest conversations with local artists in a vibrant setting.

FEBRUARY 3 - MARCH 23, 2023

Come experience the dynamic work of Jamichael Kyng Pollard. Pollard is the founder and owner of KyngPen Art. He specializes in portraits, using colored pencils, and acrylic and oil paints. Along with his work as a portrait and tattoo artist, he creates live paintings and does face painting at events.

Pollard’s artwork has been featured in multiple solo and group exhibits, from 2019’s FLAVA FRESH 16 ! to the 2022 Kyngdom Art Show. Pollard is also a substitute art teacher and works with children and adults. Follow him on Instagram @kyngpenart and @kyngpenart_tattoos or visit his website.

Pollard’s work is also on display at Gallery 924 until March 23. Both shows are curated by D. Del Reverda-Jennings of FLAVA FRESH !.

FEBRUARY 25, 2023

For 27 years, the Art & Soul festival has honored Black culture and creativity in Indianapolis. This year’s finale celebration will kick off with a Rob Dixon-led tribute to Indianapolis native Wes Montgomery, the late, legendary jazz guitarist who would have turned 100 in March, and showcase the four 2023 Featured Artists.

You can also catch performances by a dozen local musical artists, from Damon Karl (who has opened for Babyface and Ashante) to Staci McCrackin (lead singer of The Flying Toasters and a backup singer in Jim Irsay’s all-star band). Plus: An art exhibition and live painting.

NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 15, 2022

Celebrate the holiday season with local and regional school choirs, bands, and orchestras at the Indianapolis Artsgarden. Mistletoe Music Festival is an annual event that showcases the talent of school music groups from in and around Indy. It’s a holiday extravaganza you won’t want to miss. All performances are free and open to the public.

Interested in an event space in the heart of downtown?

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Artsgarden Public Events & Exhibitions