AES Indiana, an AES Company, provides retail electric service to more than 500,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Indianapolis, as well as portions of other Central Indiana communities surrounding Marion County. During its long history, AES Indiana has supplied its customers with some of the lowest-cost, most reliable power in the country.

Representative: Brandi Davis-Handy, President, AES Indiana

The Naptown African American Theatre Collective (NAATC) is Indy’s first Black Equity theatre created to provide more opportunities for underserved artists work in professional theatre that celebrates the beauty, power, and humanity of Black stories. Since inception, the organization has provided a safe space of opportunity for developing and experienced talent in Indianapolis and beyond. Founded on the values to educate, equip, and empower the community, the organization launched the Education for All Program, which provides free classes to the community on costume design, wig design, acting, lighting design, set design, legal tips for creatives, nonprofit leadership and restorative theatre.

Representative: LaKesha Lorene, Founder and Producing Director of NAATC

@naatcinc
@thereallakeshalorene

As a nonprofit art and design organization, Big Car Collaborative utilizes tools of culture and creativity to build community and social cohesion — helping connect people as a way to boost quality of life. Formed in 2004 and based in Indianapolis, Indiana USA, we also work in other communities and collaborate with artists from around the world.

As an adaptive and flexible cultural organization, we draw together people of all backgrounds to promote and perpetuate creativity, invigorate public places, and support neighborhoods. Big Car is a creative community builder working to boost livability from an engagement-based arts perspective.

Our mission statement: We bring art to people and people to art, sparking creativity in lives to support communities. 

Representatives: Jim Walker, Co-founder & Executive Director, and Shauta Marsh, Co-founder & Director of Programs & Exhibitions

@bigcarpix
@tubeartspace

The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra’s mission is to advance music composed for the small orchestra through professional performances, education programs and community engagement programs. ICO strives to be a vital part of the wider Indianapolis community by serving and reflecting all segments of the population. ICO’s mission is based on the conviction that the uplifting experience of live music celebrating the broad diversity of musical expression has the power to enrich our lives and communities.

Representatives: Dana Stone,  Executive Director of the ICO, and Joshua Thompson, Pianist, Music Sociologist and Creative Partner in Residence at the ICO

@indychamberorch
@operadana
@SockJoplin

Chris Smith serves his community as a leader, teacher, creative, mentor, and facilitator. With a background in sales development and civic education, he guides and mentors artists in developing their careers. While continuing to produce his own work, Chris founded 1000 Words Gallery to provide emerging artists with the space, tools, and knowledge to succeed in the local arts economy. In 2023, he founded 1000 Words Inc., a 501(c)(3), to support individuals interested in arts administration and creative placemaking, offering leadership skills and development to foster the next generation of arts leaders.

@1000wordsindy

Anthony Radford is a mixed media artist who draws from the complex interplay between natural and hand-made objects. His work is an exploration of the boundaries and interactions between different materials, textures, and forms, creating a dialogue that changes conventional perceptions and invites viewers to see the familiar in new ways.

In his creative process, Anthony integrates a variety of materials such as paper, fabric, wood, metal, and organic elements, each chosen for its unique narrative contribution to his pieces. Through layering, deconstruction, and reconstruction, he reveals the hidden beauty in the mundane and overlooked, transforming everyday objects.

Anthony’s art is deeply influenced by life, history, music, political and social content, memory, identity, and transformation. He is fascinated by the ways in which personal and collective histories are embedded in the physical world around us and seeks to uncover these stories through his work. By blending traditional and contemporary techniques, he strives to create pieces that resonate with viewers on an emotional level.

Ultimately, Anthony’s goal is to create art that sparks curiosity, encouraging viewers to engage with the world around them in a more meaningful and imaginative way.

Mary Mindiola is originally from the city of San Cristóbal in the State of Táchira, in Venezuela, the 4th daughter of an American mother and a Venezuelan father.  She studied Graphic Design and Illustration at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, MI.  

A vacation trip to the Caribbean made Mary very aware of the immense plastic pollution problem the world is facing.  After a lot of thought and consideration she completely eliminated all paint from her works, using only materials already available to help the pollution problem in her own small way.  This new medium turned into a serious challenge and a passion. 

Mary’s work uses only glue, scissors, and magazines, with a protective finish coating. It is a bright, colorful array of random cut shapes, letters and forms with hidden messages, words and images.  Each piece is a very important part of the whole, and is a reminder that we are all  just a small part of a much bigger picture that is our world. 

@marymindiolaart