Connect with us

Indianapolis, IN

'Pride & Joy' showcases Indy-based LGBTQ artists

Published

on

'Pride & Joy' showcases Indy-based LGBTQ artists


INDIANAPOLIS — June is LGBTQ Pride Month and an exhibit at the Athenaeum is showcasing the work of local queer artists. Pride & Joy, the community art show, is celebrating Indy’s LGBTQ+ artists this June and July.

Ayanna Tibbs is an Indy-based mixed media artist.

Her piece “Striking” is one of over two dozen on display in Pride & Joy.

WRTV

Advertisement

“Especially as a young black queer child, in a church area in Indianapolis, I didn’t get to see people like me. It was demonized. It was not okay. Now, to walk around and say I do this. I do this well,” Tibbs said.

The annual exhibit features a range of work, including painting, photography, sculpture, and more, from artists of all ages and skill levels.

Gara Gaines with the Athenaeum Foundation says the work gives viewers a glimpse into the artists’ journeys and identities.

“The Athenaeum was founded as a community center. Yes, it was for German Immigrants and German Americans, but we uphold that legacy in a lot of ways. I like to think of this as a community center for the people who are here,” Gaines said.

Artist Rainn Doll says their piece “At her Kitchen Table” evokes queer joy.

Advertisement
Screenshot 2025-06-06 225709.png

WRTV

“I want people to feel hope, that there are good things out there when everything feels hard, and sometimes it’s just little things like clipping your carabiner to your girlfriend’s carabiner,” Doll said.

Photographer Jack Melton is behind the piece “Found Family.”

Screenshot 2025-06-06 225800.png

WRTV

“It’s inspired by those communities you have, especially as queer people, the people that stick by your side, in thick and thin. Maybe if you don’t have an accepting family, really that found family,” Melton said.

Advertisement

The exhibit is on display in the ArtSpace of the Athenaeum.

It’s free and open to the public.





Source link

Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Opera’s free concert spotlights influential Black composers

Published

on

Indianapolis Opera’s free concert spotlights influential Black composers


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Opera will host a free concert in honor of Black History Month Saturday night at 6 p.m. to celebrate the legacy and artistry of Black composers. The event features a range of spirituals, contemporary art songs, and operatic works performed a cappella.

Lyndsay Moy, the director of education, outreach, branding and design for Indianapolis Opera, said the event is designed to keep this specific music accessible to the public.

Resident artist Ian Williams, describes the concert as a mix of traditional repertoire and new songs. The artists will perform without microphones or instrumental accompaniment. “All of this is just straight out of our voices, so there’s no microphones,” Williams said. “We’re just creating the sound ourselves and putting it into a space, so it’s a little bit of, a little bit of breathing, a little bit of extra work there, yes.”

“So many composers tonight have been so influential in the broader vocal canon and it’s important and wonderful for us to be able to offer this kind of concert for free to our community to keep this kind of music accessible and more importantly to feature these fabulous artists like Ian so much talent,” Moy said.

Advertisement

Williams noted that the concert allows the organization to celebrate classic composers who were not well known during their own time. “It’s very cool because we get to celebrate some of classic composers all the way back to William Grant Steele, who was one of the who wrote operas back in the day, even during the time of Porgy and Bess, but he wasn’t, it wasn’t well known,” Williams said.

One of the featured pieces is the traditional spiritual “Fix Me Jesus,” which was arranged for the University of Michigan choir. Williams said the arrangement by Stacey Gibbs maintains the traditional spiritual style while adding rich harmonies.

While formal tickets for the event are currently sold out, those interested in attending can email tickets@indyopera.org to be added to a waitlist.

Check out the video above to hear a sneak peak of the Indianapolis Opera!

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Indianapolis, IN

Highlights: Tri-West at Cardinal Ritter; February 27, 2026

Published

on

Highlights: Tri-West at Cardinal Ritter; February 27, 2026


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — “The Zone” featured highlights from eight high school boys basketball games from across central Indiana on Friday.

Watch highlights of Tri-West at Cardinal Ritter above.

Final Score: Tri-West 65 Cardinal Ritter 62

“The Zone” airs each Friday at 11:08 p.m. Click here to watch ‘The Zone’ for basketball highlights on February 27, 2026.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Indianapolis, IN

New bridge over 96th Street adds to Nickel Plate Trail connections

Published

on

New bridge over 96th Street adds to Nickel Plate Trail connections


FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) — The Nickel Plate Trail pedestrian bridge over 96th Street is officially open.

It was being touted Friday as a major milestone for central Indiana’s growing trail system. The street is the Fishers-Indianapolis border.

Leaders called the project a critical connection point for the Nickel Plate Trail. The new bridge helps move the nearly 17-mile trail closer to its goal of connecting multiple counties through one continuous path.

The bridge also came with a 1.3-mile trail extension. A $4.5 million grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources made the bridge possible.

Advertisement

Dale Brier, deputy director of Indiana Department of Natural Resources, talked about the state’s Next Level Trails grant program. “Currently, we have 89 trail projects that that were funded with that money. Fifty-nine of those are complete. We’ve got 12 under construction. As of this opening, we have 167 miles of trail that have now been opened with that grant money.”

People who frequently take the trail for their daily exercises say they’re excited the bridge is finally open.

Alan Errichiello of the Fishers Running Club said, “Extending this down south into Indianapolis is a big game changer for us. It’ll add a lot of miles that we can easily get into.”

Resident Tracy Mundell said, “Trying to get to the other side was nearly impossible, so I think most people didn’t even attempt it. It’s going to be great, we can get over to the other side, and I’m anxious to see what’s over there.”

The final portion of the project, called the Clear Path project, remains under construction.

Advertisement

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, a Republican, said, “We need to double-down on that investment, and we know time and time again here in the city of Fishers that trail systems, the ability to get up and get out and get active, is such an important part in our culture of health, that an investment like this is critical.”

Once complete, local leaders say the goal is to provide a more safe and connected routes between Noblesville, Fishers, Indianapolis and other surrounding cities.

Resident Steve Mundell said, “It’s lovely. It’ll be real convenient to get across too.”



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending