Shopping - The Arts
Attend a world-class opera or ballet. Listen to a symphony under the stars. Watch Miley Cyrus thrill teenyboppers. Marvel at the wonders of King Tut. Try to figure out whodunit in a stage mystery. Ponder an Indian work of art. Admire a finely crafted contemporary vase. Indianapolis has it all . . . and more. Art lovers can rejoice in a wide variety of offerings around the city. The arts have a significant impact on Indianapolis and the quality of life offered to Hoosiers. A flourishing performing arts culture in the city generates a whopping $468 million annually for the local economy.
Music and the arts have long been an important part of Indianapolis. Not surprisingly, the first musical performances in the newborn city took place in churches by church choirs.
History also recalls fiddlers playing for social gatherings in the early log cabins of 1821. In 1824 the Society for the Cultivation of Church Music became the first voluntary organization to promote the arts in Indianapolis.
While still a struggling settlement, the city had both a music school and an orchestra. Both of those cultural organizations were first established in a church. During the pastorate of the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher (1839–1847) at the Second Presbyterian Church, the first music school and the first orchestra were both organized in the church. The orchestra was a string and flute ensemble composed of 15 members.
When it comes to the arts today, Indianapolis offers plenty to see, hear, and do. Live concert performances are an almost weekly occurrence, and dance is alive and well here. During the summer, when night falls, the stars come out in Indy’s open-air stages. Spread a blanket and enjoy big-name and local acts on the Lawn At White River State Park. A tradition since 1982, Symphony on the Prairie brings music to the rolling hills of Conner Prairie. Art museums and galleries are spread around the city. Live theater options continue to expand in Indianapolis.
In 2001 the city launched the Cultural Tourism Initiative to promote and showcase local hubs of activity that stand out for their cultural and artistic offerings. These six designated cultural districts represent and reflect the character and diversity of the community, offering fun and flavor in convenient settings to residents and visitors alike.
This chapter spotlights those six cultural districts, along with a sampling of some of the city’s major performing arts groups and facilities.
Shopping
Whether you’re searching for Hoosier arts and crafts, small treasures from the past, fresh produce, kiddy toys, a new outfit, a coffee table, or a vintage bottle of wine, Indianapolis has some wonderful shopping experiences.
What sets this city apart? Maybe it’s the friendly nature of the folks you meet. Shop owners, many of them artists and craftspeople themselves, display a straightforward hospitality that sometimes seems to be missing elsewhere. And they welcome the chance to talk about their work.
Maybe it’s the fine historic buildings that have been given new life as shops in neighborhoods throughout the city. It feels good to buy from hospitable people in an interesting old place that you remember as much for its character as for what you bought.
Except for malls and a few special categories, shopping is grouped in this chapter by location, with a few stores mentioned for each district. The list is by no means complete—just enough to give you a start on a shopping adventure. Indianapolis is a very drivable city. You can get from one side of town to the other in less than 30 minutes, so going from one area to another to check out a shop is not difficult.
Plenty of treasures await all across the city. With shops spread around the region, it’s no wonder shoppers return again and again to Indianapolis. Get a paper and pen, make a shopping list of what goes together to make an ideal shopping foray, and it’s all here. Slip on some comfy shoes, take your saved-up spending money, and get ready to find what your heart desires. Regardless of what you end up purchasing, memories of those special shopping jaunts are truly priceless.
1. American Pianists Association
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 940-9945
Address: 4603 Clarendon Rd.
Description: Founded in New York in 1979 as the Beethoven Foundation, the American Pianists Association (APA) relocated to Indianapolis in 1982. A not-for-profit organization, APA’s mission is to support the careers of America’s rising young classical and jazz pianists between the ages of 18 and 30. The APA identifies as “fellows” those it supports through annual competitions held in alternate years in classical music and jazz. Fellows are supported through cash prizes, engagements, and career guidance for two years—contributions valued at more than $50,000. APA also organizes and presents the annual Indy Jazz Fest.
2. Arts Council of Indianapolis
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 631-3301
Address: 20 N. Meridian St.
Description: Incorporated in 1987, the Arts Council of Indianapolis assists the city’s 150-plus arts organizations with grants, programs, and technical-assistance services. The not-for-profit organization oversees the distribution of federal, state, and city funds to artists and arts organizations and serves as a facilitator between arts organizations and the business community. The Arts Council owns and operates the Indianapolis Artsgarden, a glass-domed rotunda that serves as a performance, exhibition, and marketing space for the Indianapolis arts community.
3. Bands of America/Music for All, Inc.
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Address: 39 W. Jackson Place
Description: Founded in 1975, Bands of America (BOA) is a not-for-profit organization and the nation’s largest producer of educational events for high school music programs. The organization’s mission is to create and provide positive experiences through music for students, teachers, parents, and communities. More than 90,000 students participate in BOA events each year, while 270,000 teens, family members, and band enthusiasts attend them. In 2006 BOA and its Orchestra America division merged with the Music for All Foundation, one of the largest and most influential national music education organizations in support of active music making.
4. International Violin Competition of Indianapolis
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 637-4574
Address: 30 E. Washington St.
Description: The International Violin Competition of Indianapolis produces a quadrennial international violin competition to enhance the great tradition of classical music and to heighten the cultural profile of Indiana internationally. The competition is open to premier violinists ages 16 to 29 and offers the richest prize package in the musical world—$30,000, a Carnegie Hall debut, a recording contract, dozens of bookings around the world, and use of a rare 1683 Stradivarius violin for four years. The organization also sponsors the Suzuki & Friends and Ronen Chamber Ensemble professional chamber music series, as well as numerous other events designed to encourage the careers of musical and visual artists.
5. Dance Kaleidoscope
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 940-6555
Address: 4603 Clarendon Rd.
Description: Dance Kaleidoscope, Indiana’s contemporary dance ensemble, is a nationally acclaimed company of professional dancers trained in classical ballet and Graham Technique. The company has an internationally renowned artistic staff. From Oct through Apr, Dance Kaleidoscope offers four public performances and collaborates with a number of other arts organizations, including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis Civic Theatre, American Cabaret Theatre, Indianapolis Men’s Chorus, and American Pianists Association.
6. Indianapolis Art Center
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 255-2464
Address: 820 E. 67th St.
Description: The fine arts facility, located in Broad Ripple Village, invites visitors to explore more than 50 exhibitions a year. The Frank M. Basile Studio Shop has original works to take home, all made by regional or local artists. Visit ARTSPARK, a 12-acre outdoor sculpture park.
7. IU Herron School of Art and Design & Gallery at IUPUI
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 278-9418
Address: 735 W. New York St.
Description: Throughout the year, visitors to the Herron School of Art and Design at IUPUI can enjoy artistic works of local and internally acclaimed artists. Explore the Herron Gallery and see contemporary works of innovative painters, sculptors, graphic artists, and other artists.
8. Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 636-9378
Address: 500 W. Washington St.
Description: Through exhibitions, performances, festivals, special events and hands-on workshops with artists, the Eiteljorg immerses visitors in the many cultures of the American West and Native America. It’s the only museum in the Midwest to offer this combination. The award-winning museum store sells gallery-quality gifts, and lunch is served at the Sky City Café.
9. Indianapolis Artsgarden/Visitor Center
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 624-2563
Address: 100 W. Washington St.
Description: Owned and operated by the Arts Council of Indianapolis, this glass structure suspended over a downtown street offers free performances and exhibits and ticketing assistance for major events around the city. Elevated walkways link it to Circle Centre, hotels, offices, shops, and restaurants. The Artsgarden is also an official visitor center with an attendant on duty to answer questions every day.
10. Indianapolis Museum of Art
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 923-2332
Address: 4000 N. Michigan Rd.
Description: The IMA is among the largest general art museums in the United States. Situated on 152 acres that incorporate the historic Oldfields estate, as well as breathtaking gardens and grounds, the newly expanded IMA features significant collections of African, American, Asian, European, contemporary, and decorative art, including drawings, sculpture, prints, photographs, textiles, and costumes.
11. Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 634-6622
Address: 340 N. Senate Ave.
Description: Conveniently located in two overlapping Indianapolis cultural districts (Indiana Avenue, and The Canal and White River State Park), Indiana Museum of Contemporary Art is an arts organization with ideas, forms, and creations of our time. Exhibits range from paintings to graffiti to video art.
12. National Art Museum of Sport
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 274-3627
Address: 850 W. Michigan St.
Description: The museum features the nation’s largest collection of art depicting sport. Holdings include works by Winslow Homer, George Bellows, LeRoy Neiman, and Ogden Pleissner. The museum features special exhibits in addition to its permanent collection.
13. Indianapolis Children’s Choir
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 940-9640
Address: 4600 Sunset Ave.
Description: Having grown to more than 1,500 singers in 16 choirs, the Indianapolis Children’s Choir continues to be one of the largest and most accomplished children’s choral programs in the nation. Singers come from 17 counties, which embrace the urban environment of Indianapolis, the suburbs surrounding the city, and many small rural communities. In addition to its own concert series, the choir performs regularly with professional symphony orchestras, including the Indianapolis Orchestra, and has also performed with the Chieftains and Celine Dion. The Choir has performed several times at Carnegie Hall and regularly tours nationally and internationally.
14. Indianapolis Opera
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (317) 283-3531
Address: 250 E. 38th St.
Description: The Indianapolis Opera is Indiana’s professional regional opera company. The opera presents four productions each season at Clowes Memorial Hall. All performances feature renowned singers and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra or the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, along with the Indianapolis Opera Chorus. Indianapolis Opera also has a multifaceted educational program that reaches more than 50,000 students across the Midwest.
15. Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
City: Indianapolis, IN
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (800) 366-8457
Address: 45 Monument Circle
Description: Founded in 1930, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) is firmly established as one of America’s most skilled musical ensembles. The 87-member orchestra is made up of resident artists from all parts of the world and is one of only 18 orchestras that perform a year-round schedule of classical, pop, holiday, and summer concerts. The ISO owns and maintains its downtown concert hall, Hilbert Circle Theatre. Built in 1916 as a classic movie palace, Hilbert Circle Theatre was renovated in the 1980s as an acoustically superb concert hall. The orchestra performs outreach concerts in churches, parks, and communities across Indiana.