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A document that summarizes our past work and future plans in the Southeast and Near Southside of Indianapolis, from Fountain Square to University of Indianapolis.
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While we work as embedded artists at the table for citywide initiatives, we most often focus hyper-locally as active collaborators in these neighborhoods:
Lafayette Square (where Service Center, our demonstration space and workshop is located)
Downtown (where we are part of teams working to better utilize public spaces)
far eaStSiDe (a neglected suburban area on the eastern edge of the city where our project leader for that neighborhood lives)
near SouthSiDe (an asset-rich area where four of our staff artists live and where Big Car started in 2004)
Were focusing this document on the Near Southside specifically the Shelby Street commercial corridor (see map) that connects Fountain Square three miles south to the University of Indianapolis and the University Heights neighborhood. The center of this area, Garfield Park, has the strongest need and best potential for impact.
We view Shelby as the Main Street for the Near Southside area that functions, in many ways, like a small town. To borrow terminology from Deveron Arts in Scotland (www.deveron-arts.com), we see this town as our venue and all of the work we do here as part of our practice as long-term resident artists.
B ig Car CoLLaborative is an artist-led nonprofit organization based in Indianapolis that brings art to people and people to art. We use creative placemaking, design, social practice art, and public programming to help invigorate shared places, encourage creativity and social interaction, and strengthen communities.
Our WOrk On the near SOuthSide/ShelBy Street COrridOr
615 N. Alabama #119 | Indianapolis, IN 46204 | www.bigcar.org
Neighbors pose and celebrate at the Garfield Park mural after a group walk, May of 2013.
P h a S e 1 e x P L o r i n g a n D L e a r n i n g
get to know the place: Ideally, the artists leading the work live in the area. Even if we do before projects start we repeatedly drive, bike, and walk the area; photograph and map it; attend existing meetings and events; research history, demographics, and other data.
Connect and communicate: We meet with and survey residents, stakeholders and other potential collaborators; listen to and note their larger, abstract wishes.
P h a S e 2 g i v i n g a n D D e m o n S t r at i n g
offering the gift of good design: As a way to begin our relationship in a positive way, we offer the neighborhood graphic design, marketing support, documentation, and other skills we have to offer.
Participate in planning, visioning, and organizing: Once were part of the neighborhoods leadership team, we contribute to the planning process with input and ideas and as project managers, grant writers, fundraisers, communicators, community organizers, and artists skilled at public engagement.
intervention and demonstration: Using tools of tactical urbanism, we help the neighborhood see (and show others) how their ideas have moved from abstract to concrete. And how future, long-term projects may or may not work.
An important aspect of the demonstration phase is creating bonds between people by doing physical work together. This builds trust and connections in ways that simply meeting and talking do not.
P h a S e 3 m a k i n g a n D S u S ta i n i n g
Doing the work: We collaborate with residents, stakeholders, local and out-of-town artists, and other cultural partners to maintain and develop successful projects and programs all dedicated to the goal of using art and culture to help build a stronger community from within.
evaluation and revision: Part of all three phases, we work with our collaborators (neighbors and partners) and examine whats working and whats not and revise the approach along the way. All projects and programs remain flexible and organic.
Our multi-phaSe apprOaCh (We are currently in Phase 2 in the Near Southside)
615 N. Alabama #119 | Indianapolis, IN 46204 | www.bigcar.org
The Manual High School art club works with kids at Garfield Park Better Block, October of 2014.
Pa S tEstablished an art gallery that operated continuously in
Fountain Square for 7 years with exhibits and events that brought thousands of new visitors to the area
Led the effort to create and promote the lasting First Friday tradition, leading to significant commercial revitalization
Organized and built Masterpiece In A Day, supporting artists and demonstrating a people-centered cultural area
Encouraged including Fountain Square as part of The Cultural Trail and the addition of the Pleasant Run connector
With residents, organized Garfield North Better Block; brought Andrew Howard from Better Block to Indianapolis for a community workshop and to see the neighborhood
Completed, with residents, neighborhood-designed Welcome to Garfield Park mural funded by a grant we received from Keep America Beautiful
Brought positive media attention to the neighborhood with Better Block and mural projects
Helped form a neighborhood nonprofit organization (two Big Car staffers on the founding board of nine people)
Helped complete a neighborhood strategic plan Created, printed and distributed T-shirt using mural design Supported effort to (successfully) find funds for faade
improvements to neighborhood hardware storeLed an exploratory walk with 75 people from Garfield
Park to Fountain Square
P r e S e n tHelping bring the north and south Garfield Park neighborhoods
together into one association (the park is in the middle)Planning Garfield South Better Block in a struggling
commercial area Planning an exploratory walk from Garfield Park to the
University of Indianapolis Reaching out to the City to advocate for safer streets for
walking and biking including requests for crosswalks, signals, and protected bike lanes
Working on Garfield Alive, an interactive, self-guided audio tour of the park in partnership with the Friends of Garfield Park
Helping reach out to owners of vacant and underutilized commercial buildings to begin finding better uses possibly including a space for us
Hosting neighborhood meetings in the co-working space we use in the Fountain Square area of the corridor
Participating in Pleasant Run Reconnecting to Our Waterways planning
Participating in the planning process for Red Line bus rapid transit on Shelby Street
Designing attractive faade element for the front of the neighborhood hardware store
f u t u r eOperate a low-power FM radio station based in,
connected to, and reaching the area (we recently received our license from the FCC for this)
Design a website for the neighborhood and its strategic planCreate a neighborhood map and guide that highlights
assets, opportunities, stakeholders, leaders, etc.Celebrate Big Cars 10th year with an interactive exhibit
at the University of Indianapolis galleryTeam teach a social practice art class at University of
Indianapolis linked to our exhibitSupport filling vacant buildings with attractive businesses
on Shelby Open a storefront social practice/engagement space
on Shelby Facilitate and organize artist/expert/resident led
neighborhood learning/social walksUse Walk Your City signs and other tactics to encourage
walking, biking and bus useBring in Montreal street artist Peter Gibson to complete
and facilitate intersection and street paintings, including working with neighborhood volunteers
Work with University of Indianapolis to create temporary demonstration transit options for students and residents to get to Garfield Park and Fountain Square especially for special events
Work with neighbors to establish a block-party program (including a shared tool and supply kit) and a regular block-party schedule
Create an artist-in-residence program for the area/park with resident artists possibly teaching and working at the Garfield Park Art Center
Bring art experiences to the park in surprising places, helping make it the citys art park
Support theater, live music and other events that have started happening in the park
Bring our mobile DoSeum to the park on a regular basis, making the playground/Pagoda area (already a vibrant spot full of a very diverse group of people) more creative, and fun for people who speak English and Spanish
Advocate for and help the City with needs in the park: creek cleanup, public restrooms, better design and signage, better neighborhood and visitor engagement, and better marketing for events and programs
Our WOrk On the near SOuthSide Past, present and future
615 N. Alabama #119 | Indianapolis, IN 46204 | www.bigcar.org
the ShelBy Street COrridOr Acitve area outlined in white. Radio station main service area indicated by dashed green line. Red line indicates proposed rapid transit route (stops indicated by white circles).
615 N. Alabama #119 | Indianapolis, IN 46204 | www.bigcar.org
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FountainSquare
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Barth Ave. Bridge
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New York St.
Michigan St.
Oliver Ave.
Morris St.
Shelby St.
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Capitol A
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Raymond St.
Troy Ave.
Hanna Ave.
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Category
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian
African American
Hispanic
% in poverty
Unemployment
Avg. family size
No high school deg.
Median fam. income
Foreclosures
Source: Census 2010
Southeast
81%
13%
6%
24%
22.8%
3.25
43%
$30,844
9.7%
marion Co.
70%
24%
4%
11%
9.8%
2.99
16%
$49,387
7.1%