Annual Indy Festival Explores DREAM through 10-Day Series of Events
INDIANAPOLIS (PRWEB) October 29, 2015 -- The 2015 Spirit & Place Festival explores DREAM through 31 programs including experiences comprised of performances, exhibits, films and conversations November 6-15. Programs explore DREAM through the lenses of neuroscience, song, religion, social justice, dance and more, highlighting the voices of youth, elders, veterans, visual artists, neighborhoods and others who dare to dream.
The Central Indiana festival begins Friday, Nov. 6.
Now celebrating its 20th anniversary year, the city’s largest collaborative festival is an extensive civic celebration engaging upwards of 19,000 people annually throughout Central Indiana in dozens of programs presented in partnership with more than 100 organizations. A legacy project of The Polis Center, part of the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, the festival ignites creativity, inspires place-making and sparks connections that build more vibrant and civically engaged communities.
A full listing of events is available at http://spiritandplace.org.
Highlighted events include:
Opening Night: This is NOT a Program
Friday, Nov. 6 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Glendale Branch Library (6101 N. Keystone Ave., Indianapolis, IN)
Free
The kick-off for the 2015 Spirit & Place Festival will be a surrealist party the public won’t soon forget. In celebration of its 20th anniversary and DREAM theme, Spirit & Place and the Indianapolis Public Library invite the public to get creatively weird. Dreams will become reality as attendees step into a surrealist-themed environment where the unconscious mind is allowed total creative freedom. The surrealists themselves often played automatic writing and drawing games to unlock the creative potential of the unconscious mind, and Spirit & Place Festival’s partners at Big Car and Indy Reads will re-create these experiences. Themed refreshments, including green apples to peculiar finger foods, music, art, film and a few surprises will round out the evening. Costumes, headwear and other wackiness are encouraged.
The Choreography of Dreams
Sunday, Nov. 8 from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 8 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Arthur M. Glick JCC (6701 Hoover Road, Indianapolis, IN)
Free
Although everyone ages, the how, where and who with looks different for everyone because “senior citizens” are as diverse as society at large. In its beautiful, evocative and participatory two performances, The Choreography of Dreams will challenge and inspire audience members with dance, music, poetry and video stories of community elders. By exploring the dreams and realities of older adults in thought-provoking, personal and stereotype-free ways, the very nature of aging will be celebrated in this award-winning entry into the Spirit & Place Festival. The Choreography of Dreams won the "Dreaming a New Age: Living into the Choices and Decisions of Aging $20,000 Award" by the Central Indiana Senior Fund (a fund of CICF) for exemplifying innovative programming that values, integrates and engages older adults.
Full Circle Dreaming
Saturday, Nov. 14 from 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Light of the World Christian Church (4646 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, IN)
Free
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Spirit & Place invites the public to explore the notion of “full circle dreaming” with three panelists who have had the audacity to dream beyond themselves and have instead built lives and careers focused on their dreams for building better communities. Especially relevant today in the midst of serious challenges to the social fabric rooted in generational poverty, educational inequality, food insecurity and institutional racism, this event will provide a thoughtful look, from multiple perspectives, on what it means to embrace the responsibility of “full circle dreaming.” Presenters include Grammy Award winning hip-hop artist and social activist Michael Render (aka “Killer Mike” for his ability to “kill the mic” during his shows), local restaurateur and philanthropist Martha Hoover of the Patachou Foundation and senior pastor of Light of the World Christian Church Dr. David Hampton. Label manager of Asthmatic Kitty Records, John Beeler, will moderate.
20th Annual Public Conversation: New Dreams for Indy
Sunday, Nov. 15 from 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Congregation Beth-El Zedeck (600 W 70th St, Indianapolis, IN)
Free
The Spirit & Place Festival was born out of a “public conversation” between Kurt Vonnegut, Dan Wakefield and John Updike in 1996. These three literary giants explored the connection between the arts, humanities and religion. Twenty years later, Spirit & Place Festival is shining a light on emerging voices and talent in the community. What are their dreams and frustrations with Indianapolis today? What role do they see for the arts and humanities in shaping Central Indiana? How are religious congregations striving to make an impact and shape the city’s future? What does place-making mean for this generation of leaders and how can they – and the rest of the community – work to achieve positive collective impact over the next 20 years? Place-making art activities by Big Car, DREAM inspired remarks by best-selling author Dan Wakefield and celebratory toast to 20 years of community impact by Spirit & Place also included! This year’s presenters are Phyllis Boyd (Groundwork Indy), David Sklar (Indianapolis JCRC), Marshawn Wolley (Visit Indy) and Rev. Anastassia Zinke (All Souls Unitarian Church - Indianapolis).
For details on all Spirit & Place programs and events, visit http://spiritandplace.org.
About Spirit & Place
Spirit & Place catalyzes civic engagement and enduring change through creative collaborations among the arts, religion and humanities. Since 1996, Spirit & Place has reached 311,000 people and served 850 community organizations through 1,011 programs featuring 5,850+ presenters. Spirit & Place is a collaborative community project managed by The Polis Center, part of IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI. Major financial contributors include Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, Inc.; Bohlsen Group; Center for Service & Learning, IUPUI; Central Indiana Senior Fund (a CICF affiliate); Christel DeHaan Family Foundation; Goldstein Group Financial Advisors; The Indianapolis Foundation (a CICF affiliate); The Lacy Foundation; Lilly Endowment Inc.; IUPUI, IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI; University of Indianapolis as well as more than 200 other community partners and donors.
The 2015 Spirit & Place Festival takes place from Nov. 6-15, 2015, marking its 20th anniversary year.
For more information, visit http://spiritandplace.org.
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For interview requests, images or more information, contact:
Courtney Arregui | Bohlsen Group
carregui(at)bohlsengroup.com
317-602-7137
Courtney Arregui, Bohlsen Group, +1 (317) 602-7137, [email protected]
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