19 Apr 2016
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Big Car, City Market land grant from Southwest for placemaking

Big Car, City Market land grant from Southwest for placemaking

April 19, 2016 | 0 Comments

Big Car Collaborative and Indianapolis City Market — thanks to a grant from Southwest Airlines and Project for Public Spaces — are teaming up, starting this summer, to enliven the east side of downtown by connecting two primary public sites: City Market and Monument Circle. A catalytic grant, valued at $220,000 including monetary and technical support, from the Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community program will enable both Indianapolis City Market and Big Car Collaborative to jointly implement their plans to engage the community in reimagining these historic sites as key public spaces in the “heart” of Indianapolis.

The Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community program focuses on placemaking, a movement that is revolutionizing cities around the world by boosting community participation in the creation, design, and unique programming of their public spaces. Southwest Airlines believes that public spaces, whether neighborhood parks, small plazas, or downtown squares, are the true hearts of communities, as they are the places where people gather, connect, and enjoy each other and the cities they live in. The placemaking process highlights the capacity for underperforming spaces to achieve their greatest potential by becoming vibrant, authentic, functional, and well-loved places that will benefit the community socially, culturally, and economically for years to come. The Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community grant will help further the momentum of placemaking and cultural programming as vital elements to activating public places in Indianapolis, especially in the city’s blossoming downtown.

By building a shared vision through placemaking that connects City Market and Monument Circle in the developing Market East District of downtown, Big Car and City Market will strengthen connections between people and place—generating a greater sense of belonging and inclusion through the co-creation of great public spaces where everyone feels welcome and comfortable.

“The generous grant from Southwest Airlines provides City Market officials the opportunity to activate a unique space that has been dormant and without a soul for far too long,” said Stevi Stoesz, City Market’s executive director. “Working with Jim Walker and his Big Car team will enable us to create an inviting and engaging space. We have a great opportunity to compliment what is planned for the Market East District by providing valuable programming and amenities to draw residents, employees and visitors alike.”

Indianapolis is among five communities that are receiving similar grants today selected out of a highly competitive pool of more than 90 applicants, from 60 cities. Each year, Southwest brings placemaking to the cities they serve through the Heart of the Community program, highlighting the importance of “place” and encouraging communities to take part in the creation of the public places they love. For Southwest, placemaking is more than building great destinations, it is about strengthening local communities at their “heart.”

“At Southwest, we connect People to what’s important in their lives,” said Linda Rutherford, Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at Southwest Airlines. “That commitment extends beyond the skies and into the hearts of our communities through our investment in public spaces. We recognize the power public spaces have to transform communities and are excited to support the efforts to reimagine City Market’s East Plaza and Monument Circle in Indianapolis, a city we’ve been serving for 26 years.”

This grant will further the placemaking work that Big Car is already undertaking in the downtown Indianapolis area. In 2015, Big Car partnered with the City of Indianapolis on Spark, an 11-week test of creative programming and temporary infrastructure improvements at Monument Circle — funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Central Indiana Community Foundation. More than 45,000 visitors enjoyed flexible, public seating and upwards of 399 human-scale programming opportunities. Additionally, 85 percent of visitors reported talking to someone new during Spark. More can be found at www.circlespark.org.

“We’re very excited to be returning to downtown in partnership the City of Indianapolis and our friends at the wonderful, historic City Market,” said Jim Walker, founder and executive director of Big Car, a nonprofit collaborative of artists, designers and placemakers. “We’re thrilled to be working with Project for Public Spaces—an organization that has been a huge influence on our work, and Southwest Airlines—a company with people-focused values that we share.”

Through its multi-year partnership with Project for Public Spaces, the nation’s pioneering placemaking organization, Southwest Airlines is leveraging the power of placemaking to spur social, economic, and wellness benefits in communities across the U.S. and abroad. With the addition of the five newly announced grant recipients, the program has supported 18 innovative and transformative projects.

ABOUT INDIANAPOLIS CITY MARKET
Indianapolis City Market (ICM) feeds the community and its guests by offering distinct foods, products and services in an environment that preserves and perpetuates Central Indiana’s agricultural, architectural and cultural history. ICM was on the original Plat of the City designed by Alexander Ralston in 1821. ICM’s main Market House celebrates its 130th birthday in November of 2016. Indianapolis City Market Corporation, a nonprofit organization, is governed by a 13-member board of directors appointed by the Mayor and the City-County Council.

ABOUT BIG CAR COLLABORATIVE
An Indianapolis-based 501c3 nonprofit formed in 2004, Big Car uses creative placemaking as a catalyst to a better city. By providing and supporting unique, educational, participatory, playful and personal experiences, Big Car engages people of all ages and backgrounds in art making and creative problem-solving — inspiring them to be creative thinkers and involved, connected citizens. Our mission: We bring art to people and people to art, sparking creativity in lives to transform communities.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 45th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 49,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest proudly operates a network of 97 destinations across the United States and seven additional countries with more than 3,900 departures a day during peak travel season.

Based on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s most recent data, Southwest Airlines is the nation’s largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded. The Company operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world, the majority of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi providing gate-to-gate connectivity. That connectivity enables Customers to use their personal devices to view video on-demand movies and television shows, as well as more than 20 channels of free, live TV compliments of our valued Partners. Southwest created Transfarency℠, a philosophy which treats Customers honestly and fairly, and in which low fares actually stay low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free® to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some airlines may allow free checked bags on select routes or for qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply. In 2014, the airline proudly unveiled a bold new look: Heart. The new aircraft livery, airport experience, and logo, showcase the dedication of Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what’s important in their lives.

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as “The Southwest Effect,” a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic whenever the carrier enters new markets. With 43 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier’s performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2014 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at SouthwestOneReport.com.
Book Southwest Airlines’ low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

About Project for Public Spaces
Project for Public Spaces is a nonprofit planning, design and educational organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities. Its pioneering Placemaking approach helps citizens transform their public spaces into vital places that highlight local assets, spur rejuvenation and serve common needs. PPS was founded in 1975 to apply and expand on the work of William (Holly) Whyte, the author of The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Since then, the organization has completed projects in over 3000 communities in 43 countries and all 50 US states and are the premier center for best practices, information and resources on Placemaking.

17 Jan 2016
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Tindley Prep Poetry Reading

Tindley Prep Poetry Reading

January 17, 2016 | 0 Comments

Students from Tindley Preparatory Academy held homage to black artists at Tube Factory on January 16, 2017 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Teacher Tasha Jones brought a group of 40 8th graders from the all-boys middle school to the artspace for a poetry reading and celebration of culture.

Before the event, each Tindley student was assigned to write about their personal experiences in the form of an “I am” poem, which they shared in front of family and Tindley faculty members at Tube. The poems explored topics like identity, inner peace, and discovering self-worth. The poems varied in tone and structure but showed strong sense of pride – the boys were confident in what they wrote and were happy to share their poetry with the audience.

After the reading, students and community members learned more about the Civil Rights Movement through sharing other poetry and open discussion. Much of the day centered around  writer Mari Evans – one of the founders of the Black Arts Movement, longtime Indianapolis resident, and subject of Carl Pope’s exhibit in the Tube gallery.

To remember the field trip, the students’ poems from the day were later hung up in their classroom surrounding a picture of Mari, seen below. See more pictures from this event here.

14 Dec 2015
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Kurt’s Top 10 Big Car photos from 2015 + the making the year-in-review video

Kurt’s Top 10 Big Car photos from 2015 + the making the year-in-review video

December 14, 2015 | 0 Comments

by Kurt Lee Nettleton, Big Car videographer

Since officially starting at Big Car four months ago as the “documentation person,” responsible for both video and photo (and more recently branching into the social media posting too, tepidly), I’ve found myself in a whirlwind of activities, people, places, happenings, noise, and music. Below are my ten favorite images from that whirlwind.

Spark-Game of Graces

1) “A Game of Graces” – I don’t actually remember when this photo was taken down at Spark, but it’s pretty dense with information, which is a usual goal when documenting events. I found it while searching through folders for this post, and you can’t help but stop when someone’s face is so obviously “lit up” like that. I tend to shoot low aperture, which creates that blurry background. I like it because it isolates the subject in a super intentional fashion. What’s more, I always tend to like imagery that “feels cinematic,” or has some element of before and after to the frame. Here this girl clearly looks “accomplished,” and even if you don’t know the Game of Graces (she just successfully tossed that ring to the older man using those two sticks) you know she just did something to be proud of.

Cherie, the Shark, and the Lobster

2) “Surrealist Win” – The primary reason I love this photo: that lady is Cheria Caldwell and she is a newer staff member to Big Car, like me. She vehemently objects to being photographed, and so as you can tell, here she is mid objection. I think that look on her face is fantastic. This was taken at the Spirit & Place Surrealist Party so you can also see Anne Laker dressed with a shark head. That was one of the best surprises of the night. What you can’t make out, is the random lady dressed as a lobster eating a barbie in the background. It was an astonishingly fun night. We made paper hats, after Hugo Ball (who yes was a Dada artist and not Surrealist, but whatever).

John Flannely Noise at Tube

3) “John at the Tube” – This one I’m super proud of. It’s the most recent of the 10 images here, and it’s showing John Flannelly, a spectacular local sound artist, performing alongside the Dream Indy 5×5 Spirit and Place event at the Tube. What I’m primarily proud of, apart from it being a nicely framed shot of someone talented, is that I lit this shot during the day when the room was filled with daylight, with no time to wait to test the lighting. All I knew was that I wanted it to mix colors, and to seem to be carved out of the dark background with subtle but highly contrasted lines.

Fencing on the Circle

4) “Fencers on the Circle” – One of the coolest parts about Spark was the absolute randomness. It was particularly nice towards the end of the two and half months, because it was a nice way to break up the regular programming (I was almost down there everyday for a solid two and half months, so even absurd things were starting to feel ordinary). Here it was some random Saturday and this fencing club requested they bring their stuff down and put on live demonstrations. Not only was it just fantastic imagery to photograph, but it was a really fun environment to be in. Here these people are, doing an arguably eccentric pastime, out in public, and they’re openly inviting people to participate and learn (fellow on the left is from the group and is demonstrating for the fellow on the right, who was just passing through the circle at the time). And all of this wasn’t our (Big Car’s) idea, they came to us. Quite enjoyable.

The Winning "Smile"

5) “The Winning Smile” – Yes that title is a pun. Sometimes a photo is about the sheer surprise you able to capture something. This was also at the Dream Indy 5×5 Spirit and Place event at the Tube. Prior to announcing the winner I tried to set up for a shot on stage of the winning pair posing in the oversized prop Big Car had made. As the announcement happened I caught a reaction out of the corner of my eye, swung right and snapped a couple pictures. The young woman on the right is one half of the pair that just won the prize.

The Owl

6) This is absolutely my favorite photo I’ve taken since starting at Big Car. I was just hanging out by the Welcome Wagon on the Circle when some Indy Fringe performers came walking by advertising for their respective shows. This owl was part of one nice gentleman’s act. This photo has like all the aspects of photography I strive for: strong eye contact, dynamic leading lines, slightly backlit, low aperture. My proudest image of the last few months.

Big Carp Leaf Jump

7) “Leaf Jump” – This was an event held by Alan Goffinski for Reconnecting to Our Waterways he called a Leaf Jump. To be honest I was a little cranky that day and was feeling rushed to get an overlapping second event.  But when Alan finally busted out the Big Carp, it was worth it. Talk about a photographic dream, the light was hitting the back of the pile just right, the leaves and all their particulates started flying, and the leaf pile erupted with activity. So much so that I actually started feeling better.

Walker Theater

8) “Indiana Avenue Tour” – Of all the Spark events covered, the tours were by far the most challenging and the most visually rewarding. Walking backwards, rolling video, audio and capturing photos all simultaneously (I even tripped over a stone planter on this specific tour and tore some skin off of my lower back). This tour went particularly late, had a lot of good stops and stories and history. Combined with the nights coming sooner, it was kind of dark by the end of the tour at Walker Theater. Such a beautiful building, I really wanted a good photo, but my ISO was soaring as it got darker (particularly because there’s not a whole lot of direct streetlight on that corner). So in an effort to keep the ISO low I used a longer shutter and got this decent effect.

Athenaeum

9) “The Athenaeum” – Another tour, another beautiful building. There’s actually two photos from this tour I particularly am proud of, but this one I find uncanny. Not only is it a full building shot from the middle of Mass Ave during golden hour, but I find it also entertaining that the sprawl of the tour attendees somewhat mirrors the shape of the Athenaeum from this angle.

Jesse Sugarmann

10) “Jesse Sugarmann” – This is the ultimate golden hour shot (referring to that magic hour when the light from the sun casts across the ground at just the right angle to produce some interesting color, usually near dawn and dusk). This is one of the last shots of three full days of work for Jesse, who is the artist responsible for the “People’s 500,” a piece that called for normal people to drive a full race around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. To be honest it was the shot I’d been hoping to get all day, and it was such a relief when in the last ten minutes I got it.

So that’s a breakdown of how I shoot, what I look for, how I frame and the aesthetic I aim to capture. The most recent task I completed was to finish a video review of 2015 for Big Car (click here if you’re on your phone) and all its programming. It presents a unique challenge because obviously I did not capture the entire year myself. However, for as much as I enjoy capturing imagery, I actually find greater enjoyment in editing. So I spent a good amount of time reviewing Flickr for imagery and video of the ten projects to be highlighted, and assembled them all into folders (good editing is in organization, that is more than half the battle).

After assembling my materials, I set about creating a first cut, and it actually came together surprisingly quick. I set about creating an intro, set up Big Car and their intention, specifically their theme bringing art to people. While typing the titles it occurred to me that art and people lined up almost, which I thought was uncanny, so I let it linger. After establishing an introduction, I wanted to give the premise some validation so I found a couple interview clips stating the importance of Big Car’s mission and how easily it can be accomplished at times, which finally leads to the review of programming.

In this first cut I was just getting my content ideas on “paper” so to speak. Laying out the order of imagery for each project, beginning usually with something abstract/intriguing, then an establishing image, then a series of explanatory images or imagery that exemplifies. I also like to layer my edits so sounds start to rise before the clips that match enter the frame (called J or L cutting). One of my original intentions was to stamp each section with a logo that pertained, however that quickly proved a little confusing as some logos were partners and some logos were Big Car creations.

When re-editing, we aimed to make the text a little more explanatory, and also more concise. The music underneath remained the same, the first track is an original I found in the Big Car archives and the followup song is from Bigfoot Yancey, recorded down at Spark (the second song of theirs I’ve used, they’re really good). Lastly I like to give my videos a vague sense of a “day.” It’s a subtle way of communicating a video is coming to a close. So I like to begin with brighter shots and end with darker shots, as if the sun is setting. All in all it was a pretty smooth video to create, and it helps that it’s about a pretty fascinating group of people and all their efforts.

16 Sep 2015
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Pogue’s Run Pursuit with Sean Derry: Photo Tour

Pogue’s Run Pursuit with Sean Derry: Photo Tour

September 16, 2015 | 0 Comments

Pogue’s Run Photo Tour

For all you history buffs, art lovers, community builders, and fitness enthusiasts heading out on our Walking Wednesday tour of the historic path of our hidden Pogue’s Run waterway… Here is the photo accompaniment for our trek.  These photos have been provided by our tour guide for the evening, Sean Derry (seanderry.com).  Thanks for following along!

Pogue’s Run Photo Tour

14 Sep 2015
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Lead Artists sought for Reconnecting to our Waterways

September 14, 2015 | 0 Comments

Screen Shot 2015-09-13 at 4.47.12 PMOrganization: Big Car Collaborative

Position: Reconnecting to Our Waterways: LEAD ARTISTS
Reports to: ROW Creative Placemaker
Duration: September 15, 2015 – September 15, 2016
Stipend: $1,000 – Contract Employment

Position Summary:
Reconnecting to Our Waterways is seeking a Lead Artist for each ROW waterway in Indianapolis (White River, Central Canal, Pleasant Run, Pogues Run, Little Eagle Creek, Fall Creek). Lead Artists will work with the ROW Creative Placemaker to develop and execute quality creative placemaking program interventions that are deliberately and tactfully suited to the specific Indianapolis waterway.  Lead Artists will participate in educational activities and engage the Waterway Committee to inform and equip creative placemaking efforts.

Responsibilities:

  • Conspire artistically and strategically in the execution of
  • creative placemaking interventions developed by ROW Creative Placemaker.
  • Conceptualize, organize, and implement two (2) ROW placemaking activities specific to the culture and characteristics of your Waterway and surrounding community.
  • Become better equipped for Placemaking and Tactical Urbanism by participating in a series of Artist workshops and speaker presentations.
  • Represent the ROW Aesthetics Committee at your Waterway’s ROW meetings.
  • Represent your Waterway Committee at ROW Aesthetics Committee meetings.

Required Experience and Abilities:

  • Must have a strong ability to think creatively and formulate a plan for successful implementation of a concept.
  • Must show evidence of strong community relationships
  • Must have strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Ability to activate and engage artists and community members.
  • Experience in social practice art and/or creative placemaking preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience working as an artist in the community, specific examples in the Waterway community a plus.
  • Strong preference will be placed on artist with strong ties to the community surrounding the waterway.

Send Resumes to email hidden; JavaScript is required by Friday, September 18

14 Sep 2015
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Efroymson grants $150,000 for Big Car’s new Tube artspace

Efroymson grants $150,000 for Big Car’s new Tube artspace

September 14, 2015 | 0 Comments | , , ,

By Big Car Collaborative Staff

The Efroymson Family Fund, a Central Indiana Community Foundation Fund, recently granted Big Car $150,000 toward its art-based revitalization effort in Garfield Park on the near southside of Indianapolis. The grant will help Big Car finish and furnish The Tube Factory, its new long-term home base that featuring community gathering space, contemporary art exhibition area, and cooperative workshop. This is part of a comprehensive effort by Big Car and its partners that also includes a sound-based commercial building and artist housing.

The Efroymson Family Fund, a major supporter of the arts in Indianapolis and around the Midwest, is a longtime backer of Big Car — giving the organization its first foundation grant in 2007. The Efroymson Family Fund further backed Big Car as it grew rom an all-volunteer organization into one now employing 10 people and operating with an annual budget of $1.3 million. This $150,000 grant is the largest foundation gift ever received by Big Car, an artist-led nonprofit placemaking and community arts organization that formed in 2004.

“We so much appreciate the vision of the Efroymson Family and their confidence in us. We, and our community, are better off in so many ways because of their generosity,” said Big Car executive director Jim Walker. “(Efroymson Family Fund advisor) Jeremy Efroymson saw the potential of Big Car from the start. And we’re so grateful that he continues to see the value of artists working to make a difference in our community.”

As a longtime supporter of Big Car, Jeremy Efroymson said he’s excited to see how the organization’s work in the Garfield Park neighborhood develops. “We’re happy to be able to help Big Car with its efforts to support the revitalization of the neighborhood,” he said.

The Christel DeHaan Family Foundation also recently granted $35,000 toward the Tube Factory renovation. This boosts the amount raised, so far, to more than $800,000 of the goal of $1.5 million for the overall Garfield Park project.

Big Car plans to launch a capital campaign to raise the balance in early 2016. Other support so far includes a $466,000 Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development via the City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, a $50,000 grant from Lilly Endowment, a $20,000 façade grant from Indianapolis LISC, a $10,000 gift from Howard Schrott and Diana Mutz, a $10,000 gift from The Madeira Fund, a $10,000 gift from Ursula David, a $10,000 grant from The Nicholas H. Noyes Jr. Memorial Foundation, a $2,500 grant from the Arthur Jordan Foundation, as well as a major in-kind contribution from Blackline — lead architects on the Tube Factory project.

Additionally, the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP) invested $75,000 in Big Car and Riley Area Development’s housing initiative to refurbish vacant and neglected properties on Cruft Street as affordable live and work homes for artists who work with the public.

With Big Car owning its buildings, the Shelby Street corridor in the Garfield Park neighborhood is the permanent home and area of focus for the organization. Big Car works as an artist team embedded in Indianapolis neighborhoods to activate public space, engage artists and residents, and help transform the built environment as part a project called Garfield Park Creative Community. The goal is to make art and creativity integral to the culture of the Garfield Park community.

By November 2015, The Tube Fatory artspace — a former hydraulic tubing factory — will open for preview events highlighting what will be gallery and event space, a tinkering lab, and workshop for Big Car artists and others. A nearby property on Shelby Street will also open at about the same time as a sound art gallery, small retail space, and future low-power FM radio station studio known as Listen Hear. In 2016 and 2017, several vacant homes nearby will be refurbished as artist residencies in partnership with Riley Area Development Corporation.

About Big Car: An Indianapolis-based 501c3 nonprofit, Big Car uses creativity as a catalyst to a better city. By providing and supporting unique, educational, participatory, playful and personal experiences, Big Car engages people of all ages and backgrounds in art making and creative problem-solving — inspiring them to be creative thinkers and involved, connected citizens. Learn more at www.bigcar.org.

About The Efroymson Family Fund: The Efroymson Family Fund, a donor-advised fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation, continues a long charitable legacy in central Indiana. The Efroymson Family Fund was established in 1998 by Dan and Lori Efroymson to promote the viability of communities and to date has awarded more than $88 million in grants in central Indiana and beyond. For more information about the interests and impact of the Efroymson Family Fund visit

18 Oct 2014
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Fun Times at Art in Odd Places

Fun Times at Art in Odd Places

October 18, 2014 | Comments Closed | , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thanks to everyone who participated, sponsored and presented as part of Art in Odd Places Indianapolis.  Hundreds of people experienced surprising installations, traffic-stopping performances, and lively interactions with the 27 creative interventions presented Oct. 17-18.  Big Car Collaborative’s project–the As You Wish desk–fulfilled over 100 wishes with on-the-spot objects made from paper, clay, and more.  WISH-TV Channel 8 did a nice video piece.  Check out photos on Flickr and at IndyStar.com.

AiOP Indy was a collaboration of Big Car, Classical Music Indy, Arts Council of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Museum of Art, with financial support from Big Car, Delta Faucet, the Arts Council of Indianapolis, Indy Mod Homes, Downtown Indy, Apparatus IT, Sun King, and KA+A, and promotional support from NUVO and IndyHub.