Art as Nature/Nature as Art for May 1st First Friday at Harrison Center

What:
In conjunction with Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealers Association's (IDADA) monthly First Friday festivities, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB) and the Harrison Center for the Arts (HCA) will create performance art as a beautification effort on the grounds of the Harrison Center. KIB has coordinated an all-day planting to celebrate Harrison's theme for this month, Garden Party.
Volunteers will plant trees and perennials, and place hardscape materials such as paver patios and paths. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful will supply all tools and materials necessary to complete the project. The final shift of the beautification effort will run simultaneously with Harrison’s Garden Party artist reception and open studio night.

Who:
Planting will be completed by volunteers affiliated with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and the Harrison Center. Each shift will have approximately 40 volunteers.

The Harrison Center will feature New York artist and musician Annie Quick and former Harrison Center artist Cheryl Paswater for this month’s exhibit of nature-inspired art.

When:
Work will run from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Friday, May 1. Planting will continue during the open studio event, starting at 6:00p.m. Visitors are encouraged to grab a shovel and be a part of the planting before viewing artwork.

Where:
Harrison Center for the Arts
1505 North Delaware St.
Beautification efforts will take place in the open courtyard area facing North Delaware Street.

Why:
The theme of the Harrison Center’s May 1st First Friday gallery walk is Garden Party. To celebrate – and to incorporate living landscapes with artists’ renderings – Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and the Harrison Center will mobilize their supporters to beautify the grounds and to take part in a performance art piece. The Harrison Center seeks to improve their courtyard to provide a welcoming space for their outdoor events.

About Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization that unites people to beautify the city, improve the environment, and foster pride in the community. In 2008, KIB worked with nearly 45,000 volunteers on 500 community projects. www.kibi.org

About the Harrison Center
The Harrison Center serves as a catalyst for renewal in Indianapolis by creating awareness, appreciation and community for art and culture. The Harrison Center is dedicated to serving both “emerging artists” and “emerging patrons” through engaging exhibits and concerts; educational programs; monthly artist support groups; and art programming for youth. In addition, the Harrison Center provides below-market studio spaces for individual artists and office space for arts and cultural organizations. For more information, visit www.harrisoncenter.org.


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Media Contacts:
Linda Broadfoot
Vice President for Development & Public Relations
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc.
317.223.5181
lbroadfoot@kibi.org

Joanna Taft
Executive Director
Harrison Center for the Arts
317.514.6787
jtaft@harrisoncenter.org