Nov. 5, 2007

Contact: Erin Pipkin, 317.631.6400, erin.pipkin@borshoff.biz

Cultural Trail paving crews coming to Alabama Street  

INDIANAPOLIS – Crews working on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick will be paving all lanes of Alabama Street between North and Market streets beginning Tuesday, Nov. 6, weather dependent. The paving, which will occur during evening hours to decrease impact to pedestrians and vehicular traffic, will restrict all lanes of Alabama. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes between Nov. 6 and 9 during the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.  

Also, while crews pave the lanes on Alabama, through traffic may be affected at various intersections. Those include North Street, Michigan Street, Vermont Street, New York Street, Ohio Street and Market Street.  

The intermediate completion date for items on the Alabama Street corridor, with the exception of the landscaping and duratherm on the crosswalks, is Dec. 31, 2007. The final completion date for the corridor, which includes all plantings and pavement markings, is June 13, 2008.  

The Cultural Trail will be a world-class urban bike and pedestrian path that will connect all six Indianapolis cultural districts and bring users to the front door of nearly every arts, cultural, heritage, sports and entertainment venue downtown. More information about the Indianapolis Cultural Trail is available at www.indyculturaltrail.org.

Jan. 22, 2008

“Ann Dancing” by internationally renowned artist Julian Opie a legacy of the popular 2007 public art exhibition

INDIANAPOLIS – From now on, there will always be dancing in the streets in Indianapolis. Or at least dancing at the intersection of Mass Ave, Alabama Street and Vermont Street.  

A new animated artwork by internationally renowned artist Julian Opie, titled “Ann Dancing,” now has a permanent home in the Mass Ave Cultural District. The four-sided light emitting display (LED) is installed outside the Old Point Tavern.

“Just one month ago, we illuminated the Indianapolis Cultural Trail’s East Corridor, the Trail’s first segment,” said Brian Payne, president of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, at the dedication ceremony. “Today we’re here to continue a new tradition in our public art exhibition legacy, and I’m happy to say that it’s the first permanent art installation along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail:  A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick.”

Last fall three bronze sculptures from the city’s first public art exhibition, Tom Otterness in Indianapolis, were installed permanently outside the Indiana Convention Center. More than $550,000 was raised from generous private donors to underwrite the costs.

Managed by the Arts Council of Indianapolis, Julian Opie:  Signs was the city’s second major public art exhibition. The exhibition featured 11 art installations, including three LED sculptures – one of a man walking, one of a woman walking and one of a woman dancing – throughout downtown and an electrically lit image of musician Bryan Adams in White River State Park.

Mindy Taylor Ross, director of public art for the Arts Council of Indianapolis, explained that the animated artwork “Ann Dancing” is new, but the hardware and concept were used during the year-long Opie exhibition. “‘Sara Dancing’ was located on the northwest corner of Illinois and Maryland across from Palomino,” Ross said. “‘Ann Dancing’ is a new animation – different model, different clothes, different dance – that will be unique to Indianapolis.”

The total cost for the project – the display and new animated artwork along with the permanent base and installation expense – is approximately $150,000.  It is being funded by the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission.  The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is mostly funded by private individuals, foundations and corporations. Lilly Endowment provides funding for the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission.

The artist, Julian Opie, explains that he’s always been drawn to the idea of statues. “Just as the 19th century city builders used stone and bronze for their bridges and buildings, I use the fabric of modern cities – signs, aluminum, electronics, LEDs, concrete and glass – to create my people,” he said. 

“I am really happy that ‘Ann Dancing’ will be in Indianapolis and become part of the street fabric. As I sit in my studio in London I think of her endlessly dancing for the passing traffic.”

“Ann” will seldom dance alone. In recent years, pedestrian traffic has increased considerably at the intersection where she is taking up residency. A mix of old and new retail businesses, offices, residential offerings, restaurants and other attractions have made the Mass Ave Cultural District a favored destination. Linking up with the Cultural Trail will only make it more popular.

Patti Perrin, who owns the Old Point Tavern with her husband, Chic, said, “We were delighted when this world-class amenity was sweeping by our door, and now we’re thrilled the plaza will be home to a permanent art installation easily in view for all of our customers and employees.” She and her husband Chic have owned Old Point Tavern for 17 years.

The Arts Council’s Public Art Indianapolis program now is finalizing plans for a third public art exhibition. It will feature nine large sculptures by Chakaia Booker, a New York City-based artist who makes expressive woven sculptures from recycled tires. The exhibition is scheduled to open in July 2008 and run through April 1, 2009.

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail:  A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick is a 7.5-mile trail that will be a world-class urban bike and pedestrian path connecting all six Indianapolis cultural districts, entertainment amenities and serve as the downtown hub for the entire central Indiana greenway system.    Public Art Indianapolis is managed by the Arts Council of Indianapolis and funded in part by the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission. It began in 2004 after the development of a public art master plan.

That’s how the article on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail is listed in the table of contents of the April issue of Metropolis magazine. The magazine, distributed worldwide and self-characterized as “Architecture<Culture<Art,” is well worth holding. Or check it out online: "Winning Lap: ­Indianapolis hopes to make its cultural mark with a bike-and-pedestrian path that loops through the heart of town." There’s no doubt that the Cultural Trail is putting Indianapolis on the global map in ways never previously achieved.

April 25, 2007

Contact: Gail Swanstrom, 317.631.6542 x166 gail@indyculturaltrail.org
Justin Ohlemiller, 317.327.3690 johlemil@indygov.org

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON THE INDIANAPOLIS CULTURAL TRAIL

Officials announce groundbreaking, two new donors and renderings of the first public art project

INDIANAPOLIS - Construction signs, barricades and jackhammers now flank the Alabama Street corridor, as construction began today on the 7.5-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick. The Cultural Trail will be a world-class urban bike and pedestrian path that will connect all six Indianapolis cultural districts and bring users to the front door of nearly every arts, cultural, heritage, sports and entertainment venue downtown.

Breaking ground today for the Indianapolis Cultural Trail was the project team, led by Mayor Bart Peterson and Central Indiana Community Foundation President Brian Payne, as well as the Cultural Trail�s community partners and major donors.

Mayor Peterson said, "Indianapolis continues to grow its reputation as a nationally renowned destination city for arts, culture and thriving quality of life. The Cultural Trail will take this effort to an entirely new level."

"This is a much-anticipated day for our city," Payne added. "After working on this project for six years, it's a dream come true for CICF to turn dirt and make the trail a reality that can be enjoyed by the residents of central Indiana and visitors from around the world."

Construction Schedule
Schutt-Lookabill Co. of Indianapolis was awarded the contract in March to construct the first segment along Alabama Street between North and Market streets. "Hardscape," or the physical components of this corridor, will be complete by November 2007, with landscaping to be added in the spring.

The entire project will be constructed in six corridor stages over three years, and is projected to be complete in late 2009.

Fundraising
In addition to Gene and Marilyn Glick's $15 million donation announced in October 2006, the Cultural Trail is funded through federal and local transportation grants and private funds from many generous individuals and foundations.

New donations announced at today's groundbreaking include a $2 million endowment from the Margot L. and Robert S. Eccles Charitable Fund, a CICF Fund; and a $1 million donation from the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation. Rob Smith, President of the Lilly Foundation, said, "Like many organizations in our community, Eli Lilly and Company is deeply interested in Indianapolis continuing to be a great place to live and work. The Lilly Foundation is pleased to lend financial support to this project, which will advance our city in so many ways."

The estimated cost for the trail is $50 million and to date, $37 million, or two-thirds of the total budget, has been raised. In addition to the $1 million gift from the Lilly Foundation, Eli Lilly and Company has volunteered to build an extension from the Cultural Trail at Virginia Avenue to its main campus. "Eli Lilly and Company believes that the Cultural Trail will be a great asset for Indianapolis," John Lechleiter, president and chief operating officer of Eli Lilly and Company, said. "By investing in a link between our corporate campus and the trail, we will be providing a service to our employees and underscoring our commitment to this important project and our community as a whole."

Public Art
The first artist to be contracted to create a formal public art proposal for the Cultural Trail is Emily W. Kennerk. Kennerk is an Indianapolis native who currently splits her time between her Broad Ripple studio and a studio in Chicago. She earned undergraduate degrees in painting and sculpture from the Herron School of Art & Design in Indianapolis and a Masters of Fine Art from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield, Mich. Kennerk was a recipient of a 2006 Efroymson Contemporary Art Fellowship, has served as an assistant professor for both DePauw University and the Herron School of Art & Design, and is currently an assistant professor of sculpture at Trinity Christian College in Chicago.

Mindy Taylor Ross, Director of Public Art for the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the coordinator of the Cultural Trail�s public art programming, said, "We kick off the first leg of the Cultural Trail and its public art programming with a proposal from a smart and resourceful artist who hails from our city. Emily's proposed sculpture installation will serve as a new landmark and a monument to the fun and eclectic nature of the growing Mass Ave cultural district."

Kennerk's proposed installation is tentatively titled "Marbles." Exploring what Kennerk believes to be the three most critical elements in creating successful public art -- those of site, scale and surface -- she is proposing to create a monumental marble game comprised of 4-foot and 7.9-foot marbles and one 11.6-foot "shooter" marble. The installation is proposed for the east corridor, with a primary focus on the intersection of Mass Ave, Alabama and Vermont streets. Exact placement and color palate of the marbles has not been determined.

Kennerk is opening a major exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Art on July 13. Emily Kennerk: Suburban Nation will feature four sculptures made from mass-produced materials such as vinyl siding, decking and other home building products.

The Curatorial Advisory Committee is considering several other artists for installations along the Cultural Trail. Announcements about additional commissioned artists are anticipated in the next few months.

More information about the Indianapolis Cultural Trail is available at www.indyculturaltrail.org.

Nov. 1, 2006

Contact: Gail Swanstrom, 317.631.6542 x166 gail@indyculturaltrail.org
Erin Pipkin, 317.631.6400 epipkin@bjmpr.com

ARTS COUNCIL SEEKING QUALIFICATIONS FROM INDIANA ARTISTS FOR INDIANAPOLIS CULTURAL TRAIL

Hoosier artists encouraged to respond by November 17

INDIANAPOLIS - The Arts Council of Indianapolis, on behalf of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, is requesting qualifications from Indiana artists who are interested in creating an outdoor site-specific public art project. The Arts Council is the leader of the Trail�s Public Art Team charged with selecting artists and managing a $2 million budget for public art projects that will be incorporated along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail.

While this Request for Qualifications is an open call to artists living in Indiana, the final pool of qualified artists will include artists from other parts of the world as determined by the Public Art Team�s Curatorial Advisory Committee. The Curatorial Advisory Committee is comprised of local curators of contemporary art, local artists and relevant design professionals. The Public Art Team will work with neighborhood stakeholders to select artists and art projects that reflect the unique characteristics of each of the five downtown Cultural Districts connected by the Indianapolis Cultural Trail while supporting the project leaders� goals of creating a world-class, 21st century icon and an unprecedented model for multi-modal transportation systems in urban areas.

This is the only open call currently planned for the Trail. To reply to the request for qualifications (RFQ), artists must be 18 years of age or older and provide proof of residency in Indiana.

The 7.5-mile trail will expose users to downtown�s dynamic arts amenities and the city�s rich heritage, providing an inspiring and safe way to travel and exercise throughout Indianapolis and serving as the downtown hub for the central Indiana greenway system.

The five downtown cultural districts connected by the Indianapolis Cultural Trail include Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, Mass Ave, The Canal & White River State Park and Wholesale District. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail will also connect with the Monon Trail via Mass Ave at 10th Street, allowing visitors easy access to Broad Ripple Village from downtown.

Construction of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail will begin in March 2007, with the corridor along Alabama Street. The project will be built in six corridor stages over three years, and is projected to be complete in 2009.

More information about the Indianapolis Cultural Trail is available at www.IndyCulturalTrail.org.

Oct. 13, 2006

Contact:

Gail Swanstrom
317.631.6542 x166
gails@cicf.org

Erin Pipkin
317.631.6400
epipkin@bjmpr.com

Justin Ohlemiller
317.327.3690
johlemil@indygov.org

PAVING THE WAY TO A LEANER, GREENER INDY

Public/private partnership unveils plans for the Indianapolis Cultural Trail

INDIANAPOLIS – A public/private partnership of Indianapolis leaders today unveiled the Indianapolis Cultural Trail � a world-class urban bike and pedestrian path that will connect all six Indianapolis cultural districts and bring users to the front door of nearly every arts, cultural, heritage, sports and entertainment venue downtown.

The unveiling included an announcement of the Trail's primary sponsors and namesake, as well as artists' renderings and maps of the project. Gene and Marilyn Glick are giving $15 million to the Trail, which will be permanently recognized as "A Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick."

"Marilyn and I are excited about participating in this momentous undertaking for our city and appreciate the opportunity to use our resources for this worthwhile purpose," said Gene Glick. "I want to compliment Brian and everyone else involved in the planning and implementation of the Cultural Trail."

In addition to the Glicks' generous donation, the Trail is funded through federal and local transportation grants and many other generous individuals and foundations - no local taxpayer dollars are being used on the construction of the Trail. The estimated cost for the trail is $50 million and to date, $34 million, or two-thirds of the total budget, has been raised.

The 7.5-mile trail will serve as the downtown hub for the central Indiana greenway system, not only providing an inspiring and safe way to travel and exercise throughout Indianapolis, but also exposing users to downtown�s dynamic arts amenities and the city's rich heritage.Unveiling the Indianapolis Cultural Trail today was the project team, led by Central Indiana Community Foundation President Brian Payne and Mayor Bart Peterson. The team also includes:

• Keira Amstutz, chief counsel/director of policy, Office of Mayor Bart Peterson, City of Indianapolis
• Lori Miser, administrator, Department of Public Works, City of Indianapolis
• Melody Park, project management, R.W. Armstrong & Associates
• Kevin Osburn, project designer, Rundell Ernstberger Associates
• Mindy Taylor Ross, director of public art, Arts Council of Indianapolis

"The Indianapolis Cultural Trail will completely change the way our nation and the world perceives Indianapolis," said Brian Payne, president of Central Indiana Community Foundation, who first developed the idea and has led the project since it began in 2001. "They will come to Indianapolis to do the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, a Legacy of Gene and Marilyn Glick, and discover that Indianapolis has an incredibly dynamic arts, culture, heritage and entertainment scene."

"Indianapolis continues to grow its reputation as a nationally renowned destination city for arts, culture and thriving quality of life, and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail takes this effort to an entirely new level," said Mayor Peterson. "The Cultural Trail will be a world-class amenity that is truly unique to our city."

The five downtown cultural districts connected by the Indianapolis Cultural Trail include Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, Mass Ave, The Canal & White River State Park and Wholesale District. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail will also connect with the Monon Trail via Mass Ave at 10th Street, allowing visitors easy access to Broad Ripple Village from downtown.

The Indianapolis Cultural Trail will boost tourism, quality of place and quality of life in central Indiana. It will increase downtown residential development and inspire new business. It will also position Indianapolis as a dynamic city, which is essential for attracting and retaining talented professionals, which is the key to succeeding in a global economy.

With the growing epidemic of obesity in Indiana, the Trail will also provide a safe and free form of exercise that supports both state and city initiatives, INShape and FitCity.

Construction of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail will begin in March 2007, with the corridor along Alabama St. first. The project will be done in six corridor stages over three years, and is projected to be complete in 2009.

More information about the Indianapolis Cultural Trail is available at www.indyculturaltrail.org.

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English Foundation Building, corner of North and Alabama streets

Be among the first in Indianapolis to see the route and design elements of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail-the 7.5-mile path that will be the downtown hub for Central Indiana's greenway trail system and an icon for the urban development and cultural attractions that have come to define our city.

Information Fair: 10 a.m. - noon

Downtown neighbors and trails enthusiasts should plan to attend this fun family event.

Trail tours: noon - 2 p.m.

The public is invited to tour nearby sections of the Cultural Trail route on bike to learn more about how the trail will connect and enhance the neighborhoods and attractions along its path.

Contact us to RSVP for the bike ride.