The 4th Annual Art Squared Arts Festival
If there is one thing Fountain Square does best, it is celebrating local art. With dozens of local galleries, restaurants, and coffee shops showcasing local artists’ talents, Fountain Square is known for its creative vibe. This past Saturday, September 19th, the district showcased its love of all things artistic by hosting the 4th annual Art Squared event for the entire community.
Art Squared is a free event comprised of three parts; the Fountain Square Art Fair, Masterpiece in a Day, and the Fountain Square Art Parade. The first event, the Fountain Square Art Fair, consisted of booths set up by local Indy artists and vendors with handmade pieces for sale. All of the art showcased and sold was 100% made by local artists, and some creations were even composed on the spot. The types of art ranged from portraits, watercolors, paintings, jewelry, mixed media, pottery, handmade instruments, clothing, and more. Some booths even hosted fun and creative crafts for kids, with sand art and puppet making, to help encourage the act of creating in children of all ages. Other vendors offered creative tasks for adults, like a wine and canvas painting experience.
The second event, Masterpiece in a Day, was a contest where local artists and students were encouraged to venture out to Fountain Square to create works of art for a cash prize (1st prize took away $1000, 2nd prize won $500, and 3rd prize received $250). Artists could be seen on sidewalks and in the main pavilion, creating, painting, designing, and more. The winning artist, Paul Hendrickson, created an in depth watercolor painting. Second place went to Scott and Elizabeth Faletic who created a small mid-century inspired table, and third prize was awarded to Emily Bennet for a sculpture/life size yarn ball creation
(Photo cred: Fountain Square Arts Council)
The Fountain Square Art Parade kicked off around 5pm, where adults and kids dressed up as sculptures, pop art, and other creative costumes that celebrated the arts and creativity. Organizations like the public library and colleges like UIndy were present.
(Photo cred: Art Squared)
Throughout the entire celebration, there was a variety of live music and entertainment happening in the main plaza. Playing For Change hosted musicians Jake Strakis, Prowlers and the Prey, The Skelecasters, M Squared Project, Philadelphia Phil & Friends, Will Scott, and finally Hootenany (a closing collaboration between most of the artists). The nearby theatres also sponsored live music all day. There was also face painting and balloon animals for children.
Art Squared is just another example of the close knit community ties and dedication to the arts that is fostered within Fountain Square. To check out more photos from the event, visit Art Squared’s event page. Stay tuned for more upcoming event reviews!