Spark Placemaking

As a program of Big Car Collaborative, we are excited to share about coverage of Big Car and Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis -CAMi in the The New York Times. Hope to see you there the opening weekend of May 1-3.

In Indianapolis, a New Contemporary Art Museum Comes With a D.J. The 40,000-square-foot space, housed in a former dairy barn, aims to upend expectations of what an art museum can be.

Mari Evans, “An Audio Family Album” is a three-part audio series airing on Big Car Collaborative’s art and community radio station, 99.1 WQRT on July 16 is and available on our website and other podcasting platforms. See link in bio. for more information.

The audio broadcast premieres on her birthday, July 16, on 99.1 WQRT. It focuses on what was most important to Evans, family — her family, the Black family, the American family.

Airing schedule
on 99.1 WQRT and streaming wqrt.org (noon each of the days below)

July 16 – “The Black Experience”
Encore July 19, 26, August 2 & 9
August 13 – “The Family Interview”
Encores August 16, 23, 30, September 6.
September 10 – “Family as Foundation”
Encores September 13, 20, 27 and October 4.

Visitors to SPARK on the Circle at Monument Circle in Indianapolis this summer will also be able to experience the project through an interactive exhibit in Big Car’s Wagon of Wonders mobile art museum.

About Mari Evans (1919–2017): One of the founders of the Black Arts Movement and a longtime Indianapolis resident, Mari Evans is best known for her poetry — with her work appearing in more than 100 anthologies. She published her first book, “Where Is All the Music?,” in 1968, followed by “I Am a Black Woman” in 1970. She went on to publish more than 10 books. Mari also worked in theatre and taught at Cornell, Northwestern, Washington University in St. Louis, and Spelman College. Big Car Collaborative commissioned a mural in partnership with Evans located at 448 Mass Ave.

Made possible by The Central Indiana Women’s Fund, The Efroymson Family Fund and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

Special thanks to Chris, Eric, Matthew, Nevaeh and William Phemster.

Photo .marie_photography

We have a bunch of awesome events happening at SPARK on the Circle tomorrow, Wednesday, June 25! 🤸

• noon - 1 p.m. - Lunch Break Live presented by Lake City Bank with Jesse Lee 🎶

• 10am -1:30 pm - Good Good Food Launch 🍎

• 10 am - 1:30 pm - The Original Farmers’ Market 🐓

• 11 am - dusk - Relaxing greenspace, shaded seating, lawn games, postcard making, and more 🏓

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SPARK is a partnership between Big Car Collaborative, Downtown Indy, Inc., City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, with support from the Indiana War Memorials Commission. It is a continuation of our work on the Circle in 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2015.

At Big Car, we approach our work at the Circle as a site- and community-specific socially engaged art and creative placemaking project. The SPARK on the Circle pop-up park was collaboratively designed with Indianapolis-based Merritt Chase to be a restorative public place where people of all walks of life can relax, play, socialize, and engage with art and artists in the heart of our city. Learn more at CircleSpark.org

New story from Axios about our new 40,000 square foot addition to the Big Car Collaborative Tube Factory artspace Campus: https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2025/06/18/new-contemporary-art-museum-big-car-tube-factory-garfield-park?fbclid=IwY2xjawK_tYxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFWaDhKbGJnVU03WHI0eklUAR4cmbnctFBU04nzBCIyp62O2jWJDfAlJQW4U7Wu2z2Zoqy5saKkMRg27r7wNQ_aem_IAV2ldza9w1X2qPTpgt4tQ

Big Car is opening a new contemporary art museum in Garfield Park Work on the renovated warehouse should be done by the end of the year.

Indy, you’re invited! Join us on June 25th at Monument Circle for the Good Good Food Launch Event, where feeling good good starts with good food 🥦✨

We’re celebrating small, simple steps that make a big impact, like choosing one better option every time you eat. This exciting outdoor event is part of Partnership for a Healthier America's bold mission to double produce consumption in 15 cities by 2030, starting right here in Indianapolis 🌽🍎

Come enjoy:
🍴 Local chefs + food trucks
👩🏽‍🍳 Live cooking demos
🎉 Family fun + performances
📚 Educational tents with real tools for healthier living

Let’s come together to celebrate food, community, and feeling good good for everyone.

June 2025 SPARK on the Circle events! ✨

Big Car Collaborative Downtown Indy City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development

SPARK on the Circle Returns this weekend!

SPARK on the Circle to return to Monument Circle for 4 months The season will kick off Saturday, May 31 and run through Sept. 28.

Get ready for SPARK on the Circle 2025! 💃🕺

Lockerbie Place is TODAY, Tuesday, May 27! 🌤️

From 11:30am to 1:30pm:

• Food from FILLERS Stuffed Burgers food truck 🍔
• Live music from Peyton Womock 🎶
• Pingpong, foosball, & giant Jenga 🏓
• Relaxing greenspace & seating 🌱

Located at the greenspace next to Needler’s Fresh Market in Downtown Indy. All events at Lockerbie Place are free to attend.

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Visit BigCar.org/Lockerbie for more info.

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Lockerbie Place is part of Big Car Collaborative’s Spark Placemaking program | Big Car Collaborative |