Art & Soul to celebrate Black artists, Indiana Avenue and 'The Naptown Experience'

Domenica Bongiovanni, Indianapolis Star
·3 min read

Art & Soul returns next month with four new featured artists whose crafts include dance, visual art, spoken word and music.

With the theme “We Are One, The Naptown Experience,” they will perform and show their work across February. The Indy Arts Council's celebration of Black artists and Black History Month, which has been ongoing since 1996, supports the careers of central Indiana's Black artists. And the event will have a special historical component this year.

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"The current 'Naptown Experience' is vast, and over the past decade or so, ‘Naptown’ has become a term of endearment for our city," said Valerie Phelps, Art & Soul 2024 event producer, in a news release.

"The grand finale will be a non-stop, power packed tribute sharing highlights from 'the Avenue' past to present, popular music and dance from the 40’s to now — in costume. The program will represent the African American community as a whole, capitalizing on strength in variety, and serve as a cultural representation of where we are as a people in the City of Indianapolis."

Here are this year's artists and when you can see them:

2024 Art & Soul's featured artists

Boxx The Artist uses acrylics, digital, public art, photography and film to explore the African Diaspora. She is one of four featured in Indy Arts Council's 2024 Art & Soul program, which will celebrate Black artists and Indiana Avenue.
Boxx The Artist uses acrylics, digital, public art, photography and film to explore the African Diaspora. She is one of four featured in Indy Arts Council's 2024 Art & Soul program, which will celebrate Black artists and Indiana Avenue.

Visual artist Boxx The Artist: She uses acrylics, digital, public art, photography and film to explore the African Diaspora. She was honored as one of the 2023 Hoosier Women Artists by Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, and her work has been shown in several places, including the Black Creativity Juried 2022 and 2023 Exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. Boxx has installed murals for the the city of Indianapolis and Indiana State Museum, among others.

Musician Dexter Clardy is an IU Soul Revue alum is the lead singer of Shvdy Rollins. He is one of four featured in Indy Arts Council's 2024 Art & Soul program, which will celebrate Black artists and Indiana Avenue.
Musician Dexter Clardy is an IU Soul Revue alum is the lead singer of Shvdy Rollins. He is one of four featured in Indy Arts Council's 2024 Art & Soul program, which will celebrate Black artists and Indiana Avenue.

Musician Dexter Clardy of Shvdy Rollins: The Indiana University Soul Revue alum is the lead singer of the alternative R&B band, which was formerly called Huckleberry Funk. He's been on shows with 21 Pilots and Doja Cat, among several other big performances.

Austin "Sirlimitless" Day is an alum of IU's African American Dance Co. and the founder of ChoreoBlitz.He is one of four featured in Indy Arts Council's 2024 Art & Soul program, which will celebrate Black artists and Indiana Avenue.
Austin "Sirlimitless" Day is an alum of IU's African American Dance Co. and the founder of ChoreoBlitz.He is one of four featured in Indy Arts Council's 2024 Art & Soul program, which will celebrate Black artists and Indiana Avenue.

Dancer, choreographer and educator Austin "Sirlimitless" Day: An alum of Indiana University's African American Dance Co., he founded ChoreoBlitz, which brings innovative programming and opportunities to dancers. He's performed with major artists and formed Indianapolis classes that serve several age groups.

Spoken word artist jus Will has performed across the country and written the "The Missedprint of a Poet" about his journey. He is one of four featured in Indy Arts Council's 2024 Art & Soul program, which will celebrate Black artists and Indiana Avenue.
Spoken word artist jus Will has performed across the country and written the "The Missedprint of a Poet" about his journey. He is one of four featured in Indy Arts Council's 2024 Art & Soul program, which will celebrate Black artists and Indiana Avenue.

Spoken word artist jus Will: Taking inspiration from hip-hop, he's played across the country, worked in comedy and written the literary debut “The Missedprint of a Poet" about his own journey. He's also recorded an album and two EPs.

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2024 Art & Soul event schedule, ticketing information

  • Feb. 2: Art & Soul kickoff. Art exhibit (5-9 p.m.) and performances at Gallery 924 and The Cabaret. Spotlighting Boxx the Artist, former Art & Soul visual artists and well-known local musicians. (924 N. Pennsylvania St. Free. RSVP for 6 p.m. performance at tinyurl.com/4h3ze9td.)

  • Feb. 7: Featured Artist Music Showcase. 5 p.m. doors for drinks and dinner, with pre-show art by Boxx the Artist. 7 p.m. show with Dexter Clardy with his band Shvdy Rollins, a spoken word reading by jus Will and more. (The Jazz Kitchen, 5377 N. College Ave. $15+. tinyurl.com/mrk47fvm)

  • Feb. 23: Celebration and Naptown Tribute. Live music, dancing and vendors with a finale that celebrates Indiana Avenue's music with the 2024 featured artists. An IPS Kids Zone will show student artwork and host a performance by the Arsenal Tech High School Jazz Combo. (5 p.m. Indianapolis Artsgarden, above Illinois and Washington streets. Free. RSVP at tinyurl.com/29zdneed)

Find more information at indyarts.org.

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Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @domenicareports.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Black History Month 2024: Art & Soul highlights Indy's Black artists