The Indianapolis Artsgarden celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020, though interestingly enough it wasn't technically done until 2012 when a final connector allowed for tourists to access the Artsgarden from the PNC Center, Conrad Hotel, and Circle Centre.
Did you know that it took 32,000 square feet of glass to make the Artsgarden? I don't think people realize just how immense it is because the space primarily used for performance is really only a modest portion of the entire facility.
If you look carefully inside the crook of one of the stairwells, you'll find a 2" Buddha-like face. It's such a tiny piece of public art that even Yelper Ken N. hasn't found it yet. :) The presence of it baffled the Arts Council for years until local artist Dominic Sansone acknowledged placing it as part his an exhibit he did called "Hidden Monuments" placing smaller art around downtown Indy.
Fun facts:
In the past 13 years, the Artsgarden has hosted around 300 weddings. Former Pacer Rik Smits symbolically signed the first steel beam before it was placed - it happened to be exactly as tall as Smits (7'4").
The Artsgarden has a maximum capacity of 600 (standing room only) and has hosted acts like American Aquarium, Josh Kaufman, Penn & Teller, Chris Isaak, Cirque du Soleil, and the Vienna Opera Ball Orchestra.
The Artsgarden is owned and operated by Arts Council of Indianapolis. It's 7-stories tall and hosts more than 250 free and public events annually. It also has monthly visual arts exhibits and can be rented for private events, weddings, receptions, and non-profit events. The Artsgarden also serves as what they call a "cultural concierge." They have a desk that is staffed during the hours the mall is open to share information about local arts.
The Artsgarden is wheelchair friendly with ramps into it. The performance space is fairly easy to adapt. The Artsgarden does not have public restrooms, though the mall itself does have them.
I work at the Indiana Government Center and the Artsgarden can even be reached from the government center without having to go outside. On particularly stressful days, I can often go over and enjoy music inside the Artsgarden on my lunch break. I also periodically have friends who perform in the space during lunchtime concerts.
The structure itself is quite beautiful. In terms of performing in it or even renting it, they offer technical/AV support and security. The Ritz Charles and Conrad Indianapolis are the exclusive caterers for the Artsgarden. When the facility is really decked out for a formal event, it's quite remarkable. The best part of renting the space is that you're also supporting the Arts Council. read more