A new “experimental creative showcase” is coming to the Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis (CAMi) this fall thanks to the Herbert Simon Family Foundation.
Risky Business, which is set to open at the CAMi, features nine artists across various mediums, blending music, dance, literary and visual arts, according to a press release. Curated by Creative Director and Performing Arts Curator Rishard Allen and Visual Arts Curator Lindsey Lord, Risky Business is on view from 5-10 p.m. on Oct. 10.
“The Indianapolis Creative Risk Fund is about providing artists the resources and freedom to experiment, take chances, and follow an idea even when they don’t know exactly where it will lead,” Allen said in a statement. “At Risky Business, attendees will witness what can happen when artists are encouraged to push beyond what’s familiar and embrace the uncertainty that comes with trying something new.”
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Each of the artists featured in the exhibition are recipients of the Herbert Simon Family Foundation’s Indianapolis Creative Risk Fund — which was created in 2023 after the foundation asked artists, curators and creative stakeholders what was missing in Indianapolis. After learning that most of the arts funding in the city goes to institutions rather than to artists, the foundation developed the Indianapolis Creative Risk Fund to provide financial support directly to individual artists, artist collectives and artist collaborations, allowing them to “take creative risks and pursue experimental projects,” according to a press release.
This year, the Risky Business showcase finds the exhibiting artists situating themselves in uniquely personal and creative challenges, “unearthing new ways to tell familiar stories, embracing vulnerability and critiquing the status quo and undertaking risks” both personal and political, according to a press release.
The Risky Business showcase features work that invites audiences into a contemplative experience that both challenges and inspires. Exhibiting artists explore themes and experiences surrounding environmental sustainability, displacement, systemic racism, substance use disorder, disability and anti-violence through fresh and innovative approaches to artmaking.
The Indianapolis Creative Risk Fund is designed to push Indy’s arts scene “into new visionary territory;” build excitement around what can be created in the city, inspire other creatives and spark innovation within the arts community. The fund “embraces a spirit of experimentation,” including problem-solving, messiness and uncertainty that creative risk can entail, according to a press release.
Risky Business is free to attend, but registration is required. For more information about the exhibition or to register for free visit cicf.org/indianapolis-creative-risk-fund.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
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