Indiana Black Expo (IBE) will showcase an unprecedented collaboration of cultural institutions and artists at its free Cultural Arts Pavilion during the 2025 Summer Celebration.
The immersive event runs July 18-20 in Rooms 143-144 of the Indiana Convention Center.
This year’s pavilion marks a unique partnership among Indianapolis’ leading arts organizations. The Arts Council of Indianapolis, Newfields, Indianapolis Public Library, Harrison Center, Indiana State Museum, Indiana Historical Society, Eiteljorg Museum and the Indiana African American Genealogy Group unite to create a shared space dedicated to Black art, artists and cultural expression. Their collective exhibitions form the pavilion’s core, alongside works by emerging and established Black creatives from Indiana and beyond.
“Nowhere else in the city — or the state — will you find this level of collective artistic power and cultural storytelling under one roof,” IBE president and ceoCEO Alice Watson said. “The Cultural Arts Pavilion is more than an exhibit gallery — it is a cultural movement and a powerful reminder of the creativity that continues to shape our communities and future.”
Supported by sponsors including the Indy Arts Council and Penrod Society, the pavilion offers diverse experiences. Major institutional exhibitions include the Arts Council’s “From the Inside Out” by Kierra Ready, Newfields’ preview of Alma Thomas’ Smithsonian show and the Indiana State Museum’s “REPRESENT: Indiana’s Black Artists.” The Indiana African American Genealogy Group will offer hands-on research.
Individual artists featured include Tanía Michelle Wineglass (“Lost and Found”), Faith Blackwell (“We Are The Culture: Fashion Meets Basketball”) and Amira Alquraishy (“The Dreamer Has No Finish Line”). A group exhibit, “Court Vision: The Art of Resilience and Excellence,” curated by Arthentic Arts, showcases over 30 regional artists.
Live programming thrives at the Art Speaks Café. It hosts music, spoken word, book talks and panels. Performers include Cleöcrt Daniels, Reckless Rhymacide, Verbal i Music and Queen Quaymo.
A free Sneaker Bar, presented with BOXX the Artist, allows the first 100 participants to customize footwear.
Adjacent to Hall F, the Style Zone pop-up market runs July 20 (noon-7 p.m., Booth 1307). Hosted by Nikki Blaine Couture and featuring Claire Sulmers of Fashion Bomb Daily, it includes live styling. Actor and R&B artist Jacob Latimore performs live on the Hall F Entertainment Stage that same day at 3 p.m.
A Fashion Show follows at 4 p.m. on the Hall F stage. It features designs by Elan Furs, Nikki Blaine Couture, and others, with special appearances by designers BruceGlen. The twins, known as “Fashion Preachers,” bring their vibrant, sustainable designs from Washington, D.C.
The Textures Institute of Cosmetology Hair Competition, slated for July 21 (Booth 907, 1-4 p.m., Booth 907), offers a $1,000 grand prize. A new Nails Competition debuts this year.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on Facebook @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more news, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
 has unveiled the immersive cultural arts pavilion for the Summer Celebration this July.){kind=link}