‘One Massive Stage’ to Envision Area’s Potential
An emerging section of the near northeast side of Indianapolis will be temporarily transformed Saturday to demonstrate what PreEnactIndy organizers say the Monon16 neighborhood "ought to be." The Harrison Center for the Arts is collaborating with 100 local theater actors, artists and designers to turn vacant lots, buildings, and existing businesses into "one massive stage" with temporary facades, semi-permanent installations and experiences to showcase the potential future of the area. In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Harrison Center Executive Director Joanna Taft described the event’s possible impact.
She said "PreEnactIndy allows us to use arts and culture to tell the story of this urban neighborhood and plant the seed to imagine, together, what the neighborhood could be. Revitalizing neighborhoods in an inclusive way creates healthier, more vibrant communities which benefit cities as a whole and we hope this event helps spur creative neighborhood development across the country."
Planned components of the event include:
- Beckwith Commons & Treehouse Stage
- 30th Anniversary Celebration
- Brother Nature Market
- Art Wall Bike Station
- Welcome Center & Hip Hoperetta Tour Station
- Club Monon
- Dunbar Library & History Center
- The DREAM Cultural Community Center
- Monon Barbershop
- Shoe Shines & Stories
- East Side Variety
- Middle of the Road Café
The neighborhood’s unemployment rate currently stands at 19 percent. It is undergoing some long-term revitalization efforts, most notably a $20 million housing development that will include 60 new, single-family homes. The Monon16 project is set to be complete in 2020.
You can connect to more about PreEnactIndy by clicking here.