Arts Council launches $10M restart fund for local arts not-for-profits
The Indy Arts & Culture Restart & Resilience Fund, underwritten by Lilly Endowment Inc., will provide eligible entities with one-time grants ranging from $5,000 to $500,000.
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Furloughed ISO musicians say contract negotiations with orchestra officials are nonexistent
Musicians from the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra say negotiations with the organization’s management are nonexistent as the current contract is set to expire in less than two months and another round of furloughs has begun.
Noblesville venue part of Live Nation’s new drive-in concert series
Tour promoter Live Nation has announced its first-ever drive-in concerts series, at three different venues in the United States in July, months after the live music industry went on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
AMC Theaters reverses course on masks after backlash
The nation’s largest movie theater chain changed its position on mask-wearing less than a day after the company became a target on social media for saying it would defer to local governments on the issue.
City’s last traditional costume shop closes permanently after 50 years in business
Costumes by Margie, which opened in 1970, almost changed ownership last month, but the pandemic ruined those plans
Care-free days at theme parks giving way to virus safeguards
From Walt Disney World in Florida to Holiday World in Indiana, amusement parks are taking all kinds of steps to reassure the public and government leaders that they’re safe to visit amid the coronavirus crisis.
Movie theaters, closed for months, preparing for July reopenings
After three months of near total blackout of cinemas nationwide, movie theaters are preparing to reopen—even if it means only a few titles on the marquee and showings limited to as little as 25% capacity.
With boards covering windows, downtown businesses embrace artwork
Several business owners in the city’s central business district and others along Massachusetts Avenue have enlisted staff members and local artists to paint murals and messages on the plywood covering the facades of riot-damaged buildings.
Proposed Carmel film and music festival could lose city backing
The Carmel City Council might force organizers of a proposed film and music festival to find funding elsewhere if they insist on holding it in May 2021.
Theater chain AMC casts doubt on its ability to survive
AMC, the biggest movie theater chain in the U.S. and Europe, is seeking to tame its debt load by asking subordinated bondholders to accept cuts of about 50% from full face value on existing debt.
Downtown July 4 Freedom Fest, fireworks display called off
Organizers said public health concerns and financial resources were the main factors in canceling the 50-year-old event.
Footlite Musicals launches $30K campaign to maintain theater while stage is dark
The all-volunteer group says it needs $30,000 to cover expenses before it’s back up and running in September, when it will stage the ABBA jukebox musical “Mamma Mia!”
Gaming Commission set to vote on Terre Haute casino license
After delays, the Indiana Gaming Commission is poised to consider awarding a casino license to a subsidiary of Spectacle Entertainment, now that two former executives of Centaur Gaming have divested their interests in the project.
Pandemic wreaks havoc on massive wedding industry
The onslaught of COVID-19 cases in Indiana, just as wedding season was getting underway, has forced thousands of couples to make quick and often heart-wrenching decisions about how to proceed.
Conventions rush to reschedule, make most of 2020 events
The local tourism industry is bracing for a “very tough” end to 2020, despite efforts to reopen the state by July 4.
Laura Holzman: Arts play an essential role in challenging times
It’s no surprise that those of us who see the arts as a core part of our identity are finding ways to connect with creative expression even when we can’t gather in theaters, in the studio, on the street or in the gallery. We stream performances, collaborate remotely or document life at home.
Chicago-area businessman acquires Indiana Beach
By purchasing the 94-year-old attraction, Gene Staples said he is “preventing the loss of another one of America’s icons.”
Black Expo calls off in-person Summer Celebration, Circle City Classic events
Organizers say they are planning to provide some events digitally. Officials said they are particularly concerned about the disproportionate effect the coronavirus is having on African Americans.
Downtown hotel occupancy fell 91% as health crisis escalated
The entire market saw a 68% drop in occupancy from the week of March 1-7 to the week of March 29-April 4, according to data from Tennessee-based hotel research firm STR.
CIB, Visit Indy reducing executive pay to cope with pandemic losses
The Capital Improvement Board of Marion County and Visit Indy said they are implementing several cost-cutting maneuvers ahead of expected drops in tax revenue over the next several months.