Indy Mural Fest will bring together 50 artists in Indianapolis. But it needs your help.

It’s not a stretch to call 2019 the “year of murals” in Indianapolis, and at least one more highlight is in the works.

About 50 artists will paint walls Oct. 26-27 as part of Indy Mural Fest, a new event seeking donations to pay its participants and cover supply costs.

Indy Mural Fest founder Nick Smith said he envisioned the event long before California artist Jules Muck painted dozens of high-profile murals in the city this summer. Although Indy Mural Fest isn’t a direct reaction to "Muck mania," Smith said Muck's work on restaurants, record stores and residential spaces influenced the festival’s timing.

“We think the community is ready,” Smith said. “I think they want art in the city. Hopefully, they can put their money where their heart is.”

Two weeks before the event, Indy Mural Fest is less than 20% toward reaching its goal of $10,000 to distribute among participating artists.

Smith and fellow organizers Jordan Thomas and Levi Jamison hope to reimburse artists for supplies used during the event and offer payment for their work. Donations are being accepted at indymuralfest.com and on Facebook.

“The money is going to the artists,” said Thomas, founder of arts resource website Indy Art Scene. “We’re hoping people will catch on to that vision.”

Indy Mural Fest is the latest example of street art on the rise locally.

In addition to Muck's summer residency:

• Jiffy Lube of Indiana partnered with the Arts Council of Indianapolis to commission 14 murals at area oil-change stores.
• English artist Nick Walker painted a 140-foot mural on the side of CityWay Tower, 237 S. Delaware St.
• Fifteen Indianapolis artists created a "gallery" of murals on the side of Rabble Coffee, 2119 E. 10th St.

Smith said he appreciated Muck's example of do-it-yourself entrepreneurship.

"As long as it’s not a historical building and as long as it’s not raw brick, it’s really just the artist and the business owner who can make it happen," Smith said. "Her coming through highlighted that you can work person-to-person and get a lot of stuff done."

A post-Muck mural scene

Muck's visit brought more than its share of controversy, from Indianapolis artists who were critical of local businesses hiring an out-of-town artist to basketball icon Larry Bird being miffed about his likeness covered in tattoos.

And the new murals at Rabble were painted after store owner Josie Hunckler deleted a commissioned Muck image. Hunckler ditched a portrait of singer Nina Simone after learning of racism accusations related to a 2018 Muck mural in New Orleans.

Indy Mural Fest organizer Thomas said the festival can serve as a contrast to the commotion associated with Muck's visit.

"That whole conversation — and the divisiveness of it — is the catalyst for wanting to do something that’s unifying," she said.

Indy Mural Fest includes a free public celebration Oct. 26 in a parking lot, 1400 Madison Ave., adjacent to two buildings where murals will be painted. All ages are welcome at the 2 to 6 p.m. event featuring a DJ, food trucks and art activities.

Finding friendly walls

American Tent & Awning and Koch's Electric, the two buildings next to the Madison Avenue parking lot, are companies known for making walls available to graffiti artists.

The artists of Subsurface, an Indianapolis graffiti festival held from 2002 to 2015, frequently painted letter forms on the expansive exteriors of American Tent & Awning, 205 E. Palmer St., and Koch's, 202 E. Palmer St.

Terry Simpson, an 89-year-old who recently retired as owner of American Tent & Awning, said his building initially was the target of rival gangs tagging walls to claim territory.

While he viewed that graffiti as a nuisance, Simpson said he grew to appreciate the creativity of artists who asked for permission to paint. Graffiti at ATA and Koch's now attracts people who desire colorful backdrops for wedding photos and senior pictures. 

The Indy Mural Fest team plans to paint a neutral base on the walls in preparation for the festival. Each artist will have a 15-by-15-foot space to create.

Festival artists will paint at four additional sites: Campbell Ventilation, 1544 Kennington St.; Metafab, 1530 Kennington St.; Indy Junk-A-Car, 229 Shelby St.; and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, 1029 Fletcher Ave.

The roster of Indy Mural Fest participants includes three artists who painted Jiffy Lube murals: Blend Creative Minds, Carl Leck and Shamira Wilson.

The roots of Indy Mural Fest

Festival founder Smith, who studied at Herron School of Art & Design, first encountered tagging while growing up in New Palestine.

"I’d see graffiti on the train lines," he said. "I’d wait for the school bus to arrive and see the trains pass, thinking, ‘Man, that’s pretty crazy.’ Then I’d see the same names over and over. I did some research to see maybe where these graffiti artists lived. I found out some actually were from Indianapolis, which was cool and also made sense because the trains would be leaving the city."

Smith describes his own murals of abstract geometric shapes as a "collision of design and graffiti" influences. He completed his largest mural, a 135-by-23 work at 1027 E. Georgia St., this summer.

Thomas met Smith when she featured his work on the Indy Art Scene Instagram profile.

Formerly a staff member at Big Car Collective, Thomas said she's interested in connecting fans of murals — business owners as well as residents — with artists who can supply that service. 

"I really think the local art culture of a city is the soul of a city," Thomas said. "When that is organically and authentically growing and active, you can tell."

Indy Mural Fest

>> WHEN: 2 to 6 p.m. Oct. 26.

>> WHERE: 1400 Madison Ave.

>> ADMISSION: Free.

>> INFO: Visit indymuralfest.com, or send email to indymuralfest@gmail.com.

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Call IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at 317-444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.