March FIRST FRIDAY with the Circle City Industrial Complex Artists

Virtual First Friday will take place on the “Circle City Industrial Complex Artists” Facebook page (@ccicartists) and mirrored on the Circle City Industrial Complex’s main Facebook page (@circlecityind) as part of the March First Friday art tour, on Friday, February 5th, 6-9pm. There will be no indoor, in-person First Friday for March.

The CCIC is open during regular business hours, the Schwitzer Gallery has hosted new work each month. For March Madness, the gallery space will showcase the work of Nicholas Conlon, a multi-disciplinary artist from Chicago. His show, “Broken Rims and Dirty Dreams,” focuses on basketball as an art form.

“This game, its equity and skill, depend on how hard you can go, how long you can go, and with how much heart,” Conlon said. “It’s sometimes called ‘poetry in motion,’ because of how beautiful the sport is, the colors, the players, the movements, the arenas. This show is about the equipment used in basketball—and by used I mean, overused, worn out, ripped apart, broken, torn down, shattered, recycled, and repurposed. I’m talking about rims that have been beat up and dunked on, shot on over 100,000 times. Gym shoes and kneepads. Rims that are barely hanging on and backboards with no rim there, just left for dead. Or maybe worse: Left alone, lonely for years.”

Conlon will have a presentation during the Virtual First Friday programming as well.

The Indy Winter Farmers Market will continue to open during its Saturday hours, under its own guidelines, and several artists and galleries will remain open for their regular ‘retail’ hours, usually on weekends, and posted on their own websites and social media. Some studios will also be open by appointment.

As artists are “small businesses,” support, either online, during posted hours, or by appointment, is greatly appreciated during the pandemic. Many of our artists solely support themselves with their art or depend on art to help make their ends meet. The cancellation of so many First Fridays during the pandemic has been especially tough on artists, as that night means vital human interaction as well as financial support each month. The artists and all of the businesses within the CCIC recognize the need to be safe, and to do what it takes to get this virus suppressed and gone as soon as possible.

Masks are required at the CCIC during any visit, and hand sanitizing stations are installed throughout the building. Visitors are asked to maintain social distance no matter which business within the CCIC they may be visiting.

The list of participating artists is not finalized yet for Virtual First Friday, but artists will present photo stories, demos, and videos, in hopes of maintaining contact with their friends, fans, and patrons.

The Circle City Industrial Complex has become a destination for art appreciators and supporters of local work, with the total number of artists working within the CCIC at around 90. Just northeast of the Mass Ave. Art and Theatre Cultural District, at 1125 Brookside Ave., the CCIC Artists First Friday programming is a must-see stop, while events and viewable hours continue throughout the month.

The Main Entrance of the building (identified by its black marble façade) provides easy access to both the South Studios and the North Studios (with a wheelchair accessible ramp and elevator). Maps of the building are also available in several locations to help visitors find all that the building has to offer.

For more listings and event updates please visit https://ccicindyartists.wordpress.com, or the CCIC Artists Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ccicartists

About the Circle City Industrial Complex Artists

The Circle City Industrial Complex (CCIC) is a nearly half-million square foot industrial building, located at 1125 Brookside Ave., and was formerly home to the Schwitzer automotive company. Its industrial appeal remains and artists and artisans have made the space their home, carving cozy studio, work, and show spaces from the concrete and steel structure, and the CCIC Artists have grown in number to over 50 galleries, individual artists and artisans. The main artist entries are the North Studios entrance and the South Studios entrance, each marked with signage along Brookside Avenue. The CCIC provides free parking in a large lot, and is accessible by the Pogue’s Run Trail, connecting to the Monon Trail and the downtown Cultural Trail system. The complex also offers other art-supporting destinations such as the Centerpoint Brewery, Lick Ice Cream, and Eighth Day Distillery and The Fowling Warehouse.

For more information on the building, please visit: http://circlecityind.com
For more information on the artists please visit: https://ccicindyartists.wordpress.com/