Factory Arts District — Attraction in Indianapolis

Huge place! Came here on a first Friday. As a fellow hobbyist artist, I did not know what to expect. It was my first time here, so I was kind of aimlessly wandering around for the first 20 - 30 minutes. I was a bit early so I could get preferred parking. So, there weren't many people there when I arrived.

I must admit, I was a bit confused when I entered through the doors at Gallery 9. It was a bit strange, and people were kind of getting their art galleries set up. I wondered around and looked at some of the artworks on the hallways.

I finally stumbled upon Glass Art Indiana. They had a cool showing of somebody blowing glass. I was finally getting more comfortable. I built up the nerves to explore more, and to my surprise, I discovered a large gallery of many different artists. It was neat.

I got to hear a school of Harpist. Got to enjoy an array of different artworks (I heard think there were 60 of them). I got to enjoy an art showing that had AI art. My favorite that I saw was Susan Semenick's water color art (her architecture pieces), Chuck Horseman's cool historical figures painted as punk rockers, Glen Fuller's lighting and furniture designs, and Roberta Avidor.

They weren't there this First Friday, but I was really hoping to see Ken Avidor's sketches and Lad Art.

Cool pieces I saw while walking around were Kurt Kriese's "My God, my go's, why thoust has forsaken me", Mike Altman's "You have played with someone like this", Orlando Palaez's "Pueblo de Taos", and Dee Schaad's "Claud Monet with Water Lillies".

My only recommendation is to be willing to explore, be willing to be open minded, be willing to talk to strangers. Despite the rain, I had a great time, I enjoyed the people, the scene, the atmosphere, the live music, and the artist community commradarie. I will be...

Such a unique gem for Indianapolis. Rare to see such a large, historic warehouse converted into 200+ art studios with bars, shops, and soon to be restaurants in the same facility. The best place to be each month for First Friday Art Show. It’s creative, authentic places like this one that makes me feel like I am no longer in Indiana. It was only a couple weeks ago that a TV sports commentator slipped during a Pacers finals game and called us a “flyover state”. Yes, that is who we have been known for years, but it’s places like the Factory Arts District that provide something unique for visiting out of state guests that they may have not seen before in other cities.

Now, for all the negative reviews on this establishment, the arrogance that came through their reviews like they’re entitled to a specific experience and if it doesn’t happen then it warrants a negative review, such as….. too difficult to navigate; easily get lost; kinda creepy; too cold. Yes, it’s big and can feel like a maze for the 1st time especially when you don’t pay attention to the the buildings designated maps, but so can Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Lucas Oil Stadium, or even the Children’s Museum. These complainers are the kind of people that get excited to hang out at places that earned our state’s reputation as a fly over state; being boring and forgettable. More specifically, the “kinda creepy” reviewer prefers hanging out at our local city playgrounds based on her reviews. I’ll take the Factory Arts District for its dedication over the years in helping break Indiana out of the stereotypical,...

This place was such a vibe. I visited First Fridays for the first time on 4.1. Everyone I ran into was so friendly and helpful (I was lost for about 15 minutes). I’m a big fan of the arts, so if you are too, please check out Lot/Area C. There are a couple places to eat and food trucks as well (Pronto Taco food truck review coming soon). There are a lot of places to park (it looks packed, but spaces are available). Don’t forget to check out Fowling (review coming soon). I would definitely recommend attending First Fridays and I...