Musicians and artists gathered at The Garfield Park Arts Center’s annual Art & Music Festival (GPAMF) for a day of community and creativity.
First introduced in 2017, GPAMF showcases local artists and musicians around Indianapolis “in a diverse, inclusive and equitable way, by highlighting and uplifting artists and musicians who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color [BIPOC] or often underrepresented.”
Presented by Citizens Energy Group, over 50 local artists were involved in the event, hosting booths to showcase various mediums for sale.
Originating from Greenwood, Ind., local artist Alyssa Overton worked a booth at the festival, selling original mixed media artwork that features recycled products like old paper, shells and plastic bags.
Overton sells all originals at her booth, making online sales harder. According to Overton, original artworks “just don’t come across online.” With an event like the GPAMF, artists like Overton are able to display their original artwork to a vast audience.
“As an artist, it’s pretty make or break to have events like this, especially ones that have foot traffic,” said Overton.
For Overton, in-person events like the GPAFM are not just about making sales, it also brings her closer to the community.
“It’s a great way of meeting other artists,” said Overton. “Sometimes it can be a little bit solitary to be an artist, so I love markets and this type of event.”
Other local artist Candice Hartsough, who sells illustration prints under the name Cordial Kitten, feels similarly to Overton about having Indianapolis-based events for artists.
“It’s pretty great, I can kind of make art on my own terms,” said Hartsough. “It’s nice to connect with people in the community and to see how my art can affect people in person.”
In addition to artists, the festival hosted an array of musicians on two stages. Bands such as Sweet Poison Victim, Blue Moon Revue, Clave Caribe, Davey and the Midnights, Mike the $eventh and Chauncie took to the MacAllister Amphitheater Stage. Along with the bands, solo artists Abby Lauren, ivi, Andrew Brozek, Marcus Lavender and Jaden Grave performed on the Arts Center Stage.
The variety of genres attracted a wide range of guests. Brozek showcased bluegrass, folk style music, while Mike the $eventh presented original rap songs. Another band, Chauncie, focused on an alt-rock-pop sound, performing both original songs and a Paramore cover.
GPAMF is hosted by Indy Parks, Friends of Garfield Park and community volunteers. Tony Carlino, a member of the Indiana Photographic Society spent the day at the festival shooting pictures. The club meets weekly at Garfield Park Arts Center, bringing together amateur photographers and enthusiasts alike.
“It’s very important to have this community around this,” said Carlino. “I grew up in this park, and we didn’t do this back then, and I wish we had.”
