At Spirit & Place, the true measure of our work is the impact it has on individuals, organizations, and communities. Our programs—ranging from the Spirit & Place Festival to Big Tent Talks and other participatory civic events—create spaces where people reflect, connect, and explore ideas through arts, humanities, and religion.
“This event allowed us to take a risk and try out a different format . . . I think that it allowed for our participants to feel comfortable to have a real conversation about topics that are generally unspoken.”
“The hip hop community does not have a lot of places in Indiana where our voices [are] heard and uplifted. This event provided the opportunity for that to take place as well as to be heard by an audience we most likely don’t touch regularly.”
“. . The point here is that in many cases S&P brings needed credibility to those not having the gravitas to always be offered a seat at the table! Thank you, Spirit & Place!!!”
“This is an important partnership for us that has pushed us out into the community and has even inspired other campus events.”
“[This event allowed me to] speak to others of a different faith belief … to understand where they are coming from without judgement or prejudice. I had assumptions about [this] faith that were misplaced and were challenged in a healthy way at this event.”
“It reminded me that we have the power to change the world around us.”
“This was one of the best S&P events I’ve ever attended. It made me think about what I do every day that impacts my community.”
These stories highlight how Spirit & Place nurtures connection, creativity, and civic engagement, providing platforms for reflection, dialogue, and meaningful collaboration. By creating spaces where diverse voices are valued and heard, Spirit & Place empowers individuals and partners alike to explore new ideas, take creative risks, and strengthen the fabric of their communities.
From the Immigrant Welcome Center, a 2020 Festival Partner …
“We have been wanting to do more public events where Natural Helpers can display their countries of origin and culture to highlight the incredible diversity in Indianapolis. Piloting this with Spirit & Place has helped us get a feel for what it would entail to offer it again. We want to host a similar workshop monthly now! Thank you!” – Immigrant Welcome Center, 2020 Festival Partner
From Patchwork Indy, a 2020 Festival Partner …
“Spirit & Place allowed us to launch what we hope to be an ongoing program [Beautiful Paradox in 2020] and conversation around intersectional identities! The theme of our program is to create space for exploration of what it feels like to navigate different parts of our identity, including the cultural and spiritual components amongst others. We wanted to start the conversation with a fun, engaging, and highly collaborative event that could catapult us into more deep, reflective, and action-oriented events. Spirit & Place allowed us to do just that, and we have already received really excited and positive feedback from our creative collaborators expressing interest in planning future programs!!!”
“I’m on reconciliation team with members of my church . . . and will be thinking about how to incorporate these ideas into our work.”
“THANK YOU for this great service to our community. We need you now more than ever.”
Spirit & Place
Indiana University – Indianapolis
425 University Blvd., CA 003B
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-274-2462
festival@iu.edu
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