Spirit & Place, IU Indianapolis

FACING GRIEF: Nourishing Ourselves and Others Through Loss
2023-11-03 13:30 - 15:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Phoenix Theater Cultural Center, 705 N. Illinois Street, Indianapolis, IN, United States
The Nov. 5 performance at 4pm will have live captioning to a screen.
The Nov. 7 performance at 7pm will has ASL interpretation.
All other accommodation requests should be made by Oct. 20.
Many of us don’t know what to say or do when a loved one experiences profound grief. Through live theatrical enactments of various scenarios, audiences are invited to practice reacting to loss and supporting those they love.
Our brains are wired for survival, not loss, creating significant challenges in the aftermath of profound grief. FACING GRIEF, a presentation of The Sapphire Theatre’s award-winning PICTURE THIS® applied theatre programming, engages improvisational actors to act out brief scenarios. Staying in character, they “break the fourth wall” for an interactive talk back with the audience at the crisis point of each scene. Society and the community can do better for those who are hurting. Theatre can help show the way by allowing participants to practice how to have hard conversations, hold space, and listen. Musicians, interfaith ministers, educators, counselors and other subject matter experts will help facilitate this event.
FACING GRIEF will also be performed twice on November 5 at Unity Indianapolis. The 11:30am performance will follow a specially-themed worship service (10am) that all are welcome to attend! A second performance is scheduled for 4pm. FACING GRIEF will be performed a final time on Nov. 7 at the Phoenix Theatre. If interested in these other performances, please return to the event calendar and register for those dates/times.
Questions? Contact 317-966-7529 or andrea@sapphiretheatre.com
Event Partners: Sapphire Theatre Co.; Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center; Unity of Indianapolis; Jon Swanson, PhD.; Deandra Dycus; and Congregation Beth-El Zedeck.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 3, but walk-ins are welcome as space permits. Registration link forthcoming.
Audience Note: This program is focused on people who are seeking to better support loved ones experiencing profound bereavement. However, those currently grieving are welcome to attend – care is being shown to create an emotionally safe space. Additionally, the November 3 gather will include a post-event reception.

Spirit-Filled Songs: Christian Worship Music Then & Now
2023-11-04 12:00 - 13:30 | New Joy Lutheran Church, 316 W. 156th St., Westfield, IN, 46074, United States
ASL Interpreted.
Experience a participatory concert of Christian music spanning decades and genres ranging from traditional hymns to South African songs performed by the multi-racial Faithful Friends Band.
Members of the Faithful Friends Band met during a gathering of the Indianapolis Great Banquet – a multi-racial weekend rooted in Christian faith and music. These talented performers invite you to listen and sing along to a selection of praise music ranging from gospel and traditional music to contemporary Christian and South African hymns. Attendees will also learn about the history of the songs – all of which were chosen on how they nourish the spirit – as well as their composers. Explore and experience how music nourishes the human spirit while forming community with others through song!
Questions? Contact 317-691-9670 or rvertner@yahoo.com.
Event Partners: A partnership between churches and congregants of Walk in the Light Christian Church, Traders Point Christian Church, Alive in the Word, Glory to God Christian Church, Little Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, and New Joy Lutheran Church, with support from the Indianapolis Great Banquet.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 2. Walk-ins welcome! Registration link forthcoming.

Image Credit: Faithful Friends Band

FACING GRIEF: Nourishing Ourselves and Others Through Loss
2023-11-05 06:30 - 08:00 | Unity Indianapolis Church, 907 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
The Nov. 5 performance at 4pm will have live captioning to a screen.
The Nov. 7 performance at 7pm will has ASL interpretation.
All other accommodation requests should be made by Oct. 20.
Many of us don’t know what to say or do when a loved one experiences profound grief. Through live theatrical enactments of various scenarios, audiences are invited to practice reacting to loss and supporting those they love.
Our brains are wired for survival, not loss, creating significant challenges in the aftermath of profound grief. FACING GRIEF, a presentation of The Sapphire Theatre’s award-winning PICTURE THIS® applied theatre programming, engages improvisational actors to act out brief scenarios. Staying in character, they “break the fourth wall” for an interactive talk back with the audience at the crisis point of each scene. Society and the community can do better for those who are hurting. Theatre can help show the way by allowing participants to practice how to have hard conversations, hold space, and listen. Musicians, interfaith ministers, educators, counselors and other subject matter experts will help facilitate this event.
FACING GRIEF will also be performed twice on November 5 at Unity Indianapolis. The 11:30am performance will follow a specially-themed worship service (10am) that all are welcome to attend! A second performance is scheduled for 4pm. FACING GRIEF is also being performed on on November 3 and 7 at the Phoenix Theatre. If interested in these other performances, please return to the event calendar and register for those dates/times.
Questions? Contact 317-966-7529 or andrea@sapphiretheatre.com
Event Partners: Sapphire Theatre Co.; Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center; Unity of Indianapolis; Jon Swanson, PhD.; Deandra Dycus; and Congregation Beth-El Zedeck.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 5, but walk-ins are welcome as space permits. Registration link forthcoming.
Audience Note: This program is focused on people who are seeking to better support loved ones experiencing profound bereavement. However, those currently grieving are welcome to attend – care is being shown to create an emotionally safe space.

FACING GRIEF: Nourishing Ourselves and Others Through Loss
2023-11-05 11:00 - 12:30 | Unity Indianapolis Church, 907 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
The Nov. 5 performance at 4pm will have live captioning to a screen.
The Nov. 7 performance at 7pm will has ASL interpretation.
All other accommodation requests should be made by Oct. 20.
Many of us don’t know what to say or do when a loved one experiences profound grief. Through live theatrical enactments of various scenarios, audiences are invited to practice reacting to loss and supporting those they love.
Our brains are wired for survival, not loss, creating significant challenges in the aftermath of profound grief. FACING GRIEF, a presentation of The Sapphire Theatre’s award-winning PICTURE THIS® applied theatre programming, engages improvisational actors to act out brief scenarios. Staying in character, they “break the fourth wall” for an interactive talk back with the audience at the crisis point of each scene. Society and the community can do better for those who are hurting. Theatre can help show the way by allowing participants to practice how to have hard conversations, hold space, and listen. Musicians, interfaith ministers, educators, counselors and other subject matter experts will help facilitate this event.
FACING GRIEF will also be performed twice on November 5 at Unity Indianapolis. The 11:30am performance will follow a specially-themed worship service (10am) that all are welcome to attend! A second performance is scheduled for 4pm. FACING GRIEF is also being performed on on November 3 and 7 at the Phoenix Theatre. If interested in these other performances, please return to the event calendar and register for those dates/times.
Questions? Contact 317-966-7529 or andrea@sapphiretheatre.com
Event Partners: Sapphire Theatre Co.; Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center; Unity of Indianapolis; Jon Swanson, PhD.; Deandra Dycus; and Congregation Beth-El Zedeck.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 5, but walk-ins are welcome as space permits. Registration link forthcoming
Audience Note: This program is focused on people who are seeking to better support loved ones experiencing profound bereavement. However, those currently grieving are welcome to attend – care is being shown to create an emotionally safe space.

Water into Wine, Bread into Cake: A Musical Feast. Music by Biber and Mozart
2023-11-05 12:00 - 14:00 | Episcopal Church of All Saints, 1559 Central Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
Through classical music, Colette Abel and The Abel Family Quartet share the story of two miracle children: Jesus and Mozart. Come to a musical smorgasbord sure to nourish your soul!
The concert will begin with Heinrich Biber’s Passacaglia for the Feast of the Guardian Angel followed by the Five Joyful Mystery Sonatas. Biber’s Mystery Sonatas are a musical depiction of Jesus’ life that follow the mysteries of the rosary. This important work also illustrates how the traditions of the Austrian baroque period nourished the musical evolution of the Viennese Classical style of which Mozart – something of a miraculous child, himself – is famed. The second half of the concert will, therefore, feature Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante Sextet. Experience and celebrate the Joyful Mysteries & the miracle of Mozart!
Questions? Contact 317-635-2538 or admin@allsaintsindy.org.
Event Partners: A partnership between musician Colette Abel, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and Episcopal Church of All Saints.
Audience Notes: Want to check out the concert program? Click here. You can also learn more about the talented musicians who will be performing by clicking here.
Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 5. Walk-ins welcome, if seating exists.

Image Courtesy of Colette Abel

FACING GRIEF: Nourishing Ourselves and Others Through Loss
2023-11-07 14:00 - 15:30 | Phoenix Theater Cultural Center, 705 N. Illinois Street, Indianapolis, IN, United States
The Nov. 5 performance at 4pm will have live captioning to a screen.
The Nov. 7 performance at 7pm will has ASL interpretation.
All other accommodation requests should be made by Oct. 20.
Many of us don’t know what to say or do when a loved one experiences profound grief. Through live theatrical enactments and original music, audiences are invited to practice reacting to loss and supporting those they love.
Our brains are wired for survival, not loss, creating significant challenges in the aftermath of profound grief. FACING GRIEF, a presentation of The Sapphire Theatre’s award-winning PICTURE THIS® applied theatre programming, engages improvisational actors to act out brief scenarios. Staying in character, they “break the fourth wall” for an interactive talk back with the audience at the crisis point of each scene. Society and the community can do better for those who are hurting. Theatre can help show the way by allowing participants to practice how to have hard conversations, hold space, and listen. Musicians, interfaith ministers, educators, counselors and other subject matter experts will help facilitate this event.
FACING GRIEF will also be performed twice on November 5 at Unity Indianapolis. The 11:30am performance will follow a specially-themed worship service (10am) that all are welcome to attend! A second performance is scheduled for 4pm. FACING GRIEF is also being performed on on November 3 at the Phoenix Theatre. If interested in these other performances, please return to the event calendar and register for those dates/times.
Questions? Contact 317-966-7529 or andrea@sapphiretheatre.com
Event Partners: Sapphire Theatre Co.; Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center; Unity of Indianapolis; Jon Swanson, PhD.; Deandra Dycus; and Congregation Beth-El Zedeck.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 5, but walk-ins are welcome as space permits. Registration link forthcoming.
Audience Note: This program is focused on people who are seeking to better support loved ones experiencing profound bereavement. However, those currently grieving are welcome to attend – care is being shown to create an emotionally safe space.

Nourishing Words: Feeding the Whole with Poetry and Prose
2023-11-09 13:30 - 15:00 | The Church Within, 1125 Spruce St., Indianapolis, IN, 46203
ASL Upon Request.
Experience the poetry and prose of New York Times bestselling author Cole Arthur Riley alongside young, local BIPOC poets and storytellers as they not only consider but deliver the nourishing power of words.
Featuring bestselling author of This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us, Cole Arthur Riley, and other local talent, this event considers and demonstrates both the power of words to nourish us, to feed us, and to empower us to the best, next step in our own lives. In a time when words are used to harm, this event invites you into a deep consideration of the power of words to both nourish us and leave us starved. The speakers gathered will remind those gathered of the power they have at hand with tools no more complex than the words they speak and write.
This gathering will also include an interactive element where performers and attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the creation of an original book at the event. This book will be bound as an original, scanned to be printed in a short run, and presented online.
Questions? Contact 317-683-0829 or thechurchwithin@thechurchwithin.org.
Event Partners: The Church Within, The Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, The Philippine Cultural Community Center, and The Kneeland Center for Poetry, Inc. with support from Ujamaa Community Bookstore.
Event Registration: Registration requested by November 5. Walk-ins welcome until capacity is reached.

How to Eat with Tuning Forks
2023-11-11 07:00 - 09:00 | Garfield Park Arts Center – Main Gallery, 2432 Conservatory Dr., Indianapolis, IN, United States
Collectively create a soundscape by eating lunch in front of microphones, banging on kitchen percussion, and talking about the foods that nourish you.
Here’s the deal: Bring your own lunch to the Garfield Park Arts Center, but make sure it’s a meal that balances both your need for nourishment and convenience. You’ll then be invited to chew, crunch, munch, gobble – you know, eat! – in front of microphones while also considering what it is about this meal that nourishes you (however you define “nourish!”) and meets your need for convenience. A live musician playing ambient chords along with some “kitchen percussion” will play in the background with the sounds of eating, story sharing, and music blending together into a recorded soundscape.
Questions? Contact 317-345-0176 or clockworkmakesmusic@gmail.com.
Event Partners: Clockwork Music, Arts with a Purpose, and Garfield Park Arts Center.
Audience Note: If you are not comfortable being in front of a microphone helping to make improvisational music, tables and chairs will be set to the side … but we really encourage you to make some totally unique art with us! While this can be a come-and-go style event, here’s what will be going on when:
12 – Doors open
12:15 – Introduction, tutorial on reading a graphic score
12: 20- Write your own Lunch Story, talking with a neighbor is encouraged
12:30(ish) – Lunch is self-served (bring your own!). Eat and create this soundscape together.
1:30 – Mingling
2:00 – Doors close
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 11. Walk-ins welcome.

Image/Logo Credit: Ankh Productions

Spirit & Place Presents: My Black Country, An Evening of Story and Song with Alice Randall & Leyla McCalla
2024-10-18 15:00 - 16:30 | Madam Walker Legacy Center, 617 Indiana Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
Alice Randall is a New York Times best-selling novelist, award-winning songwriter, educator, and food activist. Her new memoir, My Black Country, celebrates the power of Black influences on country music. Joining Randall with a performance is multilingual singer/songwriter Leyla McCalla, founding member of Our Native Daughters and alum of the Grammy-winning The Carolina Chocolate Drops.
Registration strongly encouraged. Use the button below.

Balsa Wood, a play by Lou Harry
2024-11-02 11:00 - 13:00, 2024-11-02 15:00 - 17:00 | Super Tortas, 2641 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, 46222, United States
On the road away from rather than toward anything, Robin finds refuge in the home of Carrie, an iconoclast with an open heart and an open door, who provides a place—without judgment—for human strays. An audience-inclusive discussion about unspoken gratitude will follow the performance.
Intimately staged for a limited number of audience members at each performance, Balsa Wood centers on characters struggling with their pasts and finding connection with those who, on the surface, are different from themselves. Yes, it has intense moments, but it also has humor and provides a chance to see through the surfaces of those who seem unfamiliar.
In a post-performance discussion, audience members are invited to become part of an open discussion about unspoken gratitude and people they’ve known or witnessed who have done something for others without expectation or acknowledgement.
Dates & Times: Saturday, Nov. 2 at 3PM & 7PM and Sunday, Nov. 3 at 3PM.
Questions?: Contact 317-990-1698 or caitlin@indyconvergence.org.
Event Organizers: A play by Lou Harry produced by Indy Convergence.
Registration: Limited seating. Tickets $15 in advance/$20 at the door. Use the blue button below to register.

The Cultural Construction of Gratitude
2024-11-03 08:30 - 10:00 | Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, 600 W. 70th Street, Indianapolis, 46260, United States
While the act of gratitude is universal, its expression is based on cultural norms. Our event invites you to learn about and explore how different cultures express gratitude through interactive vignettes and meaningful conversation.
“Gratitude” seems simple enough, but when you layer in different cultural interpretations, it becomes far more nuanced than one might expect. A politeness learned from an early age in one cultural setting may be seen as rudeness in another. In three short vignettes, audience members will experience scenes from different cultures illustrating various ways gratitude may be expressed. At one point the scene will freeze and a narrator will invite the audience into the scene, first by asking what they saw then by engaging the various actors (who will remain in character) in dialogue. The audience will have an opportunity to experience how different communities view gratitude and its expression while building their own cultural competencies.
Questions?: Contact 317-531-6299 or gkelley@bez613.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, IU Indianapolis Department of World Languages and Cultures, and Alley Theatre Company.
Registration: Walk-in guests are welcome, but registration is encouraged. Use the blue button below.

Balsa Wood, a play by Lou Harry
2024-11-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Super Tortas, 2641 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis, 46222, United States
On the road away from rather than toward anything, Robin finds refuge in the home of Carrie, an iconoclast with an open heart and an open door, who provides a place—without judgment—for human strays. An audience-inclusive discussion about unspoken gratitude will follow the performance.
Intimately staged for a limited number of audience members at each performance, Balsa Wood centers on characters struggling with their pasts and finding connection with those who, on the surface, are different from themselves. Yes, it has intense moments, but it also has humor and provides a chance to see through the surfaces of those who seem unfamiliar.
In a post-performance discussion, audience members are invited to become part of an open discussion about unspoken gratitude and people they’ve known or witnessed who have done something for others without expectation or acknowledgement.
Dates & Times: Saturday, Nov. 2 at 3PM & 7PM and Sunday, Nov. 3 at 3PM.
Questions?: Contact 317-990-1698 or caitlin@indyconvergence.org.
Event Organizers: A play by Lou Harry produced by Indy Convergence.
Tickets/Registration: Limited seating. Tickets $15 in advance & $20 at the door. Use the blue button below to register.

Heiliger Dankgesang: Notes of Gratitude. Music by Biber, Clark, Haydn, and Beethoven
2024-11-03 12:00 - 14:00 | Episcopal Church of All Saints, 1559 Central Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (ICO) musicians Alfred and Colette Abel will be joined by their children Benjamin and Clara for an afternoon of masterworks expressing gratitude through music. Join us in giving thanks for this sacred space, transcendent music, and life’s gifts.
Heiliger Dankgesang: Notes of Thanks is an exploration of gratitude through music by the Abel Family Quartet.
The cornerstone of the program is Beethoven’s String Quartet op. 132, of which the transcendent middle movement, “Holy Hymn of Thanksgiving” stands as the heart of the work. Written in the final years of his life, Beethoven grapples with his own mortality, ultimately finding joy and gratitude for the gifts of life and the return to health after a life-threatening illness. Complimenting this, the program will also include works by Biber, Haydn’s “Emperor” variations, and Richard Auldon Clark’s “Mabon.”
Questions? Contact 317-635-2538 or admin@allsaintsindy.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between musician Colette Abel, Episcopal Church of All Saints, and Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra.
Registration: Registration is encouraged. Use the blue “registration” button below.
About The Artists: Alfred Abel, violin, is Concertmaster of the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Instructor of Violin and Viola at Wabash College, and Conductor of the Wabash College Orchestra. Violinist, Benjamin Abel, is a dynamic chamber musician championing works by living composers and is pursuing a doctorate at The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Clara Abel, cellist, made her New York concerto debut in 2015 and later received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Juilliard studying under Joel Krosnick and Phoebe Carrai. Colette Abel, viola and violin, is a founding member of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra and Principal Violist of the Marion Philharmonic, recently named Orchestra Indiana. She has performed throughout the Midwest and East Coast with Trio Amabile, the Abel Family String Quartet, and Cosmopolitan Chamber Players.

Musicians rehearse before a performance during the Water into Wine, Bread into Cake; a Musical Feast – a part of the Spirt and Place celebrations
at Episcopal Church of All Saints on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. (Photo by Wendi Chitwood/Indiana University)

Attitude of Gratitude: Finding Gratitude in Times of Loss
2024-11-07 13:00 - 14:30 | Indiana Interchurch Center – Krannert Hall, 1100 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis, IN, 46208, United States
ASL provided by students in IUI’s Program in American Sign Language (ASL) and English Interpreting
How do you maintain a sense of gratitude during times of loss? Panelists from diverse faith and belief backgrounds, as well as the Threshold Choir, will share their experiences and invite participants to also share.
Sharing from their sacred texts, music, theology, sacred art, photography, and personal lives, panelists will explore what their faith or belief communities have taught them about finding gratitude during times of loss. Created as a reflective and interactive experience, attendees will be given the opportunity to not only ask the panelists questions, but also reflect on select question prompts and listen to (and sing with!) the Threshold Choir.
Panelists in include Indu Vasudevan, writer and guide at the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana; Rev. Dr. Lynn Martin, chaplain and former pastor at Light of the World Christian Church; and Connor Bomar, Client Experience Coordinator at Balanced Alignment Ayurveda and graduate student at Christian Theological Seminary (CTS). Threshold Choir International has over 200 chapters and thousands of singers in several countries with a repertoire of almost 600 songs. Chapters send trios of singers sharing gentle songs of comfort in a cappella harmonies to homes, hospitals, and hospices.
Questions?: Contact 317-268-5300 or deb@indycic.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Center for Interfaith Cooperation, Indiana Interchurch Center, Threshold Singers of Indianapolis, and Interfaith Alliance for Mental Wellness.
Registration: Registration is encouraged by using the blue button below.

Sacred Steps: Interfaith Understanding through Dance
2024-11-07 13:30 - 15:30 | Franklin College, Old Main – Custer Theater, 101 Branigan Blvd., Franklin, 46131, United States
Join us for an engaging evening of dance, fellowship, and exploration around how different faiths express gratitude through movement. We hope you learn more about others and yourself through this performance-based event and reception.
Before the performance, enjoy a reception with the artists and local community partners where you’ll also be given a chance to reflect on the role gratitude has had in your life and how it might connect to a spiritual or faith tradition. Following the reception period, at least three dance performances will be featured. Each performance will include a brief narrative from the performers exploring how that group’s faith traditions are expressed and celebrated through dance.
Questions?: Contact 317-738-8140 or hadamingram@franklincollege.edu.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Franklin College and Style Dance Academy.
Registration: Registration strongly encourage. Use the blue button below to register.

A Sense Sublime: Poems & Prose of Nature and Spirituality
2025-11-07 19:00 - 20:30 | Lacy Arts Building, 848 Logan St., Noblesville, IN, 46060, United States
VENUE CHANGE:
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the venue for this event has been moved to PRESERVATION HALL which is 5 blocks east of the Lacy Arts Building at 1274 Logan St. (Noblesville)
The photo exhibit complementing this event runs from Nov. 1 – 30.
Surrounded by nature art and photography, listen to dramatic readings from the English Romantics and the American Transcendentalists to Aldo Leopold and Gene Stratton-Porter. Explore with others through small group conversations what these poets and writers have to say about the wonder of nature and connection to the Infinite.
Questions? Contact 317-637-6163 or glory@indy.net.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Glory-June Greiff and Lacy Arts Building.
Registration: Click here to register.

Axolotl: The Regeneration of a Woman’s Heart
2025-11-07 19:00 - 21:00 | MLK Community Center, 40 W. 40th St., Indianapolis, IN, 46205, United States
ASL Interpretation provided by IU Indianapolis’s American Sign Language/English Interpreting Program students
Inspired by nature’s great regenerator—the Axolotl—this evening of original music and spoken word explores trauma, healing, and renewal through the lens of a woman’s heart. Join artist Tamra Rose and authors Eva Williams and Lacey Beatty for an intimate and hope-filled performance that invites us to reflect on nature’s wisdom and our own capacity to heal.
Explore the nature of hope and healing through music, literature, and the axolotl. The axolotl is a salamander that never undergoes the typical metamorphosis into its terrestrial form, remaining water-bound for life. Remarkably, it can regenerate diseased or injured parts of its body—including limbs, brain, and heart. Seen through the lens of womanhood, the axolotl becomes a metaphor for those who have endured trauma yet continue to survive and even flourish—blossoming into the fullness of who they were created to be.
Counseling resources available.
Questions? Contact 317-509-5305 or booktamrarose@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Tamra Rose and My Sister’s Keeper.
Registration: Click here to register.

Plant Parenthood: Music by Plants, for Plants - 3 performance times!
2025-11-09 11:00 - 16:30 | Garfield Park Conservatory, 2505 Conservatory Dr., Indianapolis, 46203, United States
Three performance times! (11AM, 1PM, & 3PM) Registration strongly encouraged.
Enjoy a relaxing, multi-sensory concert at Garfield Park Conservatory featuring original music based on plant growth patterns. Wander the gardens, hear each plant’s story in song, and savor snacks inspired by the flora. A celebration for and with plants!
Step into the lush Garfield Park Conservatory for Plant Parenthood, a free ambient jazz concert inspired by the secret rhythms of nature. Each piece in this original suite is based on real patterns of plant growth, turning data into sound and inviting listeners to hear the hidden stories of plants. Surrounded by greenery, guests can stroll, reflect, or simply relax as music, science, and art intertwine. Tasting treats made from featured plants and taking home a zine with stories and scores, audiences will discover new ways to connect with the living world around them.
Questions? Contact 317-345-0176 or clockworkmakesmusic@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Clockwork Music and Garfield Park Conservatory.
Registration:
11AM Performance – click here to register
1PM Performance – click here to register
3PM Performance – click here to register

Dreamland
2025-11-14 19:00 - 20:30 | The Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan St., Indianapolis, 46204, United States
ASL Interpretation provided by IU Indianapolis’s American Sign Language/English Interpreting Program students
Created by middle and high school students, Dreamland is a theatrical journey through eco-anxiety and the climate crisis. Featuring original music, movement, and projection, this youth-driven performance reflects the urgency of our time and invites audiences to listen, feel, and engage in a post-show dialogue with the cast and Earth Charter Indiana.
React, formerly Young Actors Theater, creates original theatre with youth that REACTS to social issues in the world. Earth Charter Indiana exists to inspire and advance sustainable, just and peaceful living in Indiana. Through education, engagement and advocacy, they support schools, municipalities, and mission-aligned organizations in building local resilience.
Questions? Contact 317-258-2255 or georgeanna@reactclasses.org.
Event Partners: A partnership between React and Earth Charter Indiana.
Registration: Click to register here.

POSTPONED - 12 Moods of Heaven: A Neo-Soul Food & Jazz Journey through the Great Migration
2025-11-15 17:00 - 19:30 | Witherspoon Presbyterian Church, 3535 W. Kessler Blvd. N. Dr., Indianapolis, IN, 46222, United States
Announcement From Grand Griot Productions (11/11/25):
“After much reflection and with deep regret, the creative team made the difficult decision to delay the production following a recent bereavement and several health-related challenges within the ensemble.” Ticket refunds are available to all patrons and 12 Moods of Heaven hopes to premiere in March 2026. Sign up for the Spirit & Place newsletter to learn when a new date is confirmed.
Limited Capacity. Registration Required | $30/pp
Join us for a multi-sensory culinary and cultural experience exploring the nature of movement—of people, traditions, and food across this nation. Rooted in the Great Migration, this event honors the resilience of Soul Food and the African American diaspora through jazz, spoken word, spiritual reflection, and food samplings.
The art of Soul Food is grounded in nature—the ability to take the miracle of soil and transform it into a feast! It is also rooted in the ability to adapt amid hardship. Constant change is no easy task. Our African American ancestors took scraps and turned them into a living testimony of resilience. Their ingenuity is no fable of “making something out of nothing,” but is a demonstration of their creativity, worth, and lasting impact on American food and artistic culture. Weaving together music, gratitude, and praise to God, this event fuses history, art, faith, and culinary excellence to celebrate all that is nourishing about the very nature of soul food.

Doors open at 4:30 pm
Prelude begins 4:45 pm
Event from 5pm-6:30pm
Talk Back from 6:35-7:30

Questions? Contact 317-531-5752 or email grandgriotpro@gmail.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Grand Griot Productions LLC, Witherspoon Presbyterian Church, Chef Oya, Rob Dixon & many more.
Registration: Click here to register.

Nature Meets Spirit: A Walk with Bach, A Pilgrimage with Christ, and a Dance with God
2025-11-16 14:00 - 16:00 | Episcopal Church of All Saints, 1559 Central Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
Journey through music and faith in this Baroque concert featuring works by Buxtehude, Biber, and Bach performed by Colette Abel and friends. Reflect on Christ’s Passion, the nature of pilgrimage, and Bach’s personal walk through grief and spiritual purpose. A moving fusion of music, nature, and spirit.
Questions? Contact 317-635-2538 or music@allsaintsindy.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between musician Colette Abel, Episcopal Church of All Saints, and Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra.
Registration: Click here.

Connected by NATURE - Spirit & Place Festival 30th Anniversary Celebration!
2025-11-16 16:30 - 18:30 | The Amp at 16 Tech, 1220 Waterway Blvd., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
Celebrate the closing of the 30th annual Spirit & Place Festival with an evening of connection, creativity, and community.
Enjoy a live spoken word invocation by Manón Voice, music by Premium Blend, delicious local food, and hands-on activities inspired by this year’s festival events. Reflect on the NATURE theme through art, music, and shared experiences that nourish both spirit and community. Light snacks included, while supplies last!
Walk-ins welcome, but registration is encouraged.
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or festival@iu.edu.
Registration: Click here to register.

Manon Voice & Premium Blend
