SWISH festival hopes to show off local art INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The SWISH Art and Culture Festival looks to highlight local artists across downtown with what organizers are calling Sidewalk Galleries for the NCAA Men’s Final Four. Crews were hard at work on Wednesday to install vinyl mur als in the Capitol Avenue underpass between the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium. It will be hard for people to miss the art, especially for those walking between the Final Four Fan Fest or the Tip-Off Tailgate. Judith Thomas, President and CEO of the Indy Arts Council, says they want to take advantage of all the visiting eyes downtown this weekend. “We’re going to be able to show off all the talent we have here,” Thomas said. “Let folks know — yeah, we’re sports town for sure, and we love basketball. We’re also an arts and culture town.” She called this iteration of the festival SWISH 2.0. Organizers put on a similar showcase in 2021 when Indiana hosted all of March Madness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Artist Caroline Hays watched as crews hung up her mural before the madness arrived for this year’s tournament. “Indianapolis Arts Council does such an amazing job of uplifting artists,” Hays said. “Connecting artists to the community and really highlighting them when special events like this come to the city.” Her piece is titled “Hooser Home Court,” which is a collage of different high school basketball courts and other symbols of Indiana. Hays says it’s inspired by the state’s hoops heritage. “It just kind of celebrates basketball,” Hays said. “You know, community and camaraderie that comes with the NCAA Final Four.” Storefronts throughout downtown will also be filled with art. Dana Powell-Smith had her piece “He Got Game” painted onto a traffic box on the corner of Illinois and Market Streets. It shows a man sitting on a couch holding a basketball. “I do go to the Final Four every year,” Powell-Smith said. “No matter what city it’s in. So for my art to be a part of it is just, you know, it’s an honor for me.” Both artists are excited to be a part of such a big weekend in the Circle City. Especially since they have family members who play basketball. “This piece is a labor of love,” Powell Smith said. “When I painted this piece, I had never done a basketball piece before, so I was very proud to see that I was able to do it.” The SWISH sidewalk galleries feature 60 murals by more than 40 central Indiana artists. ...read more read less