INDIANAPOLIS — The NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee, alongside partners at Indy Arts Council, GANGGANG and Indiana Humanities, are announcing a series of immersive art and culture experiences and interactive exhibits for fans in downtown Indianapolis.
"There is incredible excitement around NBA All-Star 2024 because fans know there will truly be something for everyone downtown, and, working with our partners, we have created an experience at Indy's Home Court that will not only amaze visitors to the downtown but leave a lasting legacy on our city and state economies," said Rick Fuson, CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment and chairman of the NBA All-Star 2024 Board of Directors.
NBA All-Star 2024 takes place in downtown Indianapolis Thursday, Feb. 15 through Sunday, Feb. 18.
Festivities kick off Thursday, Feb. 15 with "The Tip Off," the first-ever NBA All-Star opening ceremony at Bicentennial Unity Plaza. The event will include music, notable personalities and more.
During a press conference Jan. 17 at the Indianapolis Artsgarden, the host committee outlined the NBA All-Star footprint for downtown Indianapolis, dubbing it "Indy's Home Court."
The Indy Arts Council, GANGGANG and the Indiana Humanities are bringing to life a combination of light-based public art installations, sculptures celebrating Indiana's basketball tradition, large-scale storefront murals, graffiti art, interactive pieces and the return of Indiana's equitable fine art fair – BUTTER at Indy's Home Court.
In addition to the visual arts installations, fans can enjoy 24 DJs throughout Indy's Home Court, photo stations and unique experiences in key fan zones like Georgia Street and Bicentennial Unity Plaza.
The host committee has also created a "cultural corridor" along Washington Street in Indy's Home Court to showcase local brands. These include:
- Plaid & Pearls Coffee, a local woman-owned business, taking over the location formerly occupied by Pearings at Washington and Meridian
- The former Rock Bottom site will be converted into The Suite featuring the Henderson Bar, food from the International Marketplace, music curated by Chreece Presents: Nap City The Basement, comedy by Made Man Improv and retail curated by Cargo Streetwear Boutique.
GANGGANG, with curators Deonna Craig, Kia Davis and Alan Mills, are turning the 19,000 square feet of the Indianapolis Artsgarden into BUTTER Indy's Home Court.
Light-based public art installations
Two projection-mapped artworks, created by Blockhouse Studios in Bloomington and a video arts collaboration by Australian artist Wendy Wu, will be featured on the T-Mobile Building — 2. W. Washington St. — and the District Tap Building — 141 S. Meridian St.
The Wendy Yu collaboration will feature local dancers with Iibada Dance Company, 31Svn Dance Academy and Dance Kaleidoscope, as well as basketball players with the WNBA and Butler University.
"Shining a Light" will feature an exciting "buzzer beater" countdown experience, produced by Innovative, on the northwest and southwest quadrant of Monument Circle.
"Evanescent," installed by Australia-based design studio Atelier Sisu, will bring large, glowing basketball-like orbs to Hudnut Commons at the corner of Maryland and Capitol streets.
Other installations include:
- "Quantum Cavern,” a transcendent experience created by Indy artist Fredrick Miller III
- "Arch down the Aisle," an intercultural experience installed by Indy artist Gautam Rao
- "You Are the All Star," a 1990s-inspired selfie station designed by Indy artist Christina Hollering
Indianapolis Artsgarden murals
Two temporary murals by Indianapolis artists Jingo de la Rosa and Jonathan Southern are going up on the east and west sides of the Indianapolis Artsgarden.
The two pieces will pay tribute to Indiana's unique love affair with the game of basketball.
Sidewalk galleries
Indianapolis artists will create large-scale murals on storefronts along the streets of Indy's Home Court. These include:
- Capitol Avenue underpass between the Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, featuring India Cruse-Griffin’s "The Court" artwork, the original of which currently decorates the interior of Gainbridge Fieldhouse
- Jackson Place (adjacent to Union Station): Salma Taman, Liz Wierzbicki, Phyllicia Carr and Christina Hollering
- CSX Building (east end of Georgia Street): Eric Stine, Jennifer Broemel, Brittany Murray, Denielle Mowery Hake, Amiah Mims, Faith Blackwell, Gurkan Mihci, Boxx the Artist, DeJuan Wortham, Scott Johnson and Gretchen Katner, plus a poem by Franklin Oliver
- Circle Center Mall: Rebecca Sauve, Dana Powell Smith, Taylor Bamgbose, Kyle Morgan and Kyng Rhodes
- Monument Circle, northwest quadrant: Six works by Israel Solomon from his "Indiana Fever" series, the original of which currently hang inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse
- 7 N. Meridian St. (northeast corner of Meridian and Washington streets): Koda Witsken’s tribute to Hoosier Hysteria, the original of which currently hangs Gainbridge Fieldhouse
- Newly installed works inside Circle Center Mall include artwork by JD Bills and poems by Maude Atlas Cottone and Ken Honeywell.
- A large three-part work at 924 N. Pennsylvania St. by Asli Narin, a newly-named DeHaan Artist of Distinction
Also in partnership with the City of Indianapolis and curated by local artists Josh Brinson (Bezol One) and Mike Graves, 15 local street and graffiti artists will create new work on Pennsylvania and Delaware rail underpasses, just north of South Street. The pieces on the Pennsylvania underpass will be basketball-themed, while the Delaware underpass will be a collection of freestyle pieces.
Hoosier Historia
A group of 24 diverse artists from across the state are bringing to life their interpretations of some of the most memorable and iconic people, moments and places in Indiana basketball history on 6-foot basketball sculptures.
The large public art pieces will be on display throughout Indy's Home Court.
Click here for the full list of "Hoosier Historia" moments to be commemorated.
