One of the new additions to the Indiana State Fair this year is “The Art of Music Experience,” which showcases album cover art and its history and features a pop-up CD and vinyl store with many classic artists, ranging from Pink Floyd to Tupac Shakur.

“The Art of Music” also has a few local artists painting murals for musicians and their albums. Artist Andre Parnell said it’s all a way for people to bond and celebrate their favorite musicians.

“I’ve seen people dancing, I’ve seen people crying,” Parnell said. “I think it gives a level of intimacy that allows people to feel comfort in seeing their favorite album cover. You see the album, and it creates the music in your head. It brings you right back to your childhood or your favorite memories.”

Erica Parker, a local artist, said she was shocked after receiving the opportunity to paint at the exhibit.

“I didn’t really believe it at first,” Parker said. “I got an email, and it just sounded too cool to be true. … My husband and I both collect CDs. Album art is just something we are always inspired by. … To know that my artwork is a part of something so big and something I idolized is such a great feeling.”

Her husband, Rafael Caro, himself an artist, believes the exhibit being at the Indiana State Fair is a way for rural and urban parts of Indiana to connect.

“I think that this is a great place because Indiana is the crossroads, of course,” Caro said. “A lot of people come to the fair, and it’s really well known. I just think it brings together rural communities, inner-city communities, so we can all enjoy the fair together.”

This article was written by The Statehouse File reporter Luke Shepherd.