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If you are old school, you remember Art & Soul as a month-long celebration of Black arts and culture at the Indianapolis Artsgarden, designed to coincide with Black History Month in February.

Now in its 28th year, Art & Soul organizers are changing things up. They announced plans to grow the program through partnerships with local arts and culture organizations, with the first event taking place on March 23.

Since 1996, four Featured Artists have been recognized each year for their contributions to the creative community. Through the program, artists receive support in the form of a stipend, media coverage, showcase performances and paid opportunities.

The Indy Arts Council program has supported more than 60 musicians, visual artists, dancers and other creatives. You can see the names of all Featured Artists here.

Moving beyond February

New this year: the stage at Madam Walker Legacy Center will offer a wider audience to the 2025 Art & Soul program and its four Featured Artists.

Poet and artist Mariah Ivey — who was a 2016 Art & Soul Featured Artist — is the program manager at the Madam Walker Legacy Center.

“This program and the upcoming showcase will not only highlight their talent, but also offer our community a chance to connect, gain insight and leave truly inspired,” said Ivey through a press release.

In the past few years, Art & Soul has expanded its programming beyond the month of February. In 2025 it will be officially a year-long program.

Art & Soul Sundays, a music series, will kick off 3-4 p.m March 23 at the Indianapolis Artsgarden. More dates will be announced later.

The annual Featured Artist Showcase, titled “soul • real • ism,” will debut at the Madam Walker Legacy Center 6-8 p.m. on April 11.

The annual Art & Soul Exhibition will open 6-9 p.m. on April 4 at Gallery 924, and will be on display through May 22.

The full 2025 Art & Soul program and event details will continue to be updated.

Meet the 2025 Art & Soul Featured Artists

Featured artists are selected from a pool of applicants that are reviewed by a panel of Black community arts leaders and staff from Indy Arts Council and the Madam Walker Legacy Center.

The 2025 Featured Artists are:

Akili Ni Mali

Recording artist & actor

Akili Ni Mali, who blends R&B, soul, jazz and pop, says her musical influences are Jazmine Sullivan, Rachelle Farrelle, Sadé and India Arie. In 2020, she released her EP “Breathe” and in 2024 she released “Changes.” Akili is also a professional actor.

Brandon Lott

Recording artist

Lott specializes in vocal performance, songwriting and multi-instrumental production. He began his career in 2014 as a music intern at the Harrison Center while attending Herron High School. In 2022, Lott signed with 199X Sound, an independently run artist management company based in LA. His work blends R&B and neo soul with global influences, aiming to inspire listeners to explore their inner selves.

Kierra Ready

Visual artist

Ready creates art that sparks conversations, encourages unity and invites people to experience the beauty of diversity. With a passion for storytelling through visual media, Ready strives to connect people through creativity.

Monique Burts

Wearable art artist

Burts studied sculpture at Herron School of Art and Design. She draws much of her inspiration from different perspectives and said her art is shaped by her culture and lived experiences as a Black woman. She has exhibited at Indianapolis venues including the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, the Vogue Theatre and the Indy 500 Snakepit Ball.

Art & Soul activation grants

In addition to helping promote the careers of four artists this year, nine arts and culture nonprofit organizations received Art & Soul Activation Grants to be used in programming that spotlights the four Featured Artists.

• Arts for Lawrence
• Big Car Collaborative
• Brick Street Poetry
• Harrison Center
• Indy Dance Council
• Indy Juneteenth
• Madam Walker Legacy Center
• The Cabaret
• Touba Gardens

For information on each organization’s event, timing and participating artists, visit indyarts.org/programs/art-soul.

Jennifer Delgadillo edits and writes arts and culture stories for Mirror Indy. You can reach her at jennifer.delgadillo@mirrorindy.org.

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Meet the 2025 Art & Soul Featured Artists

by Jennifer Delgadillo, Mirror Indy
January 22, 2025

<h1>Meet the 2025 Art & Soul Featured Artists</h1> <p class="byline">by Jennifer Delgadillo, Mirror Indy <br />January 22, 2025</p> <p>If you are old school, you remember Art &amp; Soul as a month-long celebration of Black arts and culture at the Indianapolis Artsgarden, designed to coincide with Black History Month in February.</p> <p>Now in its 28th year, Art &amp; Soul organizers are changing things up. They announced plans to grow the program through partnerships with local arts and culture organizations, with the first event taking place on March 23.</p> <p>Since 1996, four Featured Artists have been recognized each year for their contributions to the creative community. Through the program, artists receive support in the form of a stipend, media coverage, showcase performances and paid opportunities.</p> <p>The Indy Arts Council program has supported more than 60 musicians, visual artists, dancers and other creatives. <a href="https://indyarts.org/grants/art-soul-2025-featured-artists/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">You can see the names of all Featured Artists here.</a></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moving-beyond-february">Moving beyond February</h2> <p>New this year: the stage at <a href="https://madamwalkerlegacycenter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Madam Walker Legacy Center</a> will offer a wider audience to the 2025 Art &amp; Soul program and its four Featured Artists.</p> <p>Poet and artist <a href="https://classicalmusicindy.org/my-music-my-story-mariah-ivey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mariah Ivey</a> — who was a 2016 Art &amp; Soul Featured Artist — is the program manager at the Madam Walker Legacy Center.</p> <p>“This program and the upcoming showcase will not only highlight their talent, but also offer our community a chance to connect, gain insight and leave truly inspired,” said Ivey through a press release.</p> <p>In the past few years, Art &amp; Soul has expanded its programming beyond the month of February. In 2025 it will be officially a year-long program.</p> <p>Art &amp; Soul Sundays, a music series, will kick off 3-4 p.m March 23 at the Indianapolis Artsgarden. More dates will be announced later.</p> <p>The annual Featured Artist Showcase, titled “soul • real • ism,” will debut at the Madam Walker Legacy Center 6-8 p.m. on April 11.</p> <p>The annual Art &amp; Soul Exhibition will open 6-9 p.m. on April 4 at <a href="https://indyarts.org/about/spaces/gallery-924/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gallery 924</a>, and will be on display through May 22.</p> <p>The full <a href="http://indyarts.org/programs/art-soul" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2025 Art &amp; Soul program and event details</a> will continue to be updated.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-the-2025-art-amp-soul-featured-artists">Meet the 2025 Art &amp; Soul Featured Artists</h2> <p>Featured artists are selected from a pool of applicants that are reviewed by a panel of Black community arts leaders and staff from Indy Arts Council and the Madam Walker Legacy Center.</p> <p>The 2025 Featured Artists are:</p> <div class="wp-block-group"> <div class="wp-block-columns"> <div class="wp-block-column" style="flex-basis:50%"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Art-Soul-2025_Akili-Ni-Mali_Vert_Photo-by-Mojo-Up-Marketing-Media-700x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44097" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Akili Ni Mali is a recording artist &amp; actor, and a 2025 Art &amp; Soul Featured Artist.<br /> </figcaption></figure> </p></div> <div class="wp-block-column" style="flex-basis:50%"> <h3 class="wp-block-heading subhead-nogap" id="h-akili-ni-mali">Akili Ni Mali</h3> <p class="subhead-nogap"><em>Recording artist &amp; actor</em></p> <p>Akili Ni Mali, who blends R&amp;B, soul, jazz and pop, says her musical influences are Jazmine Sullivan, Rachelle Farrelle, Sadé and India Arie. In 2020, she released her EP “Breathe” and in 2024 she released “Changes.” Akili is also a professional actor.</p> </p></div> </p></div> <div class="wp-block-columns"> <div class="wp-block-column"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Art-Soul-2025_Brandon-Lott_Vert_Photo-by-Mojo-Up-Marketing-Media-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44099" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Brandon Lott is a recording artist and a 2025 Art &amp; Soul Featured Artist.<br /> </figcaption></figure> </p></div> <div class="wp-block-column"> <h3 class="wp-block-heading subhead-nogap" id="h-brandon-lott">Brandon Lott</h3> <p class="subhead-nogap"><em>Recording artist</em></p> <p>Lott specializes in vocal performance, songwriting and multi-instrumental production. He began his career in 2014 as a music intern at the Harrison Center while attending Herron High School. In 2022, Lott signed with 199X Sound, an independently run artist management company based in LA. His work blends R&amp;B and neo soul with global influences, aiming to inspire listeners to explore their inner selves.</p> </p></div> </p></div> <div class="wp-block-columns"> <div class="wp-block-column"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Art-Soul-2025_Kierra-Ready_Vert_Photo-by-Mojo-Up-Marketing-Media-663x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44103" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kierra Ready is a visual artist and a 2025 Art &amp; Soul Featured Artist.</figcaption></figure> </p></div> <div class="wp-block-column"> <h3 class="wp-block-heading subhead-nogap" id="h-kierra-ready">Kierra Ready</h3> <p class="subhead-nogap"><em>Visual artist</em></p> <p>Ready creates art that sparks conversations, encourages unity and invites people to experience the beauty of diversity. With a passion for storytelling through visual media, Ready strives to connect people through creativity.</p> </p></div> </p></div> <div class="wp-block-columns"> <div class="wp-block-column"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Art-Soul-2025_Monique-Burts_Vert_Photo-by-Mojo-Up-Marketing-Media-685x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44105" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Monique Burts is a wearable art artist and a 2025 Art &amp; Soul Featured Artist.</figcaption></figure> </p></div> <div class="wp-block-column"> <h3 class="wp-block-heading subhead-nogap" id="h-monique-burts">Monique Burts</h3> <p class="subhead-nogap"><em>Wearable art artist</em></p> <p>Burts studied sculpture at Herron School of Art and Design. She draws much of her inspiration from different perspectives and said her art is shaped by her culture and lived experiences as a Black woman. She has exhibited at Indianapolis venues including the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, the Vogue Theatre and the Indy 500 Snakepit Ball.</p> </p></div> </p></div> </p></div> <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-art-amp-soul-activation-grants">Art &amp; Soul activation grants</h2> <p>In addition to helping promote the careers of four artists this year, nine arts and culture nonprofit organizations received Art &amp; Soul Activation Grants to be used in programming that spotlights the four Featured Artists.</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://www.artsforlawrence.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arts for Lawrence</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.bigcar.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Big Car Collaborative</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.brickstreetpoetry.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brick Street Poetry</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.harrisoncenter.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harrison Center</a></li> <li><a href="https://indydancecouncil.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indy Dance Council</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.indyjuneteenth.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indy Juneteenth</a></li> <li><a href="https://madamwalkerlegacycenter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Madam Walker Legacy Center</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.thecabaret.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Cabaret</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.butler.edu/student-life/volunteer/community-outreach-center-inc-touba-gardens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Touba Gardens</a></li> </ul> <p>For information on each organization’s event, timing and participating artists, visit <a href="http://indyarts.org/programs/art-soul" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">indyarts.org/programs/art-soul</a>.</p> <p><em>Jennifer Delgadillo edits and writes arts and culture stories for Mirror Indy. You can reach her at <a href="mailto:jennifer.delgadillo@mirrorindy.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jennifer.delgadillo@mirrorindy.org</a>.</em></p> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mirrorindy.org/indy-arts-council-art-and-soul-2025-featured-artists-announcement/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mirrorindy.org&quot;&gt;Mirror Indy&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-Mirror-Indy-square-logo-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://mirrorindy.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=44171&amp;amp;ga4=G-X0R0QW371R&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://mirrorindy.org/indy-arts-council-art-and-soul-2025-featured-artists-announcement/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/mirrorindy.org/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;</p> Copy to Clipboard

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