Arts & Crafts Programs

Two participants working with wood and hammers during the 2024 Summer Reading Program Build It Workshop at our Irvington Branch.

You are invited online or in-person to meet-up with fellow creatives to learn a new skill or improve one you have always enjoyed! Books, e-books, magazines, video tutorials, and more will keep your creative muse flowing all year long!

Hip-Hop Anthology: Volume 6

Hip-Hop Anthology: Volume 6 returns with a powerful two-part exhibition celebrating visual narrative, community, and the living legacy of hip-hop. Curated by Gary Gee, this year’s installment spans two landmark venues in the city: Central Library and the Indianapolis Artsgarden.


SIDE A: Intro & Interlude
The Side A exhibit concluded June 28
Central Library | 40 E. St. Clair Street


SIDE B: Glass House Jam Sessions
Tuesday, July 29 - Monday, September 1
Indianapolis Artsgarden | 110 W Washington St (above the intersection of Washington & Illinois Streets)

  • Back to the Foundation
    Sunday, August 10
    A tribute to hip-hop’s origins, honoring 1520 Sedgwick Ave. with music, visuals, and intergenerational celebration.
  • New School Sunday
    Sunday, August 24
    A youth-led showcase and closing celebration spotlighting student artists, live performances, and creative community energy.

Renew Sustainable Fashion Exhibit

Wednesday July 2 – Wednesday, July 30

This exhibition is titled “Renew”, comprising over twenty pieces of sustainable fashion design and artworks, all created from upcycled materials by high schooler, Andralyn Yao. Andralyn is a high school student leader, self-taught fashion designer, and national award-winning artist whose passion sits at the intersection of visual art, sustainability, and behavioral research.


With roots in traditional and fine arts, she first developed her voice through drawing, painting, and fashion design. Believing that art can drive systemic change, Andralyn began engaging the community and creating garments from discarded materials to confront the realities of overconsumption. Her pursuit of community advocacy further led her to research sustainable consumption behavior, where she explores how values and decision-making influence environmental outcomes.

Universal Drip Art Exhibit V

August 4 – August 30
Enriched with limitless eccentricity, each artist will deliver cosmic energy with an assortment of color, form and style activating your endorphins for an enhanced experience. The Universal Drip Exhibit hopes to be a curative engagement with satisfying blends of extraordinary artistry.



Art Programs for Adults

Printmaking Paleoart Experience for Adults

Printmaking Paleoart Experience for Adults

Warren Branch

Discover printmaking with a prehistoric flair! This beginner-friendly class will guide adults through a quick lesson in drawing techniques and material basics before diving into printmaking with artist Amanda Keller.

Art in Stone: Carving

Art in Stone: Carving

Eagle Branch

Join Artisan Experience for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to carve your very own piece of Indiana Limestone. This one-hour workshop is perfect for anyone who wants a personalized piece of Indiana's Natural History. Come learn a bit about what makes Indiana Limestone SO amazing!

Art in Stone: Carving

Art in Stone: Carving

Eagle Branch

Join Artisan Experience for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to carve your very own piece of Indiana Limestone. This one-hour workshop is perfect for anyone who wants a personalized piece of Indiana's Natural History. Come learn a bit about what makes Indiana Limestone SO amazing!

Meet Local Artist & Teacher Esayas Zerazion

Local scratchboard artist Esayas Zerazion found the ideal spot for his artistic expression, and it just so happened to be a study room at The Indianapolis Public Library's Central Library. From honing his craft to displaying his work at Central Library and later leading free scratchboard classes around the library community, the Library has become a home for Esayas's artistry.

Digital Creativity Workstations

Eagle
East 38th Street

Looking to edit photos, videos, audio or make a new graphic design? Or want to use The Library's learn-on-demand collection to learn how? The Digital Creativity Workstations have specialized software to support multimedia projects including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Vegas Pro Video Editor, and more. A reservation is required. Learn more and make a reservation.

Art Programs for Kids & Teens

Geology Rocks!

Geology Rocks!

Nora Branch

Go back in time and explore prehistoric creatures through fossils! Create your very own fossil impression and discover the wonders of geology. This program is for ages 6-12.

Teen Art: Papermaking

Teen Art: Papermaking

Garfield Park Branch

Get creative and learn the art of papermaking in this hands-on workshop!

The Village

The Village

Southport Branch

Join others to create yarn pompoms that become part of a large-scale fiber art piece called The Village. This artwork will eventually be 24 feet wide and 8 feet high, and represents the best of Indianapolis Arts. It can't be made without assistance from each other.

Igniting and Sustaining Creativity

Creativity flows in many different facets of life. This collection of books offers insights from musicians, producers, actors, dancers, writers, physicists, psychologists, and more. I hope they help you find inspiration and delight in your creative process.

See all our Staff book lists about art, artists, and creativity.

Your Idea Starts Here

77 Mind-expanding Ways to Unleash your Creativity

Eckert, Carolyn

Looking for ways to help spark and grow your creativity? Dip in to any of the 77 approaches in this book to give your creative process a boost. Also available as an eBook.

The Shape of Ideas

An Illustrated Exploration of Creativity

Snider, Grant

Flip open the book to any page and allow the illustrations, humor, and insights to wash over you. Also available as an eBook and a Downloadable Graphic Novel.

The Remembering Process

A Surprising (and Fun) Breakthrough New Way to Amazing Creativity

Barrett, Daniel

What a great approach to creativity! Track forward into the future and then look back to remember the process of creating whatever it is you're looking to bring into being. Give it a try. I find this has a lot of merit.