Fort Wayne, IN (September 8, 2021) — Arts United, Fort Wayne Ballet, and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic announced today a brand-new outdoor concert collaboration designed to put a
spotlight on the arts while celebrating the state-wide designation of Arts Campus Fort Wayne as a cultural district.
On Saturday, September 25 at 7:00 p.m., Fort Wayne Ballet and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic will offer a varied free program of classical and ballet favorites outside at Freimann Square, 200
E. Main St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802 (corner of South Clinton and Main Streets,) presented with major support from Arts United, the City of Fort Wayne, and the Downtown Improvement
District. (In case of inclement weather, the performance will be moved indoors to Arts United Center across the plaza.)
Hosts for the program will be the Philharmonic’s guest conductor for engagement, Caleb Young, and Karen Gibbons-Brown, artistic director of Fort Wayne Ballet. Works by de Falla, Offenbach,
Copland, Khachaturian, and Stravinsky will be featured, with the centerpiece of the concert being selections from Act III of Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty ballet.
Audiences are encouraged to bring picnics, blankets, and lawn chairs, and will find seating around the Fountain or on the grassy areas adjacent to Freimann Square. Thanks to the Downtown Improvement District, food trucks will be present on the Plaza beginning at 5:30 p.m., with a limited number of complimentary tables and chairs being provided.
Said Susan Mendenhall: “It seems fitting that, in order to mark the new statewide designation of Arts Campus Fort Wayne as a cultural district, we would put a spotlight on two of our lead
performing arts organizations at a free event accessible to everyone. This is not just a concert performance but a celebration of arts and culture in our community.”
Said Karen Gibbons-Brown: “We at Fort Wayne Ballet treasure our partnership with the Philharmonic. Convening for this very special free outdoor performance with our long-time
collaborators is a wonderful opportunity to introduce local audiences to the very best arts experiences Fort Wayne has to offer while marking the beginning of our fall performance
seasons.”
Said Caleb Young: “Karen Gibbons-Brown and I have put together a program of some of the most colorful, tuneful, and treasured works in the ballet and orchestral repertory. It will be a
thrilling evening of great music and visual spectacle with our gorgeous Fort Wayne skyline as a backdrop.”
On Friday, June 25, 2021, the Indiana Arts Commission designated Arts Campus Fort Wayne as a Statewide Cultural District. Coordinated by Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne, Arts Campus
Fort Wayne includes seven venues and 17 presenting and resident arts and cultural organizations. Arts Campus Fort Wayne is the first state-designated cultural district in
Northeast Indiana and joins 11 other cities throughout the state with cultural district recognition.
The City of Fort Wayne and Arts United were invited to apply for designation of Arts Campus Fort Wayne after being recognized as a Spotlight Community as part of the Creative Community
Pathway program. In May, Fort Wayne City Council unanimously approved Arts Campus Fort Wayne for city recognition as a cultural district.
“Go Live” is a region wide Arts United sponsored marketing campaign encouraging audiences to rediscover arts and cultural experiences, live and in person. “Go Live: Spotlight On The Arts”
has been designed as a culminating concert event in the campaign. People of every age and interest are encouraged to get out, explore, and sample this high-quality arts partnership, in
person.
PROGRAM:
Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra
Fort Wayne Ballet
Falla: El amor brujo: Ritual Fire Dance (Orchestra)
Tchaikovsky: Selections from Sleeping Beauty, Act III (Ballet and Orchestra)
Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld (Orchestra)
Copland: Hoe-Down from Rodeo (Orchestra)
Khachaturian: Adagio from Spartacus (Ballet and Orchestra)
Stravinsky: Infernal Dance and Finale from The Firebird (Orchestra)
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About Arts United
Arts United is a private, nonprofit local arts agency that serves Northeast Indiana through arts advocacy and promotion, fundraising and grantmaking, back-office business support, community and economic development, and Arts Campus Fort Wayne coordination. Arts United’s mission is to mobilize resources to develop, coordinate, and support arts and culture, enhancing the quality of life and the economic vitality of Northeast Indiana.
About Fort Wayne Ballet
Fort Wayne Ballet is a nationally-recognized and critically-acclaimed professional ballet company and dance academy that originated in 1956 through the empowerment of community vision. As a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, the Ballet’s mission is to “feed the spirit and spark the imagination through the highest caliber professional and academy performances, dance training, and community engagement.” Fort Wayne Ballet is a funded member of Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne and supported in part by the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. More information is available at fortwayneballet.org.
About Fort Wayne Philharmonic
The Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s mission is to inspire and foster a lifelong love of symphonic music through performance and education. Music Director Andrew Constantine leads the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. All programming is made possible by the support of community individuals, businesses, corporations and foundations. The Fort Wayne Philharmonic is graciously supported by the following partners: Purdue University. Fort Wayne, The National Endowment for the Arts, Indiana Arts Commission, Arts Campus Fort Wayne and Arts United. For additional information, visit fwphil.org.
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