Meet IndyStar arts reporter Domenica Bongiovanni

Yahoo

13-06-2025

It takes a staff of dedicated journalists to bring you the news from around Central Indiana. In this feature, the Indianapolis Star introduces readers to our newsroom staff — or, rather, we let them introduce themselves. Up this week is Domenica Bongiovanni.
Arts and creativity reporter
2017
I love having the opportunity to earn someone's trust and to discover cultural gems that give us a better understanding of our communities. From there, I love to challenge myself to find the most compelling ways to share those stories with readers.
The short answer is that I love people, arts and culture, and storytelling, and journalism combines all of these. The longer answer is that when Grade-School Me told my mom I wanted to write for a living, she suggested journalism and explained what it was. After that, I played with the idea of other careers, but becoming a journalist was permanently lodged in my brain.
Pianist Christopher Pitts and a group of jazz musicians play an informal afterparty every First Friday at McGowan Hall, 1305 N. Delaware St. The venue's speakeasy vibe and the opportunity to witness these musicians cut loose and be creative makes for a fantastic evening.
A great meal with great people goes a long way. I also bake bread, take long bike rides and play cello. I love the fact that these activities demand a process that takes time and forces me to relax.
Do podcasts count? Because I'd have to go with American History Tellers and American Scandal. Compelling writing coupled with topics like the Hare Krishna murders, Billy the Kid and the plot to steal Abraham Lincoln's body make it so hard for me to hit the pause button.
"I don't know what I think until I see what I say." I first heard this quote from a college professor, but versions of it have been attributed to Joan Didion, E.M. Forster and several others.
On writing: Make each word count, and make sure each sentence supports the larger point of the piece.
On life: Your attitude plays a large part in determining how far you'll go.
I started playing cello when I was 3 years old via the Suzuki method, which teaches kids music by ear before they learn to read notes on the page. I instantly loved it — unlike my childhood ballet class, which disinvited me after one season because I neglected the steps in favor of people-watching. As it turns out, each of these activities pointed to my future career.
Technically, the answer to this is taking out the trash — a childhood household chore that my parents rarely compensated me for because I failed to accomplish it most nights. I was much more committed to my first teen job: cashiering and verifying prices at a grocery store.
Kalamata olives, which I buy in bulk
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Meet Indianapolis Star arts reporter Domenica Bongiovanni