Latest news with #GANGGANG
Axios
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Building Black joy brick by brick in Indianapolis
The annual GANGGANG festival celebrating the power of Black joy in Indianapolis has plans to grow bigger through the support of a new community-driven initiative. Why it matters: The free summer celebration in Riverside Park aims to shift the narrative that Black people are a demographic in need by instead focusing on their contributions to society. Global efforts to reclaim Black joy and challenge stereotypes through celebration have become powerful survival tools for individuals who may feel devalued because of the color of their skin. Driving the news: Earlier this year, GANGGANG, the creative advocacy agency responsible for the BUTTER Fine Art Fair, launched the Brick by Brick Fund. The effort was created to secure resources for the fourth annual BLACK: A Festival of Joy by inviting small businesses, creatives and individual community members to purchase bricks at three different donation levels — $500, $750 and $1,500. The group is also taking donations of any level for those who want to support the festival but are unable to purchase a brick. Witherspoon Presbyterian Church, one of the city's historic Black congregations, was the first organization to support the fund by purchasing a commemorative brick at the $1,500 level. What they're saying:"This isn't charity. It's community architecture," said Nigel Long from GANGGANG. "Every brick purchased helps ensure the festival's growth as a space where Black culture thrives, unapologetically." Zoom in: The music and food-based community festival debuted in 2022 in partnership with the Indianapolis Foundation. It also functions as a micro-granting program to "encourage and uplift uncompromisingly Black spaces and experiences in Indianapolis." Attendance has grown from about 1,500 in 2022 to more than 10,000 people in 2024. The festival has had a total economic impact of about $350,000 in its first three years, according to GANGGANG.
Axios
26-02-2025
- Business
- Axios
Shifting the Black-owned business conversation in Indy
As Indianapolis' Black-owned business gaps persist, local leaders want to shift the conversation on equitable business development in the city. Why it matters: Year-over-year spikes are encouraging, but experts say the fragility of those figures will be exposed if we fail to surround minority firms with the proper framework. Driving the news: The topic of consistent Black business growth took center stage earlier this month during GANGGANG's State of the Culture event, which included a discussion about " In the Mix," a commercial real estate and retail initiative launched by the creative advocacy agency to help Black-owned businesses open brick-and-mortar locations downtown. Zoom in: Antonio Maxie, owner of the Nap or Nothing clothing shop, and local architect Kionna Walker took part in the talk. Maxie was one of the first "In the Mix" participants and his involvement helped him move Nap or Nothing downtown after eight years in Lafayette Square Mall. Following a two-and-a-half-year run on Mass Ave., Maxie is on the move again, opening a new Nap or Nothing location this month in Fountain Square. What he's saying: Maxie says he has a deep love for the near-decade he spent in Lafayette Square, but moving to Mass Ave. opened new doors, such as collaborating with companies like Ruffles during the NBA All-Star Weekend celebration. "I always get people asking me, 'Which one was better?' But I feel like it's just a timestamp, and we had seasons in each place," he said. "Lafayette Square was a great season for me to develop and become the entrepreneur you see today. And Mass Ave. allowed us to shine on a bigger stage and allow more eyes to see the brand, and I'm grateful for that." State of play: GANGGANG co-founder Mali Bacon said the launch of "In the Mix" brought with it some hard truths. In particular, lack of property ownership means progress would always be on someone else's terms. Because of that, Bacon said "In the Mix 2.0" is altering its focus from placements to building ecosystems. "The shift is clear; it's no longer just about setting up businesses, but about fostering entire cultural districts. Spaces designed by and for the community," she said. "The new framework stresses collaboration, ownership and density to create energy and resilience within these communities." What's next: As minority business hubs are developed, Walker warns of the complexity in navigating urban development, from securing funding to understanding zoning laws. Early and meaningful engagement with the community is key to fostering trust and avoiding a disconnect between developers and residents. She added that people with the power to act as cultural brokers and speak on behalf of neighborhoods can ensure these businesses see sustained success once they move in.
Axios
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
What's next for GANGGANG
GANGGANG's impact is poised to expand in 2025. Why it matters: The creative advocacy agency has grown into an undeniable force in Indianapolis. GANGGANG says it has generated nearly $8 million for the local creative economy since 2020 through equitable art fairs, real estate initiatives, youth outreach programs, Black rock festivals and more. The big picture: GANGGANG has become the city's go-to collaborator to promote and protect Hoosier creators of color while welcoming tens of thousands of tourists during major moments like the NBA All-Star Weekend. Driving the news: GANGGANG co-founders, spouses and business partners Mali and Alan Bacon, outlined their plans for the organization's next chapter at a recent State of the Culture event at Kan-Kan Cinema & Restaurant. Zoom in: They're working with Westfield on a project to share the city's racial history, installing public artwork on a parking garage in Plainfield and curating Echo Hollow Nature Park in Hendricks County. They're also working with the Professional Volleyball Federation to provide creative direction for PVF's first all star-match at Fishers Event Center on Feb. 22. And the I Made Rock 'N' Roll Festival will return in May 2026 after a 14-month effort to make it more than an annual event. Flashback: Mali Bacon said GANGGANG was built in 2020 amid calls for equity and social justice with a sense of urgency to answer a critical question: "How do we create something that will stick beyond this moment?" Knowing that policy reform and funding initiatives in support of equity would ebb and flow based on who holds social and political power, GANGGANG wanted to be something stable that would persist until cities are "equitable by nature." What they're saying:"So here we are, persisting through what has been an incredible rollercoaster that has made careers (and) shifted narratives about a city and a people," she said. "You know artists that you didn't know before, and you know how to support them more than you did before. You know the value of the culture and who manifests the arts more than you did before." "GANGGANG's plan worked." By the numbers: Their events have attracted more than 50,000 attendees. BUTTER has sold more than $903,000 in artwork, with BUTTER 2025 expected to cross $1 million. State of play: Alan Bacon said while there is plenty to celebrate, the dismantling of DEI infrastructure across the U.S. renews their focus. "DEI opened the door," he said. "Culture is enabling us to walk through the door and understand who we are, so much so that our cultural remembrance and search for identity is under a grievous attack." The bottom line: Expect to see a more intentional GANGGANG in 2025. "We do not do cool things for the sake of coolness," Mali Bacon said. "We are here to remind places and people of who they are. That's the savior of cities." Go deeper: Read GANGGANG's inaugural annual report.
