Focus2020 – Peace Learning Center

Rivoli Park Labyrinth

Brandi Metzger2021-05-20T17:42:45-04:00August 14th, 2014|Tags: Community Project, Focus2020, Labyrinth|

Walking a labyrinth is said to help people become more centered, in this Focus 2020 Project, Lisa Boyles hoped to bring that same sense of peace to her local neighborhood. While most labyrinths in Indianapolis are located on the properties of churches and religious organizations, Rivoli Park Labyrinth can be found in the middle of an urban neighborhood. By transforming the vacant lot next to her house, Lisa and a group of volunteers were able to create a community park that both welcomes and inspires. Featuring artwork from local artists and handcrafted accents around its brick exterior, the park showcases the creativity of the community. Lisa found putting a space for reflection in an area less than a block away from gang activity would provide hope for the neighborhood and have a positive impact on those who visit. The labyrinth has become a center for activity and created unity through events such as World Labyrinth Day, in which people across the globe walk labyrinths at 1pm to symbolically “walk as one”. Through both the actual building of the labyrinth and the individuals who come to visit it, Rivoli Park Labyrinth has built relationships between neighbors and connected other Focus 2020 grant recipients and nonprofits in the area. While labyrinths are often thought of as solitary spaces, Lisa takes pride in her labyrinth for being able to bring people together. She has even created a log book where guests are welcome

War and Peace Veterans’ Art Exhibit

VSA Indiana, an organization founded to provide art opportunities for people with disabilities, recently drew attention to another community who was in need of an artistic outlet, Indiana veterans. As recipients of our Focus 2020 grant, the VSA hosted the “War and Peace Veterans’ Art Exhibit,” displaying the work of over a dozen veteran artists in the area, many of whom already participated in the Veterans Antiquities Collective. The whole premise behind the exhibit was to bring the veterans, arts, and disabilities communities together by creating an inclusive environment that embraced art in all of its forms. Lydia Campbell-Maher, Director of Grants and Marketing shared, “It shows the diversity of an individual person. We may identify somebody as a veteran, but we may not identify them as an artist and vice versa. So it illuminates the whole idea that there is more to any person.” Some of the artists have chosen to sell their work in the gallery while others simply used this opportunity to share a little bit of their story. The gallery was on display during the month of May at the Harrison Center for the Arts and the VSA continues selling many of the artists’ work now that the exhibit has ended. One of the veterans, Mark Smith, has even moved on to teach classes for children and has found his passion by sharing his experiences and gifts with the community. Lisa says “It has illuminated the