Event: Watch live street art by regional artists, breakdance battles and more at Fort Wayne’s ‘Indelible’

The third annual “Indelible” event is this Saturday and Sunday, a two-day exhibition of muralists and graffiti artists from across the Midwest, curated by Fort Wayne Open Walls. The public is invited to visit each location to watch artists work while enjoying food trucks, DJs, breakdance battles, a block party and more.

During the event, local artists will work alongside muralists and graffiti artists from Des Moines, Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Gary and more to paint three walls scattered throughout Fort Wayne’s South and East sides. Breakdancers will also come from several cities to compete for a $700 grand prize.

Fort Wayne Open Walls is an organization founded by Fort Wayne artist, Francisco “Paco” Reyes, a few years ago to create opportunities for creative expression in his neighborhood and ways for artists to gain mural experience. It works with the City of Fort Wayne’s Public Art Commission to identify neighborhood-based walls where anyone can paint murals or graffiti art anytime they want. Once the wall fills up, artists simply paint over previous designs. 

“I always recommend: First in, first out, as far as covering goes,” Reyes says. “But sometimes, pieces stay up a long time because they’re really good. It shows you that artists respect each other’s work. How long a piece stays up gives the artist market feedback, too.”