Franklin Department of Public Art

09/19/2026

Johnson County is turning into a massive creative hub this Saturday for DO ART Day. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., three art hubs in Greenwood, Franklin, and Edinburgh will help the community get their creative juices flowing.

Organizers Dustin Brenton and Gordon Strain say everyone is invited - not just the artists. DETAILS: 🔗https://tinyurl.com/3v5anvjm

09/06/2026

PORCHTOBER IS BACK! 🎃🎶

October nights in Downtown Franklin are about to sound a little different!

Join us for Porchtober, featuring FREE live music throughout Downtown Franklin on the first four Saturdays in October!

Each Saturday, we’ll have TWO locations featuring live music from 5–7 p.m. and 7–9 p.m. — giving you the perfect excuse to grab dinner, do some shopping, enjoy a drink and spend the evening downtown.

🎶 OCT. 3 — Nick Dittmeier + Tape Deck
🎶 OCT. 10 — Doug Henthorn Band + Sustayn
🎶 OCT. 17 — Indiana Boys + Shack #9
🎶 OCT. 24 — The Snakehandlers + Matixando

8 bands. 8 downtown locations. 4 Saturday nights. All FREE!

Save the dates and get ready for Porchtober in Downtown Franklin! 🎃

Thank you to our Porchtober sponsors - without them this program wouldn't be possible! Thank you Mutual Savings Bank, Beck Automotive, B2S Life Sciences, Festival Country Indiana, Interstate Warehousing, and Crossroads Promotions.

07/07/2026

Come see us in Btown!

From Anne Hathaway's production company Somewhere Pictures, 'Little Five' follows four women in the Little 500 bicycle race set at Indiana University.

Read more below.

07/03/2026

Did you know that we have blossomed into a whole cool new org?!?! A 501c3 nonprofit called the Department of Art (D.O. Art!), doing things beyond Franklin. We are so thankful for friends who have partnered and lead the way on this. Give them a like and a follow!!

06/02/2026

04/09/2026

03/20/2026

Butler University is using shows at Clowes Memorial Hall and its other venues to build a long-term help for the performing arts for Indianapolis.

Aaron Hurt, Butler's vice president for arts, events and enterprise management, joined the show to discuss.

DETAILS:🔗https://tinyurl.com/bdd7y7bh

02/20/2026

Ball State is accepting proposals for its arts engagement grant offering up to $35,000 for area public, community-focused arts projects. See link below ⬇️

02/04/2026

Just one week away from our mocktails and masterpieces class! Make sure you register for a fun night of painting with a talented local artists and mocktails from the Greek's Pizzeria & Tapp Room - Franklin bar cart.
Register now here: https://franklinin.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=29979

12/06/2025

Have you seen the big gray metal boxes on street corners? They’re traffic signal boxes, and local artists can turn them into colorful public artworks that tell the story of your neighborhood.

In Southdale, artist Christina Hollering painted peony blooms and vining tomatoes as an ode to the Germans who settled in the southside neighborhood and built greenhouses.

If you want to spruce up a signal box near you, you can’t just walk up to it with a brush. The city of Indianapolis owns the boxes. Indy Arts Council runs the city’s Streetcorner Canvases program, which works with neighborhood organizations and nonprofits to develop plans for public art on traffic signal boxes.

Usually, neighborhoods have to raise their own funds to pay the artists, which can cost anywhere from $750 to $2,000. But thanks to new funding from the city and the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors, the Arts Council will pay the artists. Neighborhood organizations and nonprofits based in Marion County can apply for the program until Jan. 4.

📸 Christina Hollering