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Choose Indie Art Month:
Keep Celebrating Local Art
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Looking for more inspiration? Please check out our Planning Resources Google Doc.
Feel free to add your questions and new ideas for leveraging this movement into this document (or email jenrisley@amiba.net). We'll treat this as a working document to boost collaboration.
Best,
Jen Risley, Choose Indie Local Coordinator
| | NEW Resource Highlights & Inspiration | | |
20 Ways to Celebrate Artists Sunday
​​​​​From Artists Sunday: Whether you’re an artist, a non-profit organization, or a commercial business, you can play a crucial role in this effort. Engaging the community in art-related activities not only promotes local artists but also enriches the cultural fabric of the community. It creates opportunities for artists to connect with their audience on a personal level, fostering a deeper appreciation for their work.
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Artists Sunday Road Rally
From Studio Patty D: As part of the Shop Indie Local festivities, Geneva, IL artists, studios, and shops supporting local artists will participate in an Artists Sunday Road Rally. The Road Rally is a free, self-guided art tour from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on November 30, 2025. Participating locations will host live demos, art exhibitions, and event specials. Those attending the Road Rally will gather raffle tickets from each location for a chance to win one-of-a-kind prize packages. The inaugural event is brought to you by the individual artists and a grant from the City of Geneva.
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Make Music Winter
​​​​​From Make Music Day: First launched in 2011, Make Music Winter focuses on musical parades that anyone can join, from a procession of strolling ukulele players to a Puerto Rican parranda. Each Make Music Winter city includes at least one mobile event that turns audiences into music makers, free for all to join.
The seventh nationwide Make Music Winter celebration will take place in 20 cities on Sunday, December 21, 2025: all free, joyful, and profoundly participatory.
| | | Past Resource Highlights & Inspiration | | |
29 Benches, 1 Mission:
Washington Residents Step Up To Improve Transit
From Strong Towns: Volunteers built the benches with lumber and paint donated by local businesses. Some of the benches were painted collaboratively by community members, while others were decorated professionally by local artists, including Rose herself.
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Celebrating Fairtrade Murals, Cooperative, and Local Artists
From National Co-op Grocers: Did you know that October is both Co-op Month and Fairtrade Month? A hallmark of Fairtrade America’s “We are Fairtrade” campaign is the installation of public art that highlights the farmers and workers behind products we use every day and a celebration of Fairtrade practices. Check out the gorgeous murals at co-ops around the country:
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Discover more about the newest mural, celebrating Marie Ronette Botramisy
at Sioux Falls Food Co-op (SD) with local artist, Erin Castle.
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Meet the Illustrator:
Nils Britwum
From Planting People Growing Justice (PPGJ): We would like to give a huge shoutout to one of the illustrators who has partnered with PPGJ Books. Nils Britwum brings stories to life with color, creativity, and heart. His work helps readers see themselves on every page.
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Public Art Meets History
From Historical Society of Cheshire County (NH): In June 2019, over 200 Walldogs artists descended on the city of Keene to voluntarily paint 16 historically-themed murals across its cityscape in a matter of 3 days. Learn more about this incredible event as the Historical Society of Cheshire County’s expert storytellers guide visitors around to each mural. Discover some amazing but true stories about the past, which touch upon local, state, and national history.
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Remembrance and Continuance: The Lenape Story in Scranton
From Scranton Tomorrow (PA): The 8,000 square-foot mural at 130 N. Washington Avenue in Scranton is the seventh piece of public art produced through Scranton Tomorrow’s Mural Arts Program... The project explored the forced removal of the Lenape from their ancestral lands in eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and parts of New York and Delaware to Oklahoma and Canada. This effort revealed how little recognition or education there has been about the Lenape as the Indigenous people of the land that we know today as Lackawanna County.
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Stories Unite Us
From American for the Arts: 50 Stories, 50 States is a campaign of Americans for the Arts in celebration of National Arts & Humanities Month 2025. Stories collected will support year-round advocacy and help ensure that the arts and humanities continue to inspire, heal, and unite America.
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Sippin' & Sketchin'
From Harmony Bakeshop: Our drop-in sketch class is every second WEDNESDAY of the month, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, with Loudoun professional artist and instructor Jean McTigue.Each month, Jean focuses on a specific technique in a relaxing, stress-free environment. She's been teaching art in Loudoun for almost 20 years, and she's a personal friend of ours, so we can say with confidence that her talent lies not only in her artwork but especially in sharing the beauty of creating, as well as inspiring and motivating others.
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Art Matters - But Why?
From SaveYour.Town: You are building community and learning how to involve more people in that process. A strong community invites many folks to come to the table. Businesses, nonprofits, civic institutions, and people! Today, I’m sharing about how artists are in that last category. And why they matter.
| | Castle Rock, WA, made great use of a chainlink fence to showcase local artwork. Photo by Lindsey Pope. | | |
The Arts Called...
From American for the Arts: Research demonstrates how participating in the arts benefits our mental health:
▶️ Clinical research shows 45 minutes of artistic activity reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) by 25%
▶️ 60% of Americans report that the arts help them cope during mental or emotional distress
▶️ 69% experience arts as an elevating force beyond everyday experiences
These findings aren’t just statistics—they’re evidence of the arts’ vital role in public health strategy. As organizations increasingly focus on employee well-being, arts programming emerges as a proven tool for stress reduction and emotional resilience.
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Andersonville Arts Weekend
From Andersonville Chamber of Commerce (IL): Join us for the 21st annual Arts Weekend with more than 30 local businesses that will showcase artists from across Chicago. The event kicks off Friday, October 3, with opening parties & artist receptions. Special events continue all weekend long, including the fall Wine Walk on Sunday, October 5. Whether you’re an art lover, a casual explorer, or simply looking to connect with others through creativity, Andersonville Arts Weekend offers an experience for everyone to enjoy. This year’s event is dedicated to the memory of Todd Mack, beloved artist and founder of Foursided, whose visionary spirit and commitment to uplifting fellow creatives helped shape Andersonville’s artistic identity.
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Celebrate Local Art All Month Long
Feel free to adapt and use this post for your own blog or social media post!
“Art is not only about what an artist creates,” said Sarah L. Stewart, N.H. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Commissioner. “It’s also about how that art changes the lives of those who experience it.”
This October, embrace local art during Choose Indie Art Month hosted by the American Independent Business Alliance. Let’s celebrate all types of local artists: crafters, painters, musicians, actors, writers, and others. Also, let’s boast about artists' positive impacts on you, our community, and our local economy.
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Local Bookstore + Local Theatre = PAGE TO STAGE
From Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MA): We called up our friends over at lala books and said “Hey, we should get together and talk about books!” And just like that, a new collaboration was born. Introducing PAGE TO STAGE — a brand-new partnership between Merrimack Repertory Theatre and lala books where we dive deeper into the books that have set the scene for the plays in our season.
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Host a Right2ReadNight During Banned Books Week
October 5-11
From National Coalition Against Censorship: Join us at Right2ReadNight to experience an enchanting gallery of literary wonders. Immerse yourself in the world of banned books and celebrate the freedom to read. Let the power of words inspire and captivate you during this special event.
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Put Your City’s Public Art on the Map
From National League of Cities: Cities across the country have impressive public art collections, but it can be difficult to connect the local community and visitors to local cultural assets and the stories they tell. An online catalogue for public art, the Public Art Archive’s (PAA) free platform helps cities develop a strong presence for their public art collections, critical for education, sharing, and cultivating a sense of inclusion and community belonging.
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Why should communities celebrate? Check out this fantastic list of reasons from Lowcountry Local First (SC).

Artists and creatives make significant contributions to local economies in various ways, including:
1. Job creation: Artists and creatives often require support from additional professionals, such as managers, agents, technicians, designers, and marketers, leading to more local employment opportunities.
2. Cultural tourism and destination branding: Artists and creatives play a vital role in shaping the cultural identity of a place. Their work, performances, exhibitions, and cultural events attract visitors who contribute to the local economy through spending on accommodations, dining, transportation, and other tourism-related activities. A vibrant arts and cultural scene helps create a unique sense of place.
3. Arts organizations and venues: Artists often rely on arts organizations, galleries, theaters, music venues, and performance spaces to showcase their work. These organizations and venues contribute to the local economy by attracting audiences, hosting events, and creating opportunities for artists and creatives to showcase and sell their work.
4. Creative industries and businesses: Artists and creatives are often involved in various creative industries such as film, design, fashion, advertising, architecture, and more. These industries contribute to the local economy by providing employment opportunities, attracting businesses, and driving innovation and entrepreneurship.
5. Innovation and entrepreneurship: Artists and creatives bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and creative problem-solving skills to various industries. They contribute to local economies by driving innovation, inspiring entrepreneurship, and encouraging creative thinking across different sectors.
6. Social and community development: Artists and creatives frequently engage in community projects, public art installations, and social initiatives. These activities enhance community cohesion, social integration, and cultural diversity, making the local area more attractive and inclusive.
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In My Own Backyard
From Arlington Center for the Arts (MA): ACA and the Save Massachusetts Wildlife Education Fund are collaborating again on a series of events focused on art and wildlife conservation in 2025. ACA's Hallway Gallery will feature In Our Own Backyard, an exhibition of work that explores all the wonders of the Mystic River watershed.
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Give a Gift From the Heart
Celebrating local art during Choose Indie Art Month in October elevates the goals of our Shop Indie Local Holiday campaign. We can encourage people to give a gift from the heart and find one-of-a-kind handmade gifts from local artisans and experiences at independent arts venues.
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American Independent
Business Alliance
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