PBS NewsHour spotlights Fort Wayne’s public art scene

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - PBS NewsHour recently highlighted Fort Wayne in its new arts and culture series for its focus and investment in public art.

PBS spoke with Alexandra Hall of Art This Way, the group responsible for bringing a total of 37 public art projects to the Fort Wayne area. Art This Way has collaborated with local, national, and international artists to create a more vibrant cityscape.

Most recently, the group worked with Fort Wayne artist Lena Balger, who is a Ukrainian immigrant, to create a fifteen-foot-wide sculpture that incorporated Ukrainian symbolism. They say the unique design of the sculpture is meant to encourage the public to engage with the piece, with signage that allows visitors to donate to Ukrainian refugees.

“What we wanted to do with the Art This Way program was create a place where public art could be about anything, and it didn’t need to necessarily be about Fort Wayne,” Hall said in the interview with PBS.

In an effort to make these public art pieces accessible, the group has also added tactile signs to several murals that include a QR code that can be scanned to access an audio file of the artist describing their work.

Hall spoke about how the murals and sculptures help breathe new life into the ever-developing downtown area, as well as help create more pedestrian-friendly spaces.

She ends the interview by saying although she has worked on projects in other areas like New York and Pennsylvania, she doesn’t plan on leaving the Summit City. You can read more about Art This Way here.

Watch the PBS NewsHour segment below.

Copyright 2023 WPTA. All rights reserved.