First Friday: IMS and the Harrison Center Host their Annual Porch Party Kick-Off

On May 1st, the Harrison Center and Indianapolis Motor Speedway co-host their annual Porch Party Kick-Off alongside monthly First Friday open studios, food trucks, and live entertainment.

For over a decade, the Harrison Center and IMS have worked together to celebrate Porching, i.e. decorating porches for the 500 festival and spending the start of summer on your front porch with friends. To encourage Hoosiers to host more porch parties and get in the spirit for the month of May, the Harrison Center will be giving away Porch Party Kits, including yard signs, Indy 500 flags, and a variety of Porching and 500 swag while supplies last. These items are also available through the IMS store. 

The Harrison Center will also have their gallery space open for First Friday. These are their upcoming openings:

In the Harrison Gallery, Urushi Odyssey by Nhat Tran. This collection of urushi artworks showcases a centuries-old art form on diverse supports like wood, ceramic, and plexiglass, creating an immersive experience that both delights and educates visitors about its rich history. The “Odyssey” is tied to both the epic journey Tran has undertaken over years of artistic risk-taking and exploration, and to the viewers’ own inner odysseys as they contemplate and interact with these unique pieces.

In the Gallery Annex, If Only… by Dan Thompson. Thompson creates mixed-media paintings and drawings that delve into various themes, such as robots, photography, text, and abstract concepts. Despite the diversity of subject matter, a common thread runs through his work: a playful exploration of creativity. This overarching theme suggests a wishful notion of “if only every idea were good enough to be made.”

In the Speck Gallery, Fast and Curious: Driven by Imagination by Tashema Davis & Emily Phillippe. Created by two artists with distinct yet complementary voices, this exhibition reimagines the culture of racing through a surreal and humorous lens. Tire tracks twist into patterns, mascots and machines blur together, and the familiar symbols of the Indy 500 take on new, peculiar lives.

In the City Gallery, No Turn on Red by Mary Mindiola. This unique collection of works employs magazine paper to depict various street intersections in Indianapolis. The title serves as a metaphor for the conflict between safety-focused regulations and efficiency, and the desire for personal freedom. Representing a forced pause at the corner, one side sees this as a necessary safety measure, while the other perceives it as stifling bureaucratic overreach.

In the Sky Gallery, IMMERSION by Jason Zickler. In his large-scale epoxy resin and acrylic paintings, Jason Zickler layers saturated neon color beneath glass-like resin, an invitation to step inside the surface. Exploring tension between control and spontaneity, these works transform painting from an object to observe into an atmosphere to experience.

In the Underground Gallery, Who is my Neighbor? presented by Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts (RSA), a program of IUPUI’s Arts and Humanities Institute. This year’s exhibit invites participants to explore themes of identity and otherness, inclusion and exclusion, and the challenges of ethical conviction in a complex world. Through dialogue and creative expression, the artists examine what it means to respond to others with care, courage, and empathy.

The evening will also include area and dance performances by Suspended Animation Aerials and the Herron High School Spring Dance Showcase. The Indiana Day Lily Iris Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of daylilies and irises, will continue their juried show featuring locally grown Irises as well. The show will be open for public viewing throughout the night.

Hungry? Grab a bite across the courtyard from the Fiesta on the Go food truck.

All shows will open at 6:00 pm on Friday, May 1st, 2026.  Special Senior Hours are every Friday from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. No appointment is needed.