Join us this summer for our 44th Lubeznik Arts Festival (LAF)! LAF is one of the highlights of summer in Northwest Indiana! Taking place on LCA’s grounds, just steps away from Lake Michigan, LAF connects festival-goers to our dynamic programming and exhibitions. During this year’s festival, we’ll have 80+ artists, food vendors, indoor exhibitions, family activities and live demos. LCA's summer blockbuster exhibition, Kindred Spirits: Margaret Wharton and Betsy Odom, will also be on display inside LCA.
Saturday Admission: $5
Free for LCA members, kids 16 and under, military and veterans
Sunday Admission: FREE Family day thanks to McDonald's of La Porte County
*Service Animals Only*
Time: 10 AM-5 PM (Central)
Exclusive ArtMaker Event: Documentary Film & Discussion
Donors of $500+
We are pleased to invite our donors of $500+ to an exclusive screening of the documentary, I Dreamt of Cowboys, Cottonfields, and Clouds– Bernard Williams, followed by a discussion with Bernard Williams and director Kevin Shaw.
Williams, who has exhibited at Lubeznik Center of the Arts, is an excavator of American history, painter and sculptor Bernard Williams draws inspiration from seminal, but under-appreciated figures such as Black cowboys, farmers, and a unique female aviator. Taking us on a journey from Chicago to Indiana to Alabama, the film follows Williams as he debuts a public art installation and visits a 90-year-old family friend who informs his work.
Originally screened at the MCA, 4×4: Contemporary Art in Chicago, is an annual series of four short documentary films about practicing local artists, each directed by a Chicago-based film maker. The series profiles a diverse array of artists working in different mediums, based in distinct neighborhoods, and at varying stages of their careers. LCA hopes to screen the rest of the films in 2027. We thank Harrison Sherrod of Pentimenti Productions for making the film available.
Contact NGuenin@lubeznikcenter.org to RSVP.
Time: 5-7 PM (Central)
September First Friday
All ages
Join us for an evening of music and art at LCA! Enjoy hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar and a unique musical performance by Joe Rauen!
Joe Rauen is an artist and musician who makes working musical instruments from household items. He transforms watering cans, shovels, canes, olds toy, sports equipment and even the kitchen sink into never-before-seen musical instruments.
As always, admission is free!
LCA's free First Friday events are generously sponsored by Horizon Bank.
Time: 5-8 PM (Central)
Gallery Shop Featured Artist: Floyd Gompf
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"Floyd Land" – Floyd Gompf
Sept. 4-Oct. 12
This exhibition brings together a vibrant collection of furniture, sculpture, ceramics and works on paper, revealing Gompf's playful imagination and inventive approach to making. Rich with humor, color and unexpected combinations of materials, his work invites viewers to see the extraordinary possibilities hidden within the everyday and to appreciate the stories embedded in reclaimed objects.
Working from his eclectic studio in Lakeside, Michigan, Floyd Gompf transforms discarded materials into imaginative works that celebrate craftsmanship, history and reinvention. Drawing inspiration from a lifelong fascination with material and form, Gompf creates work that balances folk art traditions with contemporary sculpture. He is particularly drawn to weathered, painted and distressed wood — materials that carry the marks of time and the stories of previous lives. These surfaces become integral to the finished work, preserving memory while inviting new interpretations.
Gompf began collecting materials from Chicago alleyways, architectural salvage shops and flea markets, experimenting with furniture informed by his background in ceramics and sculpture. His practice has since expanded across multiple disciplines yet remains rooted in the same philosophy: that beauty and meaning can emerge from what others overlook.
Femmes at Full Volume
All ages
Join us for a conversation with acclaimed music photographer Bobby Talamine, interviewed by Michigan City's own Ric Federighi of WIMS Radio. With more than 40 years of concert photography experience, Talamine will discuss his career and his upcoming book, Femmes at Full Volume, celebrating women and female-presenting artists who have shaped the music industry. https://trellispress.com/offsh...
Time: 5-7 PM (Central)
"Kindred Spirits" Free Family Day
All ages
Join us for a FREE day of art-making at LCA! This free, drop-in event welcomes all ages to create their own art project using materials provided by LCA. Plus, kids can enjoy a fun, family-friendly scavenger hunt through LCA’s three galleries, all in a relaxed and welcoming environment.
Family Days are particularly engaging for school-age children and their parents or caregivers. Free snacks will be provided, and no advance registration is required. Free Family Day offers children and adults opportunities to connect while exploring LCA’s summer exhibition, "Kindred Spirits: Margaret Wharton and Betsy Odom."
This program is supported by the generous funding of the Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation (MCCEC).
In our NIPSCO Educational Studios, local artists from around the region exhibit their artwork throughout the year. Each month, you can find different artists' work displayed in the studios. Click the button below to view the upcoming schedule!
Our free First Friday cultural programs take place on the first Friday of each month from 5-8 PM. The annual schedule includes everything from exhibition openings to live music to youth dance performances. All events feature free admission, free food and a cash bar. A typical First Friday sees between 150 and 400 visitors of all ages.
ArtBash Gala
Every June, join us for our annual ArtBash Gala and help support our mission of integrating art, education and community to provide access to compelling exhibitions and programs that explore contemporary ideas. Your support ensures everyone has access to the arts. The night includes an open bar, dinner, a silent auction, dancing and fun!
This popular festival held by Lubeznik Center for the Arts is one of the highlights of summer in Northwest Indiana. It takes place on LCA’s grounds to connect festival-goers to the our dynamic programming and exhibitions. Spend two fun-filled days in the summer with 70+ art vendors, a live mural invitational, indoor exhibitions, family activities, demos, local food vendors and beer and wine!
During the winter, hundreds of our Gallery Shop items spill into the lobby for our Holiday Artisan Market. Lubeznik Center for the Arts annual Holiday Artisan Market, held from late November to early January, is the place to find unique gifts crafted by local artisans including jewelry, ceramics and wearable art. Come celebrate the winter season and support local artists!
