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Indianapolis kicks off bicentennial prep with logo contest

Indianapolis kicks off bicentennial prep with logo contest

Sierra Hignite | News 8 at 6

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis is preparing to celebrate it’s 200th birthday. One of the first orders of business for Bicentennial Commissions was figuring out what the face of the celebration would be.

The designs for the Indianapolis flag and the sesquicentennial logo were created through an art contest. The Bicentennial Commission asked what better way to choose what a design would look like that represents 200 years of Indianapolis history than by asking the people who have lived through it?

The Indianapolis Bicentennial Logo Contest collected more than 120 designs from a diverse group of artists.

“It is very interesting to see the themes that people come back with. Obviously racing and basketball are big themes, Monument Circle is a big theme,” said Steve Campbell, Indianapolis Bicentennial Commission co-chair.

People who submitted designs for the contest ranged in experience from grade school kids to professional artists.

“We want to represent all of the different types of people and different types of places and events and things that make Indianapolis special,” said Campbell.

Many artists started their designs by pulling from iconic people, places, and events in Indianapolis history.

“The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is just such a prominent figure in Indianapolis and I felt like capturing that would definitely sum up part of the ambiance of Indianapolis,” said artist Joe Sobieralski.

History, legacy and innovation were just some ideas behind artists’ inspiration.

“We wanted those themes to come through in their designs,” said Campbell.

Artists’ own personal experiences within the city also helped to inspire their designs.

“The culture, the vibrancy, the energy that the city has to offer,” said artist Kelly Andrew.

When it came down to making final decisions many artists were faced with the same challenge.

“200 years of history, although that crossed my mind in some rough drafts, difficult to do in a simplistic form,” said Sobieralski.

Artists say Indianapolis has a lot of history to try and tastefully fit into one design.

“I wanted history and legacy and to be able to make a statement about where Indianapolis started to now to the future,” explained Andrew.

According to the commission, the winning design should be picked by the end of the year. An overall winner will receive $5,000, a youth winner will be awarded $1,000, and then votes will be tallied to select a people’s choice winner who will receive $500.