IMS calls for artists ahead of the 2025 Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Artists can now apply to create the 2025 “Welcome Race Fans” artworks for the Indianapolis 500. 

On Wednesday, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indy Arts Council released the call for artists to be a part of the Hoosier hospitality that welcomes visitors to Indianapolis throughout the Month of May.

Artists in central Indiana have until 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 3 to submit their application.

• To register for an account and begin the online application process, click here.

Organizers say five artists will be selected from the applicant pool to create the 2025 welcoming artwork. Each of the selected artists will create a piece of original artwork, to be placed throughout the city, using their own unique processes and styles to showcase the intersection of art and motorsports. 

New this year: two- and three-dimensional art pieces, such as sculptures, carvings, and papercraft will be considered.

“The Welcome Race Fans art is one of the first things visitors to the city of Indianapolis see during the Month of May,” IMS President Doug Boles said in a release. “From the neighbors who call Indy home to the thousands who flock to IMS from across the globe, the Welcome Race Fans pieces add to the excitement and anticipation of May.”

Organizers say the Welcome Race Fans artwork has exemplified what May means to Indianapolis since 2016. Each year, central Indiana artists are challenged to bring to life what “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” means to the Racing Capital of the World. 

In years past, some artists utilized vibrant colors with bold strokes and others manipulated computer coding. IMS officials say all Welcome Race Fans artists rely on their own personal connections to “tell the beautifully unique story of Indianapolis and its culture.”

The 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is Sunday, May 25, 2025.

Click here to learn more about the contest and meet the 2024 Welcome Race Fans artists.