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Local artists set to perform ahead of Taylor Swift’s Eras stop

Local artists to perform during Eras weekend

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indy Arts Council is turning downtown Circle City into one big music festival as one of the biggest music stars in the world makes her own stop in Indianapolis.

Over 130 local artists will be performing their original works during the Taylor Swift Eras Tour weekend starting Friday through Sunday. It’s called the Swift City Sessions.

Taylor Swift is expected to draw more than 200,000 people during her three-day stay, and the city is planning pop-up performances to put local artists in the spotlight, too.

Singer Teresa Reynolds is one of the performers, and says this chance to perform is exciting. “It’s exciting to spotlight me and other musicians who are also songwriters and it gives us a chance to kind of shine, too.”

Artists will perform in 13 high-traffic locations, as a nod to Taylor’s lucky number. Some of the locations include the Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis Arts Garden, and Monument Circle.

Reynolds described the music she’ll be playing this weekend as an “eclectic melting pot.”

“Disco is in my heart, but there’s also jazz, and soul. It’s really an eclectic melting pot of whatever moves me,” she said.

Performances will take place in the afternoon on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, all in the hours leading up to the Taylor Swift concerts.

Melissa Rowe, Indy Arts Council’s director of marketing and communications, said, “It’s a special opportunity to highlight our local performers leading into Taylor Swift herself. We’ll have everything from acoustic sets to instrumental groups to spoken word artists and poetry.”

Rowe adds that all the artists performing will be paid equitably.

Musical Family Tree and INSPIRE Music Collective curated pop-up performances. One of the coordinators, Kati Taylor, says there’s something for everyone. “It’s a great opportunity for everyone to share their art with everyone–this out-of-town audience–and show everyone what a music city Indianapolis really is,” she said.

Aside from musical performances, there will be Taylor Swift-themed artmaking activities led by local artists at the Indianapolis Artsgarden, which includes decorating cowboy and cowgirl hats and glasses.

The Taylor Swift Eras Tour is expected to generate a nine-figure economic impact on the city.

Reynold and her band, the Slicktones, will be performing at Luger Plaza at 1 p.m. Saturday, and at 3:15 p.m. at the Bicentennial Plaza.