Michigan City is known as one of the Region’s most popular tourist destinations for a variety of reasons. One of Michigan City’s most prominent attractions, Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA), has stood as a cultural hub in Michigan City for almost five decades.
LCA’s influence can be felt beyond the walls of its galleries. LCA puts on educational and community outreach programs that enable as many people as possible to experiment with, learn about, and celebrate a wide array of artistic media and techniques. This year, community members can look forward to an extensive lineup of fun and exciting LCA programs and events.
LCA Marketing Manager Jessie Sexton recognizes the important role that the art center plays in bringing members of the Michigan City community together.
"The programs we offer at LCA have a positive impact on our community and its members," Sexton said. "The free events, tours, and programming we offer are funded through donations and grants to help uplift community members. Our programs introduce people to new ways they can experience the arts and give them an outlet to explore their own creativity. We try to make LCA accessible to everyone because our goal is to be a creative hub for the community. We inspire others and they inspire us; everything plays off of each other."
The Teen Art Council (TAC), one of LCA’s biggest programs, is a free program that allows teens aged between 13 and 18 to attend workshops led by local artists. During these sessions, the students learn how to create art with a variety of media as well as tips on pursuing a successful career as an artist. The students are provided with the materials they will need to create their next masterpieces.
At the end of this year-long program, the students get to sell the art they made during their time in TAC at the annual Lubeznik Art Festival. The students get practice marketing their artwork to potential customers and receive 100% of the proceeds.
This marks the 43rd year that LCA will be hosting the Lubeznik Art Festival, where over 80 artists come from across the country to present and sell their art. These creators’ wares range from sculpture and photography to paintings and fiber artwork. The Lubeznik Art Festival features a family tent where attendees of all ages can create art pieces and a community mural that all visitors can add their own personal touch to. Artist applications for the Lubeznik Art Festival are currently open and will remain so until April 3.
LCA’s free-of-charge “art pop-ups” also number among the center’s most prominent community outreach initiatives. In an effort to extend its programming to as many individuals as possible, LCA partners with organizations like local churches, Michigan City and La Porte schools, and the YMCA to offer art classes. Although these organizations occasionally bring their members to LCA for the classes, it is more common for LCA art instructors to teach at each partner organization’s respective location.
LCA recently established a partnership with the Girl Scouts of Michiana and Girl Coalition of Indiana, a newly-formed, Indiana-based offshoot of the Girl Scouts of America. This partnership enables Girl Scouts to earn merit badges by participating in LCA activities and provides members of Girl Coalition with access to career fairs and mentorship opportunities.
The Lindsey O’Brien Kesling Wishing Tree Foundation (LOK) honors the memory of its namesake, Lindsey O’Brien Kesling, a 22-year-old woman who tragically passed away from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in 2010. As it raises awareness for the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, LOK also helps support young artists in their endeavors. LOK partners with LCA to put on the annual Young Artist Expo, which showcases the work of artists aged 8 to 18. They discuss their artwork with Nelsy Marcano, education director for LCA, and title and price their pieces with her help. Over 80 young artists participated in last year’s installment.
LOK also partners with LCA and the Michigan City Fire Department to hold carbon monoxide awareness seminars at local schools and LCA’s partner organizations. Each family that attends a workshop gets to take a free carbon monoxide detector home with them.
Upon noticing that LCA’s programming lacked content for senior citizens, LCA staff members decided to fill that need. In 2024, they applied for an Indiana Arts Commission grant that would enable the art center to fund programming for senior citizens. After receiving the grant, LCA began offering Creative Aging, an eight-week art course, at five local retirement communities.
During these classes, the residents tried their hands at techniques like print-making, engraving, and collaging, all using material that was provided by LCA. With the help of an extension on the grant, LCA has been able to continue offering Creative Aging through March of this year.
For many years, LCA has partnered with the Michigan City branches of Paladin, Inc. and the Social and Learning Institute, two organizations that offer care for individuals who have cognitive disabilities. Once a week, clients from these organizations are brought to LCA where they can create sculptures, mosaics, and even mixed media artwork under the tutelage of an LCA instructor. The students’ work is then featured in an art show in LCA’s community gallery. This program is an excellent opportunity for participants to get out into the community and interact with others as they explore their creativity.
During the run of each new exhibition, LCA hosts an annual Free Family Day. These events permit families to come and enjoy LCA’s latest exhibition and participate in related activities. This year’s Free Family Day will be on May 24 and will allow families to enjoy LCA’s current exhibition featuring the work of artists Jessica Labatte and Cecil McDonald Jr.: “Ordinary Wonders.” Labatte and McDonald’s still-life photographs highlight family and domesticity as they turn seemingly mundane subjects into striking and touching symbols. Families will be able to enjoy an LCA-wide scavenger hunt, art projects, and plenty of snacks during this fun event.
Marcano looks forward to helping produce more programs that enrich the local community both artistically and culturally.
“Local residents don't have to go to Chicago to experience world-class art,” Marcano said. “LCA is open six days a week and there is no admission fee. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we are in a unique position to bring our programming to the community with the help of grants and other resources that we actively seek out. We want to welcome anyone who is interested in seeing the world class art that our community has to offer. Our programs are geared to expand community members’ art-making capabilities, so we're constantly trying to come up with unique and exciting experiences for them.”
You can learn more about the Lubeznik Center for the Arts’ upcoming events by visiting lubeznikcenter.org.