Ed Leon: Hi, I'm Ed Leon.

Welcome to the 260, where we cover life and community in northeast Indiana.

On this episode, we'll go up, up and away to the Angola Balloons Aloft Festival.

A conversation with Dan Ross one of the leaders of Fort Waynes arts and culture community, and the signature event that brings out artists from all across the region.

It's all right now on the 260.

For one weekend every summer, the skies above Steuben County turn into one of the most colorful sites in Indiana, Angola Balloons Aloft brings dozens of hot air balloons, glowing nighttime displays, cars, music, food, and family fun to Northeast Indiana.

Joining us today is committee member Jim Owen, who helps make this remarkable event.

Take flight.

Welcome to the 260, Jim.

Jim Owen: Well thank you.

Ed: So tell me, how is the festival evolved over 17 years?

Jim: Well, it was originally introduced by Marsha and Walt Drewes, and the original intent was to not only bring a free family event to the area, but also to bring attention to the airport that was in dire need of a new terminal building.

But it's now held at Angola High School, right?

We moved to Angola High School.

We achieved our goal of getting a new terminal building for the area, which was built of an expense of about 1.3 million dollars years ago, but then we outgrew the facility.

So Angela High School stepped in and has really been a good partner.

All right.

A lot of balloons, but talk about some of the other elements of the festival.

Sure.

Well, obviously you can only keep the balloons in the air for a certain amount of time.

We have five competition flights, and we need some other things to fill the gaps.

So we have food vendors.

We have the classic car show.

This year we're going to bring back the characters for the kids, which is the Frozen characters, Bluey and Captain America.

Those are always a big hit.

Ed: Are those balloons or are they characters walking around?

Jim: They're going to be characters walking around that the kids can meet get their photographs taken with.

We also have the Kids Fun Zone, which is a huge, huge hit.

And and then the other piece is just smaller events throughout that just kind of piecemeal and just kind of keep everything flowing.

Do you have those special character balloons coming?

Jim: Yes Typically we have 28 competition balloons and five special shaped balloons.

And then this year we're also going to have balloon rides.

This is a larger basket balloon that has the ability to hold 12 to 15 people.

And you can sign up on the website for those rides.

Awesome.

You talked about the competitions.

How did these balloon competitions work?

Explain how that works.

Jim: Sure.

Well, basically, our competition director, Phil Klinger, they have their own set of rules, whether they're leaving the airport or, sorry, at the airport, but leaving the high school and coming back in.

So when you're coming back in, that's probably the one that's the most noticeable from a competition standpoint, because there's a pole grab.

So there's two things with that.

Number one, they try to grab the pole to get a pretty fantastic prize.

Or they also drop bean bags from their baskets and then they're scored basically on how close they hit the target.

All right.

You brought us some really cool pictures.

And we're going to put some of these up as as we talk.

So there's the competition.

And is the balloon design important in these in these who designs them.

These people bring in their own balloons.

They have them in the garage and they bring in a balloon.

Well, the cost of the balloons are in the tens of thousands of dollars.

And I'm not a balloonist, so I would just speculate.

But I think a lot of it has to do with personal preference.

And, you know, as as a enthusiast, I would think that aerodynamics plays a role.

But but yeah, these pilots are professionals.

They do this all over the country and they're quite good.

Ed: And how does weather factor in?

Jim: Well the primary thing for weather is wind speed.

Obviously if we're getting thunderstorms or rain that that just kind of grounds everything.

But we also have a, you know, a weather person on site that basically coordinates with the competition director and says, okay, yes, it's we're good to go.

We're in a holding stage while we wait for winds to clear the area.

But basically, wind speed is the primary concern.

But even when we don't fly for the competition, that doesn't mean that we can't do the glow.

Yeah, talk about that.

Those have become very popular.

Right?

Jim: Sure.

So the glow obviously happens after sundown.

So typically we get some help from Mother Nature because winds typically die down once we're at dusk.

Ed: That's beautiful.

Do they all light up or is it just a certain number of.. Jim: No, What we do is because we do two glows.

We do half on Friday night and half on Saturday night.

So they're all numbered.

So odds one night, evens the other night.

And we have some of our pilots that just are so enthusiastic about it.

And they love putting on a show that even if it's not their night, sometimes they'll glow both nights.

So how many times have you been up in those babies?

Never with the event.

When I was a kid, I had a neighbor who had a balloon and went up with him, but I am.

It's kind of funny for me being as part of a balloon event.

I'm scared to death.

Okay.

All right.

I don't want to freak you out.

So talk a little bit about the impact that this has in the community and the economy.

Angola.

Sure.

So a few things.

You know, the economic impact is just phenomenal for the area.

We, you know, the area gets about $1 million on an event weekend in direct impact to the community, in addition to another quarter million dollars in food and beverage sales and another $100,000 in direct retail sales.

And those numbers really don't include local residents.

That's everything for people that are coming in from out of the area.

By the way, do the balloons all take off from Angola High School in all land back there, or is there some other place?

Jim: No.

Yeah.

Depending on what the weather situation is, that is largely what determines whether they're going to launch from the high school or whether they're going to fly in.

And we basically try to alternate so that the spectators are getting both the best.

The best of both.

Ed: The important thing to know it's free for everybody.

Right.

Jim: Correct.

Alright, what do you what do you hope to see in.

Maybe you know what.

When people go, what do you hope they leave away with the experience?

Would they take away.

Jim: Well, number one, just, you know how opening and inviting the community is.

You know, a lot of these people come in.

And specifically for the event, we've had people that really comment on how outgoing the community is and those types of things.

So really just, you know, what the community has to offer besides the event, because our hope is that we're going to draw attention to the area, not just the event.

Ed: Right.

Well, you know, it seems like it's one of the signature events of the summer season here.

Angola of Balloons Aloft takes place July 10th and 11 at Angola High School.

Admission is free.

Parking is free.

Put your screens down.

Grab the family.

Enjoy one of the signature events in the 260.

My next guest is retiring this fall after a 43 year career in Fort Wayne.

Arts and culture.

From performing on stage with the Philharmonic to helping transform the arts, United Center and arts campus into regional cultural destinations, his fingerprints are on many of the projects that have reshaped downtown Fort Wayne.

He is Dan Ross, and as he prepares to retire as CEO of Arts United, we want to take a moment to celebrate a career that has helped define the role of arts and culture in our community.

Dan, welcome to The 260 sir.

Dan: Thank you very much.

Ed: Not bad for a horn player.

Dan: Yea, that is true.

It's been it's been a while.

Yes.

Yeah.

Ed: Did you.

Ever imagine your career trajectory going going the way it has?

Dan: I that is such a great question.

And no, I did not.

And it is interesting when you get to be a certain age and you kind of look back at the path that you traveled and just think, this has been a really interesting path.

And I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunities to do the things that I've done.

But no, never anticipated.

When I was studying the trumpet back in Indiana University, where where that would lead.

Ed: Yeah.

And did you you were in administration at the Philharmonic for a lot of years, too.

Right.

So was that the first step away from being a musician?

Yeah, absolutely.

So I moved to Fort Wayne in 1983 to play trumpet for the Philharmonic.

But in 1989, I joined the staff of the Philharmonic as orchestra personnel manager and started to see the role of the Philharmonic in the community.

As more than that and the ways that the Philharmonic serves the community through its education programs and all of the ways that it embraces community activities.

And then as I move to Arts United, I really started to expand upon that idea of just how arts and culture really helps impact this community, both in the lives of the individuals, but also in the economic development as a driver of attracting talent, attracting businesses to our community.

You need to have a vibrant arts and cultural scene to make that happen.

And so it's just for me, it's been an interesting sort of transition of my own personal recognition of the roles and and the opportunities that I've had.

Yeah.

So so for those who might not know, explain what Arts United is represent does represent in the community.

Yeah.

So Art United was founded originally we were called the Fine Arts Foundation back in the 50s.

This community made the decision that we needed an organization that helps support arts and culture.

And and I think it was very forward thinking of our community leaders back in the 50s to make that decision.

A big part of it was to provide facility support.

We had a fledgling ballet company and civic theater and philharmonic that were just developing needed spaces, you know, in which to perform.

And so the development of the Arts campus was one of the first major drivers of the creation of the organization.

And so the development of the campus was a huge project for this community that originally was conceived in the late 50s.

Lou Khan was hired as the architect in 1961.

It took the entire decade of the 60s to raise the funds to engage in the project, and then the Arts United Center was constructed and opened in 1973.

So it was a long process, but that was one of the initial major drivers of why the Fine Arts Foundation was created.

But during that time also began a fund drive to do that United Way for the Arts concept.

Got it.

And so for several decades, that was an important role that Art United played in that funding role.

But over the last 40 years, I would say Arts United has taken on business services, a shared health insurance program, for instance, that 20 some organizations participate in a variety of business services.

Ed: All all to to help the arts.

Yeah, absolutely.

And the whole goal behind those shared services is to provide services that organizations need, where they are.

And not every organization needs support with payroll services.

They can do that for themselves.

But for many organizations, that's a really valuable service.

For many organizations, the health insurance is a really valuable service.

Ed: Well, I want to talk a little bit about your projects because you stepped into Arts United during those fundraising campaigns.

And I'm going to ask you an unfair question.

What are you most proud of and of all the things that you have accomplished in your time?

Well, I, I've been with Arts United for 17 years, and I will say that during that time I feel like we've had just tremendous leadership, tremendous staff members.

When I started, Jim Sparrow was our chief executive.

I followed Susan Mendenhall as chief executive.

I felt like both of them were tremendous leaders, but fantastic staff and fantastic board members.

You know, we've had just a really well-run organization.

Ed: But you're being a little humble because you brought you've carried the ball over the line on a couple of projects, right?

Dan: Yeah.

And thank you for that.

And it's it's exciting to be in that position.

I was honored to be asked to fill in to that, to step into that role.

And yeah, we had done a lot of work before I became CEO and a lot of work by a lot of people, a lot of staff members, a lot of board leadership.

But yeah, I was honored to be able to step in and and lead the team as we finished the project and move across the finish line, because there is there is a lot of work to do in a major project, as.

You know.

Ed: Right.

And so the, the Auer Center was, was one was one of the projects.

Talk about that one a little bit Dan: Yea, So the Auer center that started when Jim Sparrow was chief executive and he actually hired me to come in as VP of Community Development to lead the fundraising efforts for that particular campaign.

And I was really proud of that, because I felt that that really helped to submit the concept of a campus for the arts.

Just the location of the building right across the street from the Art United Center and the Museum of Art.

It was the former Nipsco building the gas company had built it, right, but it was really perfect space for an arts organization.

Ed: And the remodeling or the refurbishing of the Arts United Center.

Dan: Yeah.

And so that was a huge project that was about ten years in the making.

You know, from the time we started feasibility studies and focus groups looking at what did we really need to achieve, what could we afford to do?

How do we how do we navigate those pieces?

And then up to when we actually started construction.

And so there was that was a long road, again, with a lot of people doing a lot of heavy lifting to get it done.

But that's something I'm really proud of.

The work that we as a community came together to do to make that happen.

This community really steps up where they see a need and where they see value.

Yeah.

Ed: What do you what do you hope for your successor?

Dan: Well, I'm honestly excited for the future of Art United and what my successor will be able to do.

And part of the reason I felt like this is the right time for me to retire.

Just on a personal level.

It's the right time.

My wife retired about a year and a half ago, and it's just it's the right time for us, but also for the organization.

We've finished the big project.

Ed: Yes Dan: The renovation And expansion.

Ed: By the way, what does that mean to you personally that you were able to to finish that project?

Oh, it's it's very, very gratifying.

And just what that building can do for the people of this community and the organizations that utilize it.

I'm just really excited about it.

When I walk into that building and see the new accessibility features, the upgraded technology, you know, when I walked in that building, I think this building truly is here to serve the people of this community and make arts experiences accessible for all people of the community.

That was the goal of that project, and I and I feel good about the fact that we have in fact, achieved that through this project.

But you'd ask me about what about the future.

And I and I just feel like Arts United is poised for the future, and we're engaged in strategic planning right now as an organization.

I'll be involved in the early part of that strategic planning, but then pass the baton to that next leader.

And hopefully in the in the fall, that leader will be in place.

Work with our board, work with our staff for finalizing.

Now, what is that plan for what's next?

And I just I feel like there's so much opportunity.

The community is thriving and arts and culture are just a vital component of the success of this community.

So I'm excited about the opportunities for my successor.

Ed: Alright, Dan Ross is the president and CEO of Arts United, and we're glad to have him on the 260.

Thank you Dan.

Dan: Thank you so much, Apreciate it For one weekend every summer, downtown Fort Wayne becomes an outdoor canvas.

Thousands of people come together to watch artists transform Main Street into a colorful celebration of creativity.

Chalk walk has become one of the city's signature summer traditions.

And joining us today is Ashley Stoneburner, the vice president and chief development officer of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

Welcome to the 260.

Thank you so much for having me Ed.

Ashley, this this event has become such a capture the imagination of the city for 25 years.

Going now strong.

What's the magic behind this thing?

Yeah, we started in 2000.

So you're right.

It's been a long loved to tradition in the community.

And it's really more about community.

And the art is just a vehicle to help bring the community together.

Ed: How did the event originally begin?

It began with a group of artists that wanted to showcase their works, and the Fort Wayne Museum of Art was a perfect partner to make that happen.

Ed: So what makes this unique?

I mean, the idea of of just this, this incredible art all around.

All around the music is it all goes all around the museum in front of the museum?

Ashley: It's in front of the art museum on Main Street.

We mark off hundreds of squares, eight by eights and four by fours.

There's a really mathematical process of laying the squares on Friday night and marking the corners and numbering and coating them so everybody knows where to go for their spot.

Yeah.

Ed: So you we have some wonderful pictures that let's put the pictures up and, and as we, as we talk about this.

So those are those, those are the squares there.

And is it is it people with artistic skills or is it anybody?

Ashley: It's all the above.

The partners first Federal Credit Union Chalk Walk event is all participants from the community.

We have many squares that are sponsored by companies.

Maybe their kids or their families or loved ones participate.

And then we have families that participate with multiple children or those that have participated since the very beginning.

And so they come back every year with with plans to do something bigger and better.

Ed: And this is based on an old kind of like a style of painting from Italy, right?

Ashley: Correct.

It is.

Yes, exactly.

Ed: Okay.

From the 16th century, I didn't, I wanted you to pronounce it.

Ashley: Yeah, I didn't practice.

All right.

I'm going to give it a shot here because it's all right.

Imadonnari?

Oh, that sounds good.

Imadonnari.

Street painting?

Ashley: Yes.

Okay, well, somebody will call and correct and correct us.

All right.

So we also have some pictures of some.

There's some themes right in competition.

So this is from last year and this is this one was called Paint the Town graphics.

Ashley: Yes.

They participate every year as a sponsor.

So we usually have set categories such as trompe l'oeil and art from the collection.

But then Ed: Oh theres Tromp Loeil Ashley: But then we also have new themes each year, such as Candyland or the 250th anniversary for America.

So people get really creative with their ideas, which is a lot of fun.

Ed: That is awesome.

And then now they put a lot of work into this, right?

Hours and hours of work.

Ashley: Yep.

Ed: What happens to them after the event is over?

Ashley: It's it's kind of just the nature of the event.

We, the city opens, the streets back up and people start driving down.

And if it rains, it rains and.

Ed: And all that gets washed away?

It.

Yep.

Ed: Oh, I feel it, I feel it.

Ashley: I know What now?

What are some of your favorite memories of this event?

You've been there.

You've been there a while.

Yeah, well, I think I mentioned a moment ago partners first federal credit Union.

They sponsor the entire event.

And that hasn't just happened overnight, but it's grown over time and we have such an amazing relationship with them.

So they bring water out for the entire weekend.

They do the activity tent and their names on.

So it's really a lovely partnership with them where it feels like a family run event.

It's so much fun to just see young and old and a lot of the same faces every year that love this event.

It is just such a strong tradition in our community.

People get kind of serious about it, which is pretty cool.

But there's a lot of levity too, because there's so many elements.

You're outside the weather.

You could get a square that has some imperfections that you have to work around, and people are always really good natured about that and kind of run with it.

Ed: So they kind of build it into their art.

Ashley: Yeah.

Ed: That's awesome.

How many people are expected to come down and see the art?

Ashley: We have nearly 40,000 every year that come out to see the Fort Wayne Museum of Art Chalk Walk event.

It's a huge draw.

And even without Three Rivers, we continue to strive to be a Fort Wayne friendly free attraction that's community centered.

Ed: Yea talk a little bit about what that means to the community and it's it adds to the quality of life in town.

Ashley: Absolutely.

I mean, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art were pretty affordable in terms of our admission price, but this event is completely free if you want to come down and walk the street and see the art.

Grab a water bottle from Partners First Federal Credit Union that there's absolutely no charge to participate.

The Chalk Walk squares themselves are really affordable.

We even give every participant a goodie bag with a chalk box and some swag inside.

So we want to continue to make it really accessible to the public and to everyone in the community that loves this event.

Ed: Wow, As you as we wrap it up here.

What do you want people to to to take away from from the event and invite them down there?

Yes.

Please come.

Please come check it out.

Without Three Rivers Festival, we're still happening.

The Fort Wayne Museum of Art partners first federal Credit Union chalk walk is still happening.

There's so many great sponsors, so many great artists.

Again, young students up to seasoned professionals.

You're not going to regret it.

If the work we saw is any indication.

It's like there's going to be a lot of, you know, jaws dropping.

Yeah, the Chalk Walk is free to attend and it takes place Saturday and Sunday, July 11th and 12th at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art on Main Street in downtown Fort Wayne.

Go check out this signature celebration of creativity and community in the 260.

Ashley, thank you so much.

Thank you so much for having me.

All right.

That's it for this episode.

Please take a moment to appreciate the folks that made this show possible, and we'll see you next time.