Join Monumental Gestures for the second public conversation of The Monument Knows, a public humanities and civic research project exploring the histories, meanings, and future possibilities of Monument Circle and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown Indianapolis.

Public Conversation No. 1 asked what a monument is, and what kind of monument the Soldiers & Sailors Monument is. This upcoming event, Public Conversation No. 2, will ask how the Monument is used today and what it means to the people who gather there. The Circle is the city's visual icon. It is also a site of reverence, protest, and celebration, and the daily backdrop for the people who work, live, and serve downtown.

Taylor Schaffer, President and CEO of Downtown Indy Alliance, will speak to the ways the Monument anchors civic life and provides a stage for many different audiences and events, from Circle of Lights to SPARK on the Circle to the daily rhythm of downtown.

Blaine Zimmerman, Chief Talent and Marketing Officer at Indy Chamber, U.S. Army veteran, and infantry officer in the Indiana National Guard, will speak to the Monument's role in the lives of veterans and active service members today.

Sampson Levingston, creator and host of Through2Eyes Indiana Walk and Talk, will moderate.

Following the conversation, Sampson will lead a walking tour of the Circle. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, as the tour will take place outdoors on paved surfaces.

Developed by Monumental Gestures in partnership with Merritt Chase, The Monument Knows invites residents to engage with one of Indianapolis's most iconic public spaces through conversation, research, and storytelling. The project asks a simple but deep question: What does the monument know?

This event is the second in a four-part public conversation series. Thanks to a grant from the Mellon Foundation, we offer it without cost to you. Learn more at askthemonument.org.

Getting there. → The Indy Chamber offices are on the 22nd floor of Salesforce Tower. Enter at 111 Monument Circle. Volunteers will be in the lobby to direct you through the turnstiles to the elevators. Please arrive by 4:50 p.m. so the program can start on time.