Capturing the beauty of downtown Indianapolis
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Chandu Prem Lal and his viral photo of Lady Victory during the total solar eclipse. Photos: Courtesy of Chandu Prem Lal
Chandu Prem Lal says downtown Indianapolis is his primary muse whenever he picks up his camera.
Why it matters: The arts and culture community has become a major component of downtown's growth strategy and a powerful way to tell the city's story with style.
Driving the news: Lal, a photographer who also works at the Indiana Department of Health, was recently honored with the Downtown Indy Alliance Arts and Culture Visionaries Award for his ability to capture Indy's good side.
What he's saying: For Lal, who moved to Indianapolis from India amid the pandemic to pursue a master's degree in health informatics at IU Indianapolis, getting the award was a full-circle moment.
- "I am someone who does this for pure passion. I don't get paid for my work. I just love going out and taking pictures. And when they reached out, it felt like the city was saying, 'We see what you're doing,'" Lal told Axios. "I was at the (State of Downtown) event last year in the back taking pictures. But this year I felt like the tables turned, and it felt unreal."
Reality check: The latest Indiana Creative Economy Report identifies the state's art and culture industry as an "overlooked economic engine" in need of cultivation.
- Despite the creative economy's ability to help attract and retain the talent needed for city stakeholders to achieve their goal of boosting downtown population by 20,000 over the next decade, the arts and cultural production industries generated just 2% of Indiana's gross state product in 2022.
- That's 54% below the national average and a percentage that ranks Indiana 47th nationally.
Zoom in: Lal's photos capturing downtown Indianapolis at night have built a strong following on social media.
- He also went viral last spring when his stunning shot of the Lady Victory during the total solar eclipse collected more than 2 million views and became the most up-voted post on the Indianapolis Subreddit.
What's next: He wants to do his part to raise Indy's profile as a place where all creators can thrive.
- "I feel like Indy has this incredible mix of big events and everyday life," he said. "So my dream is to show that and help put Indianapolis on the creative map."
Check him out: On Instagram.
Go deeper: How Indianapolis is fighting crime with creativity