BROAD RIPPLE — This Veterans Day, the Indy Art Center is continuing to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
That's by working with veterans, service members, Veteran Affairs personnel and their families through a variety of programs, all meant to bring the military community together through art.
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"It took my mind off of the pain that I live with every day," David Youngblood stated.
Youngblood is a former Marine and member of the last cohort of ArtTroop. He told WRTV he joined at the insistence of friends.
“I had been told that this would be good for me, that it would help me take my mind off my pain," Youngblood explained. "And it did. It really worked.”
"It touches everybody in some way," Gina Lee Robbins, Lead Instructor for the ArtTroop program, said. “I think it gives them the opportunity to just feel welcome and feel the sense of belonging.”
Robbins has been working with the program for several years. She said her goal is to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive space for veterans to come and work through whatever they need.
“Art in general has a way of shutting off the noise that’s going on in your world," Robbins explained. "So they’re able to immerse themselves into something brand new in a lot of cases.”
“It’s a chance for members of the military community, veterans, and service members to come and explore creativity for themselves," Becca Nisenbaum, Director of Community Programs for the art center, said.
Right now, some of that creativity is on display at the "Military Community Creations" exhibit in the Katharine B. Sutphin Community Gallery at the center.
“[It] includes over 70 different military-connected individuals: those are veterans, service members, military-family members, VA personnel," Nisenbaum said.
If you take a walk through the exhibit, you'll see a variety of ideas, passions and memories all on display. Whether that's through paintings, sculptures, or even mosaics, these military personnel are giving back to the community once again - this time through their art.
“I see things that I can do," Youngblood said. "Not to the level of skill that I see on the wall, but it’s something that gives me a goal to work towards.”
“They’ve given a tremendous sacrifice by putting themselves out there and I just don't know that we recognize that enough," Robbins stated.
“The goal is to continue to find new ways to bring people together, new ways to connect - not just one time of year, all throughout the year," Nisenbaum said.
Applications for the Spring 2026 ArtTroop cohort are now open. For more information, you can go to the Indy Art Center's website.
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Casey Zanowic is the In Your Community reporter for North Side Indy. She joined WRTV in July of 2025. Casey has a passion for storytelling and is ready to showcase impactful stories that make a difference in her community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Casey by emailing her at casey.zanowic@wrtv.com.
