Mariah Ivey
INDIANAPOLIS 2025 - 2026
Muraled as a “Keeper of Culture” in downtown Indianapolis, Mariah Ivey is a writer, poet, musician, and curator deeply rooted in the city’s vibrant arts scene. A 2016 Art & Soul alumna, Ivey founded the genre-bending hip-hop/soul collective We Are TribeSouL in 2017 while continuing her work as a spoken word artist. She has performed at iconic venues such as The Vogue, The Jazz Kitchen, and the Madam Walker Theatre, and has been featured at signature events such as TEDxIndianapolis, Chreece Hip-Hop Festival, REV Indy, Butter Fine Art Fair, and more. Ivey has opened for artists including Arrested Development, Anthony Hamilton, and Beverly Bond, founder of Black Girls Rock. Beyond the stage, she is passionate about creating accessible, community-centered arts experiences. She has curated numerous exhibitions and events, including "The Re-Up: An Art and Wellness Festival", and the long-running "That Peace Open Mic". In 2025, she partnered with the Arts Council of Indianapolis to re-exhibit her latest body of work, Nourishing Well: Black Women and the Poetics of Sacred Space, at Gallery 924—highlighting nine local artists across disciplines to explore poetry and visual art as a practical response to harm and a pathway to connection. Ivey holds a B.A. in Africana Studies and Philosophy, an M.A. in English Creative Writing from Indiana University Indianapolis and was a 2023/24 Intercultural Leadership Institute (ILI) Fellow.
COMMUNITY PROJECT
Call & Response: Language, Wellness, & Community as Freedom was created in collaboration between Mariah Ivey and their community partner, the Center for Black Literature & Culture (CBLC) at the Indianapolis Central Library. The project will consist of a series of workshops, performances, panels, and activations rooted in literacy, imagination, and communal care. Call & Response is dedicated to adult learners (ages 18+) who have had limited access to books, reading/writing tools, and imaginative spaces that nurture voice, vision, and self-determination.
This project is guided by two commitments: literacy as liberation—reading, writing, and storytelling as practices of resistance, survival, and empowerment—and communal care & wellness—reframing the library as a sacred third space where healing and connection can flourish. As a poet, writer, and musician, Mariah Ivey understands the power of language to not only shape how we see and move through the world, but how we create the worlds we need.
Guided by the themes of writers like Audre Lorde, Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, Alice Walker, bell hooks, and more, the gatherings will be grounded in an ethic of love, radical care, and imagination. The outcomes may include a community anthology or zine, a poetry/prose exhibition in the library, and/or a live performance. The goal is to also house a digital archive of readings and resources on the library’s website for future community use.
COMMUNITY PARTNER
The Indianapolis Public Library's Center for Black Literature & Culture (CBLC) is dedicated to celebrating the vibrant and resilient heritage and triumphs of those born of African roots. Located in the R.B. Annis West Reading Room at Central Library, the Center for Black Literature & Culture is home to a 25,000+ item collection of books, CDs, magazines, movies, and research tools, all of which showcase Black history and culture. This space is for ALL who are interested in exploring the rich heritage that has influenced nations across the globe. Visit us to browse our collections, join us for one of our signature programs, or explore our digital collections and website online.