Art & Soul may look a little different this year.

Art & Soul, Indianapolis’s annual celebration of Black art and music, is returning, starting with the Artist Showcase on April 11. Traditionally held during Black History Month in previous years, Art & Soul is now a year-long program, hosting performances, gallery shows and free events for the community to engage with.

Since 1996, Art & Soul has celebrated more than 60 of Indiana’s Black writers, poets, musicians and artists of all disciplines. Each year, a theme is chosen based on the national theme set by the Smithsonian, and four artists from the community are recognized for their exemplary contributions to the creative community, according to the Indy Arts Council website.

This year, musician Brandon Lott, performing artist Akili Ni Mali, wearable artist Monique Burts and Ready will have their work displayed across the city at the Indianapolis Artsgarden, Gallery 924 and The Cabaret.

Ready, Art & Soul’s featured digital artist and illustrator, grew up in a creative family. Born and raised in Indianapolis Northside, Ready said she fell in love with art while in school for health sciences and decided to pursue it full-time.

“I went to a paint and sip with my mother for Mother’s Day, and the rest was pretty much history,” Ready said. “I found a calling in art, and then eventually it just snowballed. and art just became a way for me to connect with my community and do something meaningful.”

Last year, however, Ready dedicated time to really hone her skills and develop a unique art style based on things that “are fun to her” and experiences true to her as a Black woman and a Christian.

“I just wanted to feel fun again,” Ready said. “Cause art got to the point where it just felt like my art is not good enough, it doesn’t look realistic enough, it doesn’t resemble my subject enough. Now, I’m in a place where I just make whatever I want.”

Now Ready is one of the featured artists for Art & Soul, and it has been both one of the best and most stressful experiences of her career. Working with artists across other disciplines — such as Akili Ni Mali, Brandon Lott and Monique Burts — has made her “respect the hustle” and inspires her to know that there are artists like her doing whatever it takes, performing at the highest levels.

READ MORE: The Indy Arts Council’s new president and CEO is Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas

“This program really gave me the space to try stuff now that I have this new style,” Ready said. “It gave me a playground to really just create a body of work with no expectations. Having that freedom, and of course the financial support, and relationships, resources, people cheering me on really made me feel like I could do it.”

Through Art & Soul, Ready will have her biggest solo art show yet at Gallery 924 on April 4 before participating in the Featured Artist Showcase at the Madam Walker Legacy Center on April 11. Ready is also hosting a community mural with Arts for Lawrence in honor of Juneteenth on June 21.

From South Bend to Indianapolis, recording artist Brandon Lott said he grew up around music. From participating in the church choir to getting classical vocal training and learning how to make his own music, Lott draws inspiration from musicians who came before him but also the world around him.

“My main influences musically are a lot of old school artists, I always say Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, Roy Ayers; those are my favorites,” Lott said. “A lot of influences, though, (are) just figures that have done really great things … I’m really inspired by a lot of things that are outside of music, like spirituality and invention — those types of things really spark my heart.”

After working so hard over the years, Lott said being selected as a featured artist for Art & Soul is a “really big milestone” in his journey. The experience has also made Lott “step up to the plate” regarding the production aspect and putting together a showcase that reflects him as an artist.

“It’s just a really cool experience being able to see how other artists think outside of music,” Lott said. “Everyone’s perspectives are … kind of similar. With this being Art & Soul, they’re all expressions of the Black experience, but at the same time, they’re so diverse, which is beautiful.”

In addition to the artist showcase, Lott is playing a variety of shows around the city this summer, including Art & Soul Sundays at Indianapolis Artsgarden on June 1 and a Roof Deck Concert at the Harrison Center on June 6. Lott’s debut album “Blubird,” will also be released this summer.

Lott and Ready will each perform alongside the other featured artists during “soul • real • ism — An Art & Soul Featured Artist Showcase” at 7 p.m. on April 11 at the Madam Walker Legacy Center. For more information about Art & Soul, upcoming events or featured artists, visit indyarts.org/programs/art-soul.

To follow along with Ready, visit freemindcreations.com. To follow along with Lott, visit brandonlott.com.

Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.