IndyFringe16: Spotlight on Volunteer Andrew Ball

What's one of the greatest assets of IndyFringe? 

IndyFringe has the best staff of volunteers of any Fringe festival, to which I can attest as I've participated in four Fringe festivals besides Indy. Some festivals simply don't have the community support that IndyFringe has, and performers are left to secure their own staff to run the house and box office.

At IndyFringe, all performers have to do is show up and put on a good show--that is once they have completed the labor of love of creating, perfecting, and marketing--and the rest of the work is completed by volunteers. Whereas performers can earn monetary profits from their efforts, a volunteer's only reward is a sense of satisfaction for helping the arts scene in Indy. 

Perhaps you've seen the volunteers in their purple t-shirts. Did you know that some of them work ten-hour days? Next time you're in line for a performance, and a volunteer is assisting you, say, "Hello! Pleased to meet you! Thank you for what you do!" (If you want quicker lines, remember, cash is king, people!) Without the volunteers, your ticket might be twice the price! While you're out this weekend, why not buy a volunteer a beer and a slice of one of Jazzy Doris's delicious homemade pies in the beer tent? (Jazzy D. is also the pie chef at Mimi Blue's Meatballs!) 

Because the level of success that IndyFringe enjoys would not be possible without the tireless support of volunteers, we wanted to turn the spotlight on someone you've probably encountered at one of the many comedy shows at ComedySportz this year.

Andrew Ball has been volunteering for IndyFringe for five years. Ball has lived in Indy for 24 years and called Dallas home previous to that.

"I believe strongly in what's happening at IndyFringe, and the incredible way it affects our community. I love helping artists and seeing people enjoy themselves," says Ball.

Volunteers work long, hard hours, and one of the perks of doing so is that they can earn tickets to shows through their service. "I have never used a comp ticket," explained Ball. "I always pay for the shows I see because I believe the artists deserve my financial support, and the shows are simply worth the investment."

Now that is what we call generosity!

(I hope it's safe to say that performers are thrilled when volunteers attend their shows and are more than happy that IndyFringe offers them comp tickets to their shows. The more, the merrier!)

An accomplished artist himself, Andrew is a sculptor and sits on the board of Primary Colours. 

Primary Colours is an organization of volunteers dedicated to serving visual art and culture and connecting artists with their communities. We’re based in Indianapolis and we do everything we can to support art and the people who create it in our own backyard.

Our Mission
To facilitate interaction between visual artists and the community.

Our Purpose
To create and sustain a thriving environment for the visual arts through unique exhibitions, cultural events, and awesome resources for up-and-coming artists.

--Primary Colours Website

Ball participates in and facilitates many of Primary Colour's fascinating programming, including creating art for Installation Nation and Art vs. Art, and he helps organize Paint Day for Kids, which can be described as an Art vs. Art event for kids! As far as creating art himself, Ball's favorite "medium" has been creating temporary art galleries out of shipping containers. 

Thank you for your service to performing artists and for ensuring that Indy will have a long and prosperous life as a community of local artists, Andrew! By the way, we think your smile lights up a room!

Andrew was fun to interview, but because he is known and loved by so many passersby, we had a few pleasant interruptions. Here he is greeting a friend on friendly Mass Ave. When you see Andrew--or any volunteers in a purple shirt--say hello and give them a high-five! (And that aforementioned beer and/or pie!)

Thank you to all IndyFringe volunteers on behalf of the artists and patrons! We wouldn't be here without you.