For Immediate Release October 4, 2005

For More Information Contact: Diane Brown, 317-274-7711 habrown@iupui.edu

Spirit & Place Presents Anniversary Gala with Wendell Berry and Tim Grimm

INDIANAPOLIS - In celebration of the Spirit & Place Festival's 10 th anniversary, organizers have created a first-ever Gala event to take place on Saturday, Nov. 5 at Indiana Repertory Theatre, located at 140 W. Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis.

Titled "Stories, Songs and Poems," the gala will feature entertainment by Tim Grimm, a locally based and nationally known singer/songwriter; and Wendell Berry, a nationally recognized author, poet and conservationist.

The Gala fundraising event will be open to the public: $50, open seating; $100, preferred entertainment seating, plus private dessert reception with Wendell Berry. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with entertainment taking place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. A cash bar will be available. The private reception will follow the entertainment.

To reserve seats for the Gala, call (317) 274-2455 or visit www.spiritandplace.org. For additional information on Tim Grimm, visit www.timgrimm.com; and for additional information on Wendell Berry, visit http://brtom.org/wb/berry.html.

Besides the Gala, nearly 100 concerts, plays, exhibits, dialogues and other events will occur throughout Central Indiana as The Polis Center at IUPUI presents the 2005 Tenth Anniversary Spirit & Place Civic Festival, slated for Nov. 4-20. This year's Festival theme is "Moving and Staying."

Berry will also be one of the featured conversationalists at the Tenth Anniversary Public Conversation taking place at 3 p.m., on Sunday, Nov. 6 at Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University, 4602 Sunset Ave. Joining him for lively conversation will be A'Lelia Bundles, award-winning journalist and director of talent development for ABC News; and Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, lecturer, teacher, storyteller and humorist. Tickets, although free, are necessary and available at the Clowes Hall box office.

"We are thrilled to have the long-requested Wendell Berry as a featured guest during our tenth anniversary celebration year and for our first-ever Gala," said Judi Ryan, Spirit & Place Festival manager. "I feel that Tim Grimm's engaging and perceptive musical performance will be a perfect complement to Mr. Berry."

The Polis Center, a part of the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, manages the Spirit & Place Civic Festival on behalf of hundreds of community partner organizations, including the city's universities and colleges, museums, congregations, arts and civic organizations. For a complete listing of 2005 events, visit www.spiritandplace.org or call the Polis Center at (317) 274-2455 to receive a complimentary program guide with a complete listing of Festival events.

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