Heartland Film Gets a New Home at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus
Writer & Photographer / Alesha McCarty
Heartland Film has found a new home.
The Indy-based group, established in 1991, has spent the last couple of decades curating, promoting and celebrating thoughtful and engaging films from diverse perspectives. They’ve had temporary offices throughout the city. However, they now have a space that “feels like home,” proclaims Jessica Chapman, director of marketing.
Heartland Film’s new home is in the heart of Fort Ben in Lawrence Township – a stately, one-story Colonial Revival-style brick building built in 1906. The building has seen many lives but originally served as a leisure space and library for military enlistees. The 8,200-square-foot brick building provides space for Heartland to grow, and is an impressive space to host filmmakers, guests and the community. Enormous, arched-pane glass windows and French doors in the middle offer an inviting entrance. Six sets of columns anchor the enchanting front patio, which is a future space for guests to mingle.
The inviting entrance allows the beautiful afternoon light to pour into the main lobby, flanked by two stunning fireplaces with original dentil molding. While those renovating the structure have respected the architectural history, the building has had design updates to make it red-carpet ready. A golden ceiling sets the stage. Decor gives a contemporary take on Hollywood Regency style, mixing fine lines, saturated colors and lush fabrics. The whole space comes together elegantly understated.
A matching set of rich, wood-toned, arched-pane windows and doors lead you to the back of the building – the event space. A large, multipurpose room features a modest stage, access to the catering kitchen, a quaint outdoor patio and seating for around 300 people. The east and west wings hold office space.
Next door is the prominent Theater at the Fort and Arts for Lawrence center, creating an opportunity for showings and community involvement.
There is plenty of space outside in between their building and the Fort Ben Musical Swings that they hope to utilize this year for events like movies on the lawn.
The official ribbon cutting was on February 15. The Heartland team has been hard at work hosting the Chamber of Commerce and organizing field trips for local students interested in the arts.