Address: 617 Indiana Ave., Indianapolis 46202
Phone: (317) 236-2099
Regular business hours: Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Madame C.J. Walker Building, home of the Madame C.J. Walker Theatre and other facilities, is a celebration of African American arts and cultural events. The Walker Theatre hosts a variety of dance, music, and theatre performances through its Main Stage Series from October through May, and a variety of other events and programs are also hosted.
Tours of the center are available for a fee by appointment only.
Jazz and Comedy
Performances by jazz artists and comedians are offered on a regular, continuous basis at the Walker Building:
- Jazz on the Avenue, last Friday of the month, 6-10 p.m.
Grand Casino Ballroom
Admission $10; optional buffet available for an additional $10; cash bar
Family fun featuring jazz musicians and southern-style food. - Laughin on the Avenue, last Tuesday of the month; doors open at 7 p.m.; show time 8 p.m.
Madame Walker Theatre
Admission $10 in advance; cash bar. Tickets available at the Walker Box Office, Bar-B-Q Heaven (317-329-6418) or online at ticketmaster.com
Art Exhibitions
The works of local, regional, and national visual artists are periodically displayed, often in conjunction with performing arts programs or lectures.
Movie Premieres
The works of national and international film and video makers are periodically presented, with an emphasis on African and African American and other ethnic filmmakers.
Youth-in-Arts Programs
These programs provide artistic opportunities from an African American perspective to children who might not otherwise have an opportunity to participate in the arts. Three programs are offered:- Project MAPPED (Music, Art, Poetry, Performance, Expression, and Dance): A 12-week program offered 3 days a week for 2 hours a day, for students in grades 3-12. The curriculum provides chorus and individual voice lessons; string orchestra and individual string lessons; poetry and spoken word writing; speech lessons; set production and visual arts; and dance, including modern, ballet, jazz, tap, and hip hop. A performance is given at the end of each session in the Madame Walker Theatre.
- Crushing the Conventional: A series of concerts, lectures, and master classes offered during the school day and designed for students, educators, and parents, with a focus on traditional and non-traditional art forms within the African and African-American Diaspora. Admission is $5 to $7 per performance.
- Beyond the Wings: Introduces high school students to the field of arts administration. Community service credits may be earned for participation.
Madame Walker Academy for Girls
A charm school for underprivileged girls ages 11-17 that teaches poise and etiquette through a series of workshops, lectures, and activities.
Indy Swing Dance Club (West Coast Swing Dancing)
Admission: $10 members; $15 non-members, $5 for students with a valid student ID
Grand Casino Ballroom, 4th floor
Lessons, 2-3 p.m.; open social dancing, 3-6 p.m.; beginners welcome; no partner required
2009 Club Dates: Jan. 11 and 25, Feb. 22, Mar. 8 and 22, April 5 and 26, May 17, June 14 and 28, July 12 and 26, Aug. 16 and 23, Sept. 6 and 20, Oct. 11 and 25, Nov. 8 and 22, Dec. 13 and 27
Facilities for Rent
The building’s facilities are available for rent and include:
- Grand Casino Ballroom: 4,800 square feet; can seat 300; features a mirrored wall, chandeliers and and a hardwood floor; possibilities include banquets, wedding receptions, anniversary parties, luncheons, breakfasts, conferences, seminars, meetings, reunions, dances. Catering is available.
- Madame Walker Theatre: Seats 935, full stage, lighting and sound, lobby, box office services, dressing rooms, bar lounge, and free, adjacent parking. An elegant, historic theatre with balcony, plush seating, and African American décor including sphinx statuary, African masks, and 20-foot spears. Possibilities include pageants, musicals, concerts, lectures, film screenings, and awards presentations.
- Walker Memorial Boardroom: Seating for 12-14, glass-topped executive table with junior executive chairs; audio/visual equipment; windows on three sides offering a view of Indy’s skyline; free adjacent parking.
- A’Lelia Bundles Conference Center: Seating for up to 30, podium, microphone, conference call and laptop capabilities, high-speed internet access, AV projector, VCR.
History
Madame C.J. Walker was America’s first self-made female millionaire. She made her fortune developing and marketing hair care and beauty products to women of color in the early 1900s. Madame Walker began the building of the center prior to her death in 1919, and her vision was completed by her daughter, A’Lelia Walker in 1927. The building was an important center of activity for the African American community for decades until the neighborhood began to decline in the 1950s. In 1979, a dedicated group of African American Citizens incorporated themselves as the Madame Walker Building Urban Life Center and purchased the then-abandoned building and began restoration. By 1988, the Madame C.J. Walker Building was fully restored. The Madame Walker Urban Life Center began doing business as the Madame Walker Theatre Center in 1996.