Natural world: Spirit & Place Festival focuses on nature, connection
Kaitlin B. Curtice, an award-winning storyteller, children’s author and poet as well as an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi nation, will present “Little Seeds: Interfaith Understanding Through the Art of Children’s Literature” at Franklin College on Monday. The event is part of the annual Spirit & Place Festival, and is open to the public.
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Even in a world where so much of our lives are online or in front of screens, the potential to immerse yourself in nature exists.
The Spirit & Place Festival hope to help people realize that this November.
Held annually throughout central Indiana, the festival will encourage people to explore fossils in Greencastle, search out native birds in Crown Hill Cemetery and take part in an early-morning dance party. At Franklin College, people can discover the connection between people and nature through Native American traditions.
And while they take in the natural world, they’ll be doing it with their fellow Hoosiers.
“We hope people take away that it’s worthwhile to go out to community events and meet people you normally wouldn’t sit down with,” said Erin Kelley, program director for Spirit & Place. “The world feels isolated right now. We feel detached from each other. The only way we can combat that is to get off our devices, leave our homes and go out into the world — either the natural environment, or a museum or library, and meet with our fellow citizens.”
Encouraging that connectivity out in the greater world is the focus of this year’s Spirit & Place festival. With a theme of NATURE, the 11-day event highlights the many ways nature connects us to ourselves, to each other, and to the wider world.
Franklin College will be hosting a unique event called “Little Seeds: Interfaith Understanding Through the Art of Children’s Literature” on Monday. The two-part, family-friendly activity centers around a presentation by Kaitlin B. Curtice, an award-winning storyteller, children’s author and poet as well as an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi nation.
Participants have the opportunity to meet with Curtice while enjoying snacks and interactive nature-themed activities designed especially for children. Afterwards, she will take the stage for a special reading and talk, sharing insights into Native American spirituality and its deep connection to nature, offering a meaningful perspective for attendees of all ages.
“I hope that people walk away feeling a little more rooted, a little more alive, and a little more in tune with the world around them,” Kelley said. “After all, nature is where we all meet. No matter our backgrounds, we share the same sky, breathe the same air, and walk the same earth.”
Spirit & Place is a yearly event focused on helping grow the human spirit. Developed as a community project managed by The Polis Center at IUPUI, it was established in 1996 to be a catalyst for community engagement.
This is done through creative collaborations. Dozens of area organizations, agencies, churches and other groups work together on a slate of scheduled events that make up the festival.
“For 30 years, the core of what Spirit & Place has been about has been creating spaces for us to share together,” Kelley said. “Because it’s a festival, you’re going to have 30 to 35 events over the course of 11 days where you sit down with strangers, but hopefully, you leave feeling like you sat down with a neighbor.”
Each year, a theme is chosen to tie the festival together. That central concept is broad enough to allow groups to interpret their own take on it, and submit proposed activities that can be featured during the festival. Past festivals have looks at themes such as risk, play, identity and gratitude.
NATURE emerged as this year festival, which runs through Nov. 16.
“In a time of division, nature reminds us of the vital importance of interconnection. This year’s festival creates opportunities for people to reflect on how to live more sustainably — both with one another and with the planet,” Kelley said.
Through performances, exhibits, interactive workshops, outdoor explorations, and courageous conversations, Spirit & Place will explore the connectivity of nature. Organizations and groups submit ideas for each year’s festival, and this year’s submissions were a varied and energetic batch of ideas, Kelley said.
From concerts inspired by plant life to outdoor birdwatching and journaling, from workshops on earth pigments and ritual to explorations of the “nature of” sacred texts, storytelling traditions, and even emotions like fear and mercy, the 30th annual festival promises something for everyone.
“When we put out our application guidelines, we hoped that people would propose events that dealt directly with nature — the natural world,” Kelley said. “But we also encouraged event creators to take a different track, if they chose to, to explore the ‘nature of’ something.”
Franklin College has been a participant in Spirit & Place for a number of years, planning programs centering interfaith dynamics around the varying themes. Interfaith relationships have been a focus of Franklin for many years. In 2020, the college hosted its first annual Interfaith Understanding through the Arts event during the Spirit & Place Festival, with programs in recent years focused on storytelling, poetry and musical performance.
Two years ago, the collected hosted a program that invited participants to a tasting reception featuring food from different faith traditions, from Tibetan dumplings called momos to challah bread integral to Jewish communities.
Last year was an event featuring dance performances featuring Style Dance Academy, Natyalaya School of Arts and Iibada Dance Company followed by a brief conversation about dance, spirituality and gratitude.
“Little Seeds” continues the interfaith tradition of bridging understanding of the world’s religions by highlighting the differences and similarities of various faith traditions through artistic expressions.
Curtice fits seamlessly into that objective.
“Franklin College, year after year, have always been so intentional for the events they propose for the festival. They deeply reflect on the theme so they can create an event that connects to that Spirit & Place theme,” Kelley said.
Curtice, a Philadelphia resident, writes on the intersections of spirituality and identity and how that shifts throughout our lives. She also speaks on these topics to diverse audiences who are interested in truth-telling and healing.
Her vibrantly illustrated children’s books feature an Indigenous family sharing their gratitude and appreciation for Mother Earth. The four-part series celebrates the miracles, magic and gifts of nature in all seasons.
“Little Seeds” lasts from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday. During the first hour, attendees can take part in a welcoming reception where families can enjoy simple crafts, plant a seed to take home, and explore their creativity through engaging, hands-on experiences.
Organizers have put together a continuous “Reading Circle” and nature activities hosted by community and campus partners including the Imagination Library of Johnson County, Johnson County Public Library, Greenwood Public Library, Franklin College Earth Club, and B.F. Hamilton Library. These partners will share children’s stories centered around nature.
The second portion of the event features a talk by Curtice discussing the inspiration behind her children’s books. She will also share insights into Native American spirituality and its deep connection to nature, offering a meaningful perspective for attendees of all ages.
Following the event, Curtice will be available to sign copies of her books.
“Little Seeds: Interfaith Understanding Through the Art of Children’s Literature” is free to attend and open to the public, though registration is required.
IF YOU GO
“Little Seeds: Interfaith Understanding Through the Art of Children’s Literature”
What: A two-part event that brings together the magic of storytelling, hands-on creativity, and meaningful conversation featuring award winning Potawatomi storyteller and poet, Kaitlin B. Curtice.
When: 5-7 p.m. Monday
Where: Napolitan Student Center, Franklin College campus, 101 Branigin Blvd., Franklin
Cost: Free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Registration: bit.ly/Little_Seeds
Spirit & Place Festival
When: Through Nov. 16
Highlights
“The Nature of Us: Weaving Ourselves into the Natural World,” 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Hornet Park, 5245 Hornet Ave., Beech Grove; participants will rotate through stations to engage in thinking routines that spark reflection, collaborate on a community weaving project using natural materials, and create take-home art inspired by the surrounding landscape.
“Youth Rising for Nature: Getting Community in Action through Service & Advocacy,” 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Frederick Douglass Park Family Center, 1616 E. 25th St., Indianapolis; join Sea Scope’s youth Eco-Warriors for a two-part event exploring environmental justice and community dialogue. Then on Nov. 16, take part in a Fall Creek cleanup.
“Plant Parenthood: Music by Plants, for Plants,” 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Garfield Park Conservatory, 2505 Conservatory Dr., Indianapolis; enjoy a relaxing, multi-sensory concert at Garfield Park Conservatory featuring original music based on plant growth patterns.
“Connected by NATURE,” 4:30-6:30 p.m. Nov. 16, The Amp at 16 Tech, 1220 Waterway Blvd., Indianapolis; celebrate Spirit & Place’s 30th anniversary with an evening of connection, creativity, and community including a live spoken word invocation by Manón Voice, music by Premium Blend, local food and hands-on activities.
Full schedule of events: spiritandplace.org/events/month/2025-11
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