Residents are invited to celebrate the dedication of Flow, a new downtown lighted sculpture that will be installed in the alley located on the south side of West Berry Street between Harrison and Calhoun streets, on August 19, 2026.
News release from the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana:
Public invited to celebrate new downtown light sculpture
Fort Wayne, Indiana (July 26, 2026) – Residents are invited to celebrate the dedication of Flow, a new lighted sculpture that will be installed in the alley located on the south side of West Berry Street between Harrison and Calhoun streets, on Wednesday, August 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. Remarks and lighting of the sculpture are scheduled for sunset at 8 p.m. The dedication event will be at the Porch Off Calhoun, the large alley just north of the parking garage at 840 S. Calhoun St.
The event is free for everyone and will feature live music and food and drinks for purchase. It is sponsored by Downtown Fort Wayne and the Art This Way program.
Recently, the Fort Wayne Public Art Commission selected artist James Lucey to create Flow, which will replace the 77 Steps lighted sculpture that was intended to have a five-year lifespan and was dedicated in December 2020. Although intended to be temporary, the Public Art Commission evaluated it to determine if its lifespan could be extended. Due to repeated damage caused by weather, along with technology challenges, the sculpture could not be repaired. The alleyway will retain the name “77 Steps Alley.”
Flow will be an overhead kinetic light sculpture inspired by Fort Wayne’s rivers, transforming the alley into a flowing corridor of light, movement and community. It will be suspended overhead and created using Kaynemaile, an architectural mesh that mimics traditional chainmail but is exceptionally light and durable. Flow will be made from recyclable polycarbonate and will be embedded with LED lights that will be programmable, allowing it to change with the seasons or various events. The sculpture will also move with the wind as it blows through the alley. The sculpture is funded by the Fort Wayne Public Art Commission through Public Art Giveback program.
Lucey, the lead artist for Flow, is a designer specializing in interactive light-based sculpture. His work explores the intersection of movement, environment and human engagement, with an emphasis on creating installations that feel alive and responsive. He is affiliated with color+light, an Oakland, California-based collective of artists, designers and engineers that create immersive and unforgettable experiences using state-of-the-art lighting technology.
About The Fort Wayne Public Art Commission
The Fort Wayne Public Art Commission is a 13-member volunteer advisory body that governs the City of Fort Wayne’s Public Art Program, established in 2018. The goal of the Public Art Program, which is administered by Fort Wayne Community Development, is to enhance the visual environment and strengthen the positive reputation, brand and stature of Fort Wayne and its neighborhoods by promoting and integrating public art throughout the city.About Art This Way
ART THIS WAY is a public art program and creative place-making initiative which operates under Downtown Fort Wayne. The program works to raise funds, bring large-scale professional art installations to Fort Wayne, develop public realm projects, and host arts and culture events.
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