INDIANAPOLIS—Over the weekend Sun King hosted the inaugural CANvitational, showcasing some of the best canned craft beer from across America. However, the event was more than just a beer festival, it was a chance for Sun King to give back to the community and opportunity to highlight and support high-impact arts projects through the in the community. To find those projects, Sun King chose power2give, an initiative of the Arts Council of Indianapolis, as the resource to discover organizations with particularly special projects that needed and deserved support.

As an ongoing supporter of the work of the Arts Council of Indianapolis, Sun King is proud to partner with the power2give initiative to create meaningful community impact and support for the arts in Indianapolis. Five organizations were selected to participate in the project funding opportunity; Dance Kaleidoscope, Indiana Writers Center, New World Youth Orchestras, Spotlight Players, and VSA Indiana. All attended the CANvitational and showcased their projects in an effort to garner votes from the crowds.

By popular vote, VSA Indiana took first place and will receive $5000 to fund their projectsupporting a year-round series of free, public programs held in VSA Indiana’s adaptive studios, located in the Harrison Center for the Arts. VSA Indiana’s mission is to provide access to lifelong learning and creative expression through the arts of people with disabilities in Indiana and each First Friday guests can sample a new workshop led by a professional VSA artist. The line-up features inclusive workshops in ceramics, 2-D art, music, drama/movement, and more!

VSA Indiana (formerly Very Special Art) has been serving Hoosiers for over 30 years.

More information on the group and the project can be found at: http://www.vsai.org and

http://power2give.org/Indianapolis/Project/Detail?projectId=2394

The remaining organizations will each receive $1 to $1 matching for their power2give projects up to $1000.  More information about each of the groups and links to the projects can be found at the link below:

Dance Kaleidoscope- http://www.dancekal.org

http://power2give.org/Indianapolis/Project/Detail?projectId=2391

Indiana Writers Center- http://www.indianawriters.org

http://power2give.org/Indianapolis/Project/Detail?projectId=2287

New World Youth Orchestras- http://www.nwyso.org

http://power2give.org/Indianapolis/Project/Detail?projectId=2318

Spotlight Players- http://www.spotlight-players.org

http://power2give.org/Indianapolis/Project/Detail?projectId=2225

About Sun King Brewing Company

Sun King Brewing Company is the brainchild of Dave Colt and Clay Robinson. With the help of family and friends – Omar Robinson, Andy Fagg and Steve Koers – the first keg of Sun King beer rolled out the door for delivery in July 2009. Now available on tap and in cans at over a thousand locations throughout Indiana, Sun King has grown into the second-largest beer brewer in the state. The company’s commitment to handcrafted seasonal and specialty beers has been rewarded with multiple medals at the Indiana Brewers Cup, Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup competitions. Visit www.sunkingbrewing.com for more information.

About the Arts Council of Indianapolis

The Arts Council of Indianapolis builds financial support and widespread appreciation for meaningful engagement in the arts. The Arts Council envisions an arts and cultural community that is recognized as a leading arts and cultural destination.  In support of the organization’s mission and bold vision, an energized and committed board of directors fuels the qualified and experienced staff of arts professionals. The Arts Council grants the city’s arts-related funds through competitive grant programs, provides fellowships to talented artists in all disciplines, participates in and leads community initiatives in the arts, elevates artists and arts organizations through increased visibility and programming, public art programs for the city of Indianapolis, and convenes groups and encourages collaboration in the arts.

Visit indyarts.org for more information about the Arts Council of Indianapolis and our services to the arts community.

One week from today, Upland Brewing Company will open an online lottery for the release of three of its renowned sour ales: Kiwi, Strawberry, and Blackberry fruited Lambic-style ales. Due to labor intensiveness, a long brewing process, and the seasonal availability of local fruit, these ales are released infrequently and in limited quantities. Consequently, lottery requests will be restricted to one bottle per person.

The lottery, at www.UplandSours.eventbrite.com, will open at noon EDT on Tuesday October 1^st and close at noonOctober 8^th. Preferred pick-up location must be specified at the time of entry; both the Brew Pub in Bloomington and the Indianapolis Tasting Room are options.

Lottery winners will be notified via email on October 9^th and will have the opportunity to purchase the sour ale they selected at their preferred location from October 22^nd through November 5^th. After the two-week reservation pick-up period, any remaining sour ales will be sold first come first served.

Upland Brewing Company, Inc. is a Bloomington, Indiana-based brewery established in 1998 that specializes in handcrafted ales and lagers.

INDIANAPOLIS—Sun King is excited to announce our newest partnership with Lucas Oil Stadium! Starting today at the International Cup Championship Soccer match, fans attending events at Lucas Oil Stadium will have access to locally brewed beer.

Sunlight Cream Ale, Wee Mac Scottish Ale, and Osiris Pale Ale will be available on draft at two ‘Backyard Brews’ locations near sections 109 and 132 on the main concourse. 16 oz. cans of Sun King will be available at various beer stands, cantinas, grills, and popcorn locations throughout the venue, as well as, in the Club Level bars. Fans shouldn’t have to wander far to enjoy a Fresh•Local•Beer.

“Our goal from the beginning has been to become Indianapolis’ beer,” said Dave Colt, Sun King owner and head brewer. “With our beer now available at every major sports venue in the city, it feels like we are realizing a dream! Keep an eye out for Sun King wherever you frequent for concessions while visiting Lucas Oil Stadium and help support your local brewery

More than a beverage to consume on the sidelines, beer has a historical and symbolic link to the game. Football fans and beer lovers share in their sense of camaraderie. College football fans are fiercely loyal to their teams and their respective conferences. Regional bias adds yet more fuel to the sometimes blazing fealty, with inevitable debates about whom, or which, is superior. Beer aficionados are little different—they are often staunch in their love for styles, brands or regional inclinations. The debates are more subdued but no less inspired.

College football and brewing also share a chronology, as both were popularized in the latter half of the 19th century. Nowhere is this connection more apparent than The Big Ten. Famous for its physical, take-no-prisoners style of football, the member universities cut a latitudinal swath across the upper Midwest and Great Lakes, which geographically casts a cultural mentality common to all of the members.

The Big Ten universities range from Iowa to Penn State in the east. Every state in between has at least one conference member. The region is also the birthplace of professional football. The earliest teams rimmed the Great Lakes in small, working-class cities whose residents were enamored of both football and beer.

Primarily immigrants from central and eastern Europe, these new Americans brought their brewing skill and love for beer with them. As they were accustomed to imbibing lager beers in their homeland, they brewed the same in America. The affinity for bottom-fermentation endures, though all modern styles of beers are well-represented, making the region unique in the United States.

The Big Ten states of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio and Illinois were among the most prodigious brewing states of the 19th century. The cool climate and often hilly terrain provided the perfect environment. Today, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania are hotbeds of the modern American brewing scene.

Historically, football was just as reflective of the populace. Blue-collar football teams composed of farmers, factory workers, lumberjacks, and coal miners made for some rugged games on hardscrabble fields, a style that is still synonymous with the Big Ten.