The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, in partnership with Amp Lab, is proud to unveil four new murals on the 200 Level Concourse of the Arena. Forty Amp Lab students were tasked to create murals to enhance the aesthetics on the concourse. After researching the venue’s past and present eve nts, the high school students came up with four key categories that determined the mural’s themes: history, sports, music, and veterans. Through milestone sessions with venue staff, the students developed four murals that truly represent the rich and diverse history of the Coliseum. “Amp Lab’s goal is to always have our students immersed in authentic real-world challenges. The team at the Memorial Coliseum provided just that. Our students were able to use their artistic talents and develop a better understanding of the past of the Coliseum and this community. We appreciate the ACWMC team for the feedback and the love that they gave our students. This has been such a memorable challenge because of the creative freedom and how research of our community really combined into four storytelling murals,” said Jeff Roberts, community coach at Amp Lab. During the process, the students wrote a poem that inspired their themes and drove their motivation to the finish line. The poem, “Time Always Loops, a Circle Always Returns,” is the source of the mural’s titles: “Echoes in Foundation,” “Notes in Air,” “History’s Score,” and “Poppies Praise.” “It’s been an honor to work with the students and staff at Amp Lab. We went into this project hoping to find a way to further enrich the guest experience that also told our complex story. We are walking away with murals that will provide generational value to these students and future guests. For me personally, this has been one of my favorite projects of my career,” said Executive Vice President General Manager, Melanie Carney. The Amp Lab students purposefully included elements of symbolism throughout their pieces, stemming from their research of the country’s veterans, local history, and the Coliseum’s history. Examples include the red poppy flowers found throughout all four murals, which symbolize remembrance and sacrifice; the six doves that represent the branches of the U.S. military as well as peace; and a hockey player facing off against an individual in military fatigues, representing the drastic shift between wartime and everyday life for a soldier. Additional “Easter eggs” can be found throughout with historical imagery and hints to artists that have played at the venue. The Amp Lab murals are part of the Memorial Coliseum’s 75th Anniversary celebration, kicking off this season and concluding with the Coliseum’s dedication day next year on September 28th, 2027. As part of this celebration, the Coliseum has installed one of the largest window clings Fort Wayne has seen on the northeast corner of the facility. The cling not only features elements of the Amp Lab murals, but the anniversary tagline, “Big Moments, Bigger Memories.” To view the murals, read the poem, see a full list of students that worked on the project, and find more information, please visit the website here: memorialcoliseum.com/about/about-us/amp-lab-murals The Amp Lab at Electric Works offers an exceptional opportunity for 400 students in grades 11 and 12 to enrich their educational experience. Students spend half their day at their comprehensive high school taking core classes, and the other half at Amp Lab, where they can bring their learning to life through hands-on and authentic real-world experiences provided by local companies, businesses, and organizations. Amp Lab at Electric Works is home to the 3Rivers Federal Credit Union Venture Studio, the Parkview Mirro Center for Research Innovation Make Studio, the Surack Family Foundation Create Studio, and the Grow Studio. Amp Lab serves high school students from Allen County and some of the surrounding counties in Northeast Indiana. Its mission is to assist all students in the development of problem-solving skills and entrepreneurial spirit. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is the tri-state area’s largest event facility, hosting over 1,000,000 visitors annually. Serving northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio, and southern Michigan, the 80-acre Memorial Coliseum Arena, Expo Center Conference Center complex is host to the Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) and the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons men’s basketball program. The facility hosts national concerts, family shows, business and philanthropic events, the area’s largest tradeshow and consumer events, and private gatherings. For more information, visit www.memorialcoliseum.com. ...read more read less