(MIRROR INDY) — Indianapolis Public Schools could sell more than $1 million worth of art if school board members approve of the plan this week.
Their plan calls for a transfer of the artwork to the IPS Foundation to then sell to the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites for restoration and public display. Proceeds from the sale would support arts education across IPS.
The district began a multiyear process to take inventory of items placed in permanent storage in 2020. The process unearthed nearly 150 items that were determined to be fine art.
Some of those pieces were created by notable Hoosier artists. Many of them once hung in schools that have since closed.
But, some pieces in the collection were found to need repair. District officials say the collection includes works spanning from the 1890s to 1970s.
So, last spring, IPS officials said in material prepared for the school board they approached the Indiana State Museum to discuss the artworks’ preservation.
With the school district’s support, the Indiana State Museum secured a $1.65 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to purchase the collection and restore its works.
If granted board approval this week, $1.16 million of the grant would be used to purchase the art at fair market value from the IPS Foundation, which will use the proceeds to create an IPS Arts Enrichment Fund.
Another $490,000 of the grant would support restoration, conservation and placement efforts.
It comes at an important time for IPS, which anticipates bringing in millions less than expected after a recent law directed more of the district’s anticipated property tax revenue to nearby charter schools.
IPS has already taken steps to reconfigure the time its art and music teachers spend working with students in elementary schools.
Should the board approve the sale, initial disbursements from the new fund are expected to come in fall 2026. Potential uses could include art-related field trips, artist visits to schools and other art-related experiences.
The Indiana State Museum could begin cataloging acquired works as early as this year with artworks placed for public display by early 2027.
No artwork currently displayed in schools is being considered for the sale. The project also excludes the Shortridge Collection, which is on long-term loan with the Indiana State Museum.
IPS administrators are expected to present their plans to the school board during a public agenda review meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, at the John Morton-Finney Center for Educational Services, 120 E. Walnut St.
The board would then likely vote on the proposal during its public action session at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, in the same location.
The Oct. 30 meeting will be livestreamed on the district’s YouTube page.
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Mirror Indy reporter Carley Lanich covers early childhood and K-12 education. Contact her at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org or follow her on X @carleylanich.
