Dear Friends-
I am happy to share that we have been awarded an NHPRC Access to Historic Collections grant. Press release is below. Please
follow our project on Twitter @NewfieldsHist .
Best,
Alba
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Images available upon request.
Newfields receives federal grant to process archival collections
482 cubic feet of formerly closed records will be made available to the public
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Newfields. Image courtesy of Newfields.
INDIANAPOLIS,
September 1, 2021— Newfields is the recipient of a prestigious Access to Historical Records: Archival Projects grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), a statutory body affiliated with the National Archives and Records
Administration. This federal grant is awarded annually to institutions to significantly improve online public discovery. The $95,700
award will enable Newfields to stabilize, arrange and describe an estimated 482 cubic feet of permanent institutional records, dating 1883 to 2017. The Archives department, established in 2010, will shift from having predominantly “hidden” collections,
to enabling a global audience to navigate record descriptions via published finding aids. This grant will also support a temporary full-time processing archivist for an 18-month period.
Since its establishment in 1883 as the Art Association of Indianapolis, to the move to its current campus, a former
country estate, Newfields history is closely linked to the growth and development of the city of Indianapolis. Newfields has remained the premier art museum in the state of Indiana and is ranked among the largest art museums in the United States. Access to
its archival holdings will broaden the understanding of many topics related to U.S. history and culture including the establishment and evolution of museums outside of flagship coastal institutions, urban development and suburbanization, women’s public service
and philanthropy, and the history of art collecting. Newfields’ archivists will focus on the largest and least accessible archival collection, the institutional records. These documents include unprocessed correspondence, minutes and general files documenting
the museum’s 138-year history. This project will shine a light on Indianapolis’ artistic and cultural history. To facilitate engagement with a wide audience, Newfields’ archivists will share project updates, history snippets, insights, and snapshots of compelling
materials to the @NewfieldsHist
Twitter account. For a complete list of other recipients, visit the National
Archives website.
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About Newfields
Newfields offers dynamic experiences with art and nature for guests of all ages. The 152-acre cultural
campus features art galleries, lush gardens, a historic mansion, performance spaces, a nature preserve and sculpture park. From inspiring exhibitions in the Indianapolis Museum of Art Galleries, to concerts in The Toby, to a stroll through The Garden with
a glass of cheer, guests are invited to interact with art and nature in exciting new ways. Newfields is home to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, among the
ten largest and oldest general art museums in the nation;
the Lilly House, a National Historic Landmark; The Garden, featuring 40 acres of contemporary and historic gardens, a working greenhouse and an orchard; and The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, one of the
largest art and nature parks in the country. The Newfields campus extends outside of Indianapolis with
Miller House and Garden in Columbus, IN.—one of the nation’s most highly regarded examples of mid-century Modernist architecture. For more information visit
DiscoverNewfields.org.
Media Contact:
Natalya Herndon
Public Relations Coordinator
317-923-1331 ext. 155
Emily Sogard
Communications & Content Editor
317-224-6330
Alba Fernández-Keys
Head of Libraries & Archives
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Indianapolis Museum of Art
at Newfields
4000 Michigan Road
Indianapolis, IN 46208
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afernandez-keys@discovernewfields.org
T 317-923-1331 x547
F 317-926-8931
Pronouns: she/her