IMA Contemporary Art Society Records, 1962-2008, undated

Identity elements

Reference code

US AFF003

Name and location of repository

Archives, Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields

Level of description

Collection

Title

IMA Contemporary Art Society Records, 1962-2008, undated

Date(s)

  • 1962-2008, undated (Creation)

Extent

3.16 linear feet (2 document boxes, five photo folders, 13 binders)

Name of creator

Contemporary Art Society (Indianapolis, Ind.)
(1962-)

Administrative history

Since 1962, The Contemporary Art Society (CAS) of the Indianapolis Museum of Art has promoted the understanding, appreciation, and collection of contemporary art. Through a dynamic series of social and educational events, CAS members enjoy privileged access to curators, artists, private collections, and travel. CAS members significantly impact the collection of contemporary art at the IMA by contributing to acquisitions and participating in voting to bring selected works into the collection. CAS regularly hosts lectures featuring nationally and internationally renowned artists. Past artists include: Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Dawoud Bey, Alfredo Jaar, Orly Genger, Josephine Meckseper, Tara Donovan, Erwin Wurm, Michelle Grabner, Richard Wentworth and Jacco Olivier. Through their generous support, CAS members helped build the Museum's contemporary art collection.

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

The Contemporary Art Society (CAS) records document the group ’s efforts to bring greater awareness and interest to contemporary art since the group’s founding in 1962. CAS members were often invited to travel to art museums and galleries across the U.S. and abroad. Member funds were used to procure contemporary art acquisitions. CAS frequently hosts lecturers, artists, and other speakers, as well as arranging local visits to art museums and artist studios.
Due to the small amount of material in this collection it has not been divided into series. Due to privacy concerns, half of the collection is restricted to access by IMA staff and members of the Contemporary Art Society at the discretion of the archivist. The detailed box inventory below indicates which materials are open and which are closed. Instead, like materials were grouped together and then arranged chronologically. In Box 1 you will find materials related to ephemera, trips, lecture invites and reminders, affiliate orientation manual, and membership materials. Housed in the second box are member lists, directories, dues statements, acquisitions voting, and Resource Committee agendas. You will also find the information, evaluations, or materials CAS created with the help of Trustee Leadership Development in 1999. During that time, CAS re-evaluated their mission statement, mailed out member surveys, and held meetings to decide what they wanted for their organization’s future.
This collection includes thirteen binders. The first twelve are the binders of past presidents of CAS and are arranged chronologically by president. Binder 13 includes material related to membership. The binders contain a variety of minutes, correspondence, notes, study group plans, speaker invites, schedule of events, financial records, etc. Also included may be trip planning notes, member lists, or news clippings.

System of arrangement

This collection is arranged by like material and organized chronologically.

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

The first part of this collection is open for research. The second part is open to IMA staff and members of the Contemporary Art Society, and will be made available to non-IMA staff or CAS researchers at the discretion of the archivist.

Physical access

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

    Language and script notes

    Finding aids

    Generated finding aid

    aff003.rtf

    Acquisition and appraisal elements

    Custodial history

    Immediate source of acquisition

    Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

    Accruals

    Related materials elements

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related archival materials

    Related descriptions

    Notes element

    Specialized notes

    • Citation: [Item title], [date], [Container information], IMA Contemporary Art Society Records (AFF003), Archives, Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, Indianapolis, IN.

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Description control element

    Rules or conventions

    Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

    Sources used

    • Material in the collection.
    • Indianapolis Museum of Art,

    Archivist's note

    Processed by Meaghan Jarnecke

    Archivist's note

    Updated by Caitlin Downey, May 2019

    Access points

    Subject access points

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    Accession area