A statement from the Indianapolis Arts Council:

We are aligned with the Arts Council of Indianapolis in their disappointment and concern with Newfields’ continued efforts to prioritize inequity. As an organization that seeks to foster an inclusive creative community, we are pausing any partnership activity with the museum.

The Indianapolis Recorder is #Indy’s oldest & preeminent Black newspaper. They reached out to Venable for comment. Did he respond? Nope. My former colleague, Josiah—an accomplished actor/musician within museums & beyond—did comment. And it is perfection.

The petition is now at over 1,200 signatures.

We are devastated that it has come to this. It has been painful watching the institution to which we dedicate so much of our lives, both professionally and personally, fall short of meaningful action repeatedly when it comes to racial equity work. drive.google.com/file/d/1FjZU-b…

I stand in solidarity with all 85 ChangeNewfields staff members. Charles, you and your core white audience can have fun elsewhere.

.GANGGANG

Since the exhausting & frustrating all staff meetings ended 4:30PM Monday, 102 Newfields staff & Board of Governors have co-signed in support of the Change Newfields open letter.

.CICF m.facebook.com/CentralIndiana…

discovernewfields.org/newfields-stat…

Thank you for your support. We are taking time to rest & reflect before issuing a brief statement.

Change Newfields will take some time to reflect, re-energize, and regenerate.

The full plan can be found here: discovernewfields.org/together

I’m sharing my resignation from Newfields to illustrate just a portion of what I was put through. I’d like to add that my department is incredible and my supervisor has been put in a very difficult situation as a marginalized person without support from the institution.

Petition · Hold Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields Accountable for Discriminatory Action · Change.org change.org/p/hold-indiana…