ArtSmart: Indiana …                                                                                                 www.artsmartindiana.org            

...teaches the history of Indiana from 1800 to the present day shown through the works of it’s artists and is a starting point for integrating Indiana’s rich visual arts tradition into classroom instruction.

Benefits for Teachers (and students!)

Designed to meet Indiana Academic Standards for 4th grade social studies curriculum, the program is student friendly, and referenced for easy lesson planning. The easily accessible program for Indiana teachers and students appeals to a broad, statewide audience. The McAllister ArtSmart: Indiana Resource Center is located at the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette to accommodate on site lesson planning and research.  

The ArtSmart Institute for all Indiana teachers was held in 2008 at The Children’s Museum in Indianapolis and The Art Museum of Greater Lafayette Additional workshops, funded by a generous grant from North Central Health Services with support from the Tippecanoe Arts Federation, have been held in Tippecanoe and the seven counties surrounding Tippecanoe County in 2010-2011. Teachers who attended the workshops and institute are excited by the versatility and depth of educational opportunities presented by the program.  

Developments within the Program

Thanks to a “Museums for America Grant” from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette has been able to update Art Smart: Indiana. With funding from the IMLS, the Art Museum, in collaboration with The Indianapolis Children’s Museum and the Purdue University Department of Curriculum and Instruction, updated ArtSmart: Indiana to an Internet web-based program with better quality images and content. The curriculum was expanded to include more contemporary artists and include women and minority artists.  

Susan Chavers wrote the original program in 1986, and Professor Scott Schaffer, Purdue University, and Department of Educational Technology along with Dr. Jeff Patchen, Ela Kramer, Leslie Power and Melissa Trumphy of The Children’s Museum in Indianapolis developed the web-based program. Kathy Trout wrote the art educational units according to the Indiana academic standards. The ArtSmart: Indiana team includes Elizabeth Beeson, Sue Carr, Susan Chavers, Meg Ellis, Peggy Housley, Kris Lamb, Inge Maresh, Trudie Myers, Kathy Need, Cheryl Rosenthal, Brooke Sadler, Kendall Smith, Sharon Theobald, Kathy Trout, and Kristina Wasynczuk. Laurette Mc McCarthy, Ph.D. and Michael Atwell were the curators for the Art Smart Exhibition in the museum fall 2008. The current exhibit of works from ArtSmart: Indiana, at the AMGL will remain on view throughout 2011 in the McAllister ArtSmart: Indiana Education Center. Generous grants from The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette, and North Central Health Services with support from the Tippecanoe Arts Federation have provided funding for publication of the Teaching Guide and the Resource Catalog for the adjacent eight-county area schools.  

The Future of ArtSmart

The ArtSmart Advocates, a friends group, seeks help from members of the Art Museum and the Greater Lafayette and Indiana community to help provide funding needed to maintain the web site and continue support for ArtSmart: Indiana. Donations can be made to the ArtSmart Art Line by contacting the Museum Director, Kendall Smith at ksmith@artlafayette.org or Glenda at glenda@artlafayette.org.