Indianapolis Public Schools

Indianapolis Public School board approves sale of artwork to fund arts education

By 
Amelia Pak-Harvey
 | October 31, 2025, 12:26am UTC
A photograph of a room full of artwork wrapped in paper or cardboard.
The IPS Arts Enrichment Fund will boost arts education in the district through the sale of artwork that used to be in school buildings. (Courtesy of IPS)

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The Indianapolis Public Schools board approved a plan to transfer 148 pieces of fine art to the IPS Foundation to create an arts education fund for students.

The IPS Foundation will sell the artwork to the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, which will pay $1.16 million for the paintings. The foundation will use the proceeds from the sale to establish the IPS Arts Enrichment fund. That fund will support arts instruction and enrichment activities such as field trips and visiting artists programs, the district said earlier this week.

The pieces of art, which date from the 1890s through the 1970s, were kept in storage but once hung in IPS schools that are now closed, according to the district.

Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.

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