The Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) is one of the country and world’s major art museums. And staring in August they do something no art museum has ever done. House a preschool. Working with St. Mary’s Child Center, the IMA will expand offer a preschool for 3-to 5-year-olds. The program will be the first encyclopedic art museum preschool in the country. It is also the first museum preschool with a goal of supporting half of the students with full scholarships subsidized through grants and/or voucher support. The IMA is currently seeking philanthropic support to reach the goal of 8 scholarships in the first year.
IMA CEO Dr. Charles Venable
Heidi Davis-Soylu, IMA Academic Manager
Elizabeth Hunter-Kesling, St. Mary’s Child Center
The news was broken in an exclusive Afternoons with Amos interview with Dr. Charles Venable, IMA President and CEO. St. Mary’s Child Center, which has been serving Indianapolis for 54 years, will provide program oversight and administration, teaching staff, and a curriculum following the Reggio Emilia approach, which uses art-focused experiences and emphasizes collaboration, critical learning, expression, and immersive experiences. IMA will offer classroom space and access to the entire campus, including the Museum and its vast collections; featured exhibitions; The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres; historic buildings, such as the Lilly House and Madeline F. Elder Greenhouse; and the gardens, along with assisting with fundraising efforts. The IMA will also provide free memberships to students and their families for one year, allowing them to extend their educational experience outside of classroom hours. Appearing on Afternoons with Amos with Dr. Venable were Heidi Davis-Soylu, manager of academic engagement and learning research at the IMA, and Elizabeth Hunter-Kesling from St. Mary’s Child Center, who will be the lead teacher of the new preschool at the IMA. The new program will begin on August 3rd and follow the same schedule as Indianapolis Public Schools with a 180 day program, five days a week, from 9am till 11:30am. The program will begin with sixteen students with a student-adult ratio of 6 to 1. To be eligible for the program children must be age 3 before August 3, 2015 or not turn 5 after August 1, 2015. In the interview, IMA President/CEO Venable said that while the preschool at IMA is not yet eligible for the state and city preschool vouchers, they are trying for funding to underwrite half of the student sixteen students that will be enrolled. Venable also hopes that the diversity of this preschool will reflect the diversity of the neighborhoods surrounding IMA. Also in the interview, IMA’s CEO Dr. Charles Venable also talked about the museum’s newest exhibit since the IMA introduced their controversial new $18 for adults admission policy. The exhibit, Dream Cars, starts the beginning of May. It’s a showcase of classic cars that are art in their own right. One the controversial admissions policy, Venable says the IMA’s memberships are up 500% from this same time last year. Hear the Interview with officials from Indianapolis Museum of Art & St. Mary’s Child Center on Indy Being First Art Museum Housing a Preschool. Runs 14 Minutes ©2015 WTLC/Radio One. Audio Starts After Brief Video Ad.
