22-02-2025
Indiana Museum of Art announces planned building purchase, sculpture during event
The Logansport community showed up to the Vibrant Event Center Thursday night to celebrate the reveal of the Indiana Museum of Art, located at 201 S. Sixth St and expected to open in 2027
There was a lot of positive buzz amongst those in attendance with the general idea being this was the start of something big for downtown Logansport.
The museum is a venture being led by local artist Jason Myers and lawyer Andre Miller. It will be housed in the former Eagles Lodge #323 and was officially announced on Jan. 8.
'The Indiana Museum of Art, it's not an idea, it's not even a project anymore,' Miller said during the reception. 'It's a reality. You can go to Sixth and North and you can touch the Indiana Museum of Art. We exist. Our aim is bold and we have never shied away from the boldness of that vision that we are going to change this community and we are going to use fine art to make that change.'
At the forefront of Thursday's event were two announcements from the co-founders.
The first was they had completed an accepted purchase agreement for the Odd Fellows building at Fifth and North. The space will be renovated and made into artist community with apartment and studio space for approximately 20 artists.
The second announcement was that Myers would be installing a 30-foot sculpture that he had designed in front of Bonus Pints and The Record Farm, 430 E. Broadway. Myers said the sculpture would be completed this summer.
Myers said the museum's objective was to increase cultural diversity in art exposure in Logansport by hosting recognized international artists while also embracing the many cultures that call the community home.
He said that using fine art as the new cornerstone of Logansport's identity and as economic development took would draw visitors from around the region and further.
One of the inspirations for the museum was the city of Paducah, Kentucky, which used the arts to rebuild itself into a community hub and boosting its local economy.
'The Indiana Museum of Art program seeks to replicate Paducah's success in Logansport by focusing on local and regional impacts,' said Myers.
As a professional artist, Myers has spent a lot of time traveling to different countries and during his travels have met many international artists. He said when those travels were completed, he always felt right at home when he returned to Logansport.
'I know a lot of folks here in this community don't get to travel as much,' he said. 'A lot of children don't get to go to the museums in Indianapolis. I just think it would be a huge impact on the community here to be able to bring that back home to Logansport.'
The two men are currently working with KJG Architecture of Lafayette to the planned, extensive renovations to the IMA's exterior and interior.
A piece of art work has already been installed on the rooftop, a glowing red 'Tron'-like figure that shines bright in the cold night.
'Our project is designed to harness the emotive power of art to change the trajectory of our community for the next generation,' said Miller. 'It's going to happen. There is no doubt in my mind that the Indiana Museum of Art will become a definitional element of Logansport that will be Logansport's brand. The world will come to us and we will get to experience the world.'
