Gregory Hill, executive director of the Indianapolis Public Library, gave a keynote address to attendees celebrating the publication of Indiana Arts magazine on Wednesday, November 19. (Photo/Doug Jaggers of TheStatehouseFile.com)
This story was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com.
By Chloe White
TheStatehouseFile.com
November 24, 2025
Nearly two decades after it ceased publication, Arts Indiana magazine is retelling the stories of Hoosier artists and their work.
Through a special project of the Indianapolis Public Library and the Indianapolis Public Library Foundation, more than 200 archival copies of the magazine have been digitized.
A reception was held on Wednesday, November 19 at the Indianapolis Public Library to celebrate the various contributors and the achievement of the publication, which can now be viewed in the library’s digital collection.
After a decade on the Indiana Arts Commission, executive director Miah Michaelsen emphasized that digitizing the organization’s magazine is essential to preserving Arts Indiana, a publication she sees as a window into the state’s cultural history.
“It really captures an important and very, very vibrant moment in our history,” Michaelsen said. “This provides great context on some really important artists, art projects and works of art that have been created in the state since this magazine was created.”
Notably, Arts Indiana not only published its magazine from 1979 to 2001, but also mailed a series of postcards from 1986 to 1989 that featured artwork by various Hoosiers.
According to an excerpt from the digital collection, “Postcard Art Series was an annual juried art competition, in which the top 12 pieces were reprinted as postcards available for sale, serving as a way to recognize notable artists and as a fundraiser for the magazine.”
Natasha Hollenbach, digital project manager at the Indianapolis Public Library, spent about a year and a half on the project in collaboration with a small team, which involved scanning, organizing and digitizing more than 200 previously archived issues of Arts Indiana magazine.
Hollenbach noted that the most difficult part of the entire process was finding intact copies of each edition to scan. Many of the magazines came from the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the Indiana State Museum. In addition to his archival experience, he added that the cultural aspect of his position is something he especially enjoys.
“One of my favorite things to do is work with people in the community and talk to them,” Hollenbach said. “Seeing how excited everyone is here…that’s the point.”
Conservationists and taxpayers weren’t the only ones in attendance Wednesday. Rep. Carey Hamilton, D-Indianapolis, was familiar with the magazine when it was published in the 1990s.
“This afternoon I was very intrigued to learn how there was an intention to go around the state and find artists, meet them and write about them,” Hamilton said of the magazine’s work. “I think the more we can do and capture the history and culture of our state, it’s going to be good for our state and our communities.”
While physical copies of Arts Indiana are still accessible, the magazine’s extensive coverage of Indiana’s artistic history is now available to view at any time.
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