Organizations
Art History Association
Mission
The Art History Association (AHA) of Indiana University is a student organization dedicated to two primary missions. First, we seek to foster a strong academic environment both on the Bloomington campus and nationally. Through the organization of an annual graduate student symposium and monthly student’s events, we hope to bring diverse and sound art historical viewpoints to Indiana University. Additionally, we serve as a means of communication between the faculty, art history students, fine arts students, and area arts events, drawing together our arts community.
Second, we provide a support network for graduate students and undergraduates at the Indiana University Bloomington campus. For incoming graduate students we offer guidance through our peer mentoring program and orientation activities. For our current members, we encourage scholarly endeavors through monthly forums, an informative website, and other means of information distribution (such as “aha_news”). In addition to these, AHA aims to cultivate a sense of community by organizing social events, festivities, and travel opportunities.
AHA members sincerely hope that all interested students contact our mailing list in order to join the organization and start receiving notification of AHA news and departmental announcements.
The Friends of Art
The Friends of Art include nearly 500 students, docents, faculty, artists, and historians who all share a love and devotion to the arts. Our organization has provided program and financial support for the students of the Henry Hope School of Fine Arts, including studio, art history and the IU Museum, since 1968. Donations to the Friends of Art support these students by providing funds for travel and research by art history and museum students as well as significant scholarship packages for studio students.
This year, the Friends of Art will distribute over $40,000 to the three departments, made possible by member donations and proceeds from the Friends of Art Bookshop. In addition, we provide funds for awards, support for year-end MFA thesis shows at the SoFA Gallery, including an elaborate MFA catalog given out at the spring shows. We sponsor studio tours and a faculty lecture series, as well as special lectures before most of our trips.
We offer our members a diverse roster of travel opportunities to major museum shows, including Henri Rousseau in Washington D.C. (August 2006) and King Tut at the Chicago Field Museum (November 2006). We operate a full-service art bookstore in the Fine Arts building that has no equal in the state (where members enjoy a 10% discount). A 10% discount also applies at the IU Art Museum Angles Café and Gift shop. Our members receive notice and invitations to important lectures, receptions, openings and previews to shows at the art museum and the SoFA Gallery. Our quarterly newsletter covers all these events and more.
Joining the Friends of Art is a great way to get involved with exciting happenings in the visual arts while helping students at the Hope School of Fine Arts. Visit our web site at www.fa.indiana.edu/foart for updates on travel, shows, lectures and other events. If you would like to be included in e-mail announcements, send your e-mail address to foart@indiana.edu.
