american scene

“The American Scene” is a term used and developed by representatives of the U.S. Treasury Department during the Great Depression. In the early 1930s, the Treasury Department formed an advisory council to commission artists to create murals, paintings and other artwork for public buildings. With help from the Public Works of Art Project, a precursor to the Works Progress Administration, the advisory council paid a group of artists to document the people, landscapes and events that comprised the “American scene” at that difficult time in history. The works reflected the hardships faced by people across the country as a direct result of the Great Depression. A young Indianapolis artist, William Kaeser, was at the forefront of this artistic movement. In 1934, Kaeser found employment with the Civil Works Administration to teach an art class at the Kirschbaum Center. Several of Kaeser’s students later formed the Indianapolis Art League, better known today as the Indianapolis Art Center.

Image: 2009 American Scene mural created at Holy Family Transitional Housing

The American Scene program is a public art program for youth ages 8 to 12 who come from underserved areas of Indianapolis. American Scene replaces ArtVan, the Art Center’s long time summer program. The program directly reflects the 1930’s American Scene movement by allowing participants to depict their surroundings through art. The Art Center sends an artist and arts educator to a community partner site for up to eight weeks during the summer to work with twenty-five students for a period of 20 contact hours over the summer. The artist team works closely with students to create a mid-size piece of public art that depicts the students’ view of their surroundings as well as documents their community. The final piece of public art is then displayed at the partner site location for both the youth and neighborhood to view and take pride in.

If you are a representative from a local neighborhood community center and are interested in having the American Scene program in your neighborhood please contact the Director of Outreach, Laura Alvarado, at 317.255.2464 ext. 235. Please know that we are currently planning for our 2011 summer.

Call for artists and arts educators are posted on our website every January and due by mid-March each year. If you are interested in applying please check our website for details in early January.