John Mellencamp (Image: Getty via Indiana University)
Acclaimed musician, artist and activist John Mellencamp will donate an archived collection of his life and work to Indiana University, IU President Pamela Whitten announced at the Mellencamp Symposium held March 3 on the IU Bloomington campus. The collection will include items related to his iconic artistry, social activism and philanthropy, and it holds original creative works, photographs, instruments and other significant memorabilia.
“John’s impact on music and American culture is immense,” Whitten said. “On behalf of Hoosiers everywhere, I am exceptionally proud of John’s lifelong association with IU and deeply grateful to him for selecting the university as the permanent home for his archives.
“His collection will be an incredible resource for arts scholars and a clear source of inspiration to our students. We are thrilled to honor him and celebrate his many contributions to music, art and IU.”
The archives will be a focal point for IU’s efforts to inspire and equip students for successful arts and entertainment careers across creative arts disciplines.
The donation of his archives was one of several announcements made at the one-of-a-kind symposium that brought academic scholars, music industry leaders, journalists and more to campus for a deep dive into the cultural and social impact of Mellencamp’s vast oeuvre. The day included interactive talks, panel discussions and a live interview with the Hoosier singer.
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area.
He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.
