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​​Newfields: A Leader in Ethical Collections Stewardship

Text on a decorative green background: “Through our support of Local Contexts, Newfields strengthens its commitment to Indigenous communities, NAGPRA compliance, and enriches our understanding of the objects in our care. By fostering this knowledge, we aim to educate and uplift our staff and the diverse communities we serve, promoting healing and unity.” Belinda Tate, The Melvin & Bren Simon Director of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, from “Grounding Indigenous Rights with Local Contexts in Newfields’ Collections Care” by Emma L. Carter and Anne M. Young.

Local Contexts was recently featured in “Grounding Indigenous Rights with Local Contexts in Newfields’ Collections Care,” authored by Emma L. Carter, Rights Specialist, and Anne M. Young, Director of Legal Affairs and Intellectual Property at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.This article highlights a five-year collaboration that underscores Newfields’ dedication to ethical collections care and meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities.

With support from an IMLS Museums for America grant, Newfields redesigned its collections portal to include Notices, Rights Statements, and Creative Commons licenses—showcasing their leadership in transparency and Indigenous data sovereignty.

As a Founding Supporter and paid Hub subscriber, Newfields exemplifies how institutions can prioritize Indigenous data sovereignty and foster ethical collections care.

Read the full article about this collaboration here.