Muncie Art Association records

The Muncie Art Association is an outgrowth of the Muncie Art Students League. The League, which was formed in 1892 for the promotion of art appreciation in the community gave yearly exhibits of the work of its members. The exhibits were held in the Commercial Club Rooms on Main Street. In 1906, realizing that the yearly expositions were beyond the managerial capabilities of the League, the organization directed its efforts towards the establishment of the Muncie Art Association. The first board of directors of the organization, were George F. McCulloch, George A. Ball, Harriet M. Johnston, George L. Roberts, Frank C. Ball, Belle Thomas, Ernest P. Wiles, Sarah Kessler and Susan R. Marsh.

The Muncie Art Association used their membership funds to purchase at least one painting each year, with the goal of building of a permanent collection. Edmund B. Ball was first chairman of the permanent art museum committee.

During WWI the Art Association became inactive. The use of the exhibit rooms was discontinued and for a while, the collection of paintings was hung in the Muncie Public Library. After the war, the group was offered 2 rooms on the 2nd floor of the Ball State library. Upon completion of the Museum of Art in 1935, the Art Association Collection was transferred to that facility.