Indianapolis is Getting a New Contemporary Art Museum

Indianapolis will soon welcome a new contemporary art museum, set to significantly expand the city’s space for modern and experimental works. The project is being developed by Big Car Collaborative on its Tube Factory campus in Garfield Park and is supported by several funders, including Indiana Philanthropy Alliance members Lilly Endowment Inc. and Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation.

Addressing a Longstanding Gap in the Arts Ecosystem

Since the closure of Indianapolis Contemporary (formerly known as iMOCA) during the COVID-19 pandemic, Indianapolis has lacked a dedicated contemporary art museum. Big Car’s existing galleries, housed in the Tube Factory, have provided some coverage—with approximately 5,000 square feet of display space—but the need for a larger, purpose-built venue has remained.

Big Car Collaborative has responded by purchasing the warehouse located directly behind the Tube Factory and raising close to $5 million to convert it into a new museum. The facility will feature approximately 40,000 square feet of space dedicated to contemporary art and community use.

Supported by Philanthropy

Generous grants from Lilly Endowment Inc., Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, Efroymson Family Fund, and Herbert Simon Family Foundation have provided significant funding for the renovation and development of the new museum.

According to Big Car co-founder Shauta Marsh, construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The building is currently being referred to as “Big Tube,” although an official name has not yet been announced.

What to Expect Inside

Once complete, the new museum will offer:

• Five exhibition galleries, including space for immersive and large-scale installations

• Eighteen artist studios

• Several smaller galleries for varied works

• A café, kitchen, learning lab, and event space

• Five small storefronts intended to support artisans seeking to expand beyond pop-up markets

The museum will also include newly commissioned work from Indiana-based artists, with media spanning sculpture, painting, sound, and video.

Expanding a Vision

The new museum is part of Big Car’s long-term vision for its Garfield Park campus, which began in 2015 with the opening of the Tube Factory—a community hub that includes a coffee shop, gathering space, and three galleries. In addition, Big Car owns or co-owns 18 homes in the area that it rents to artists at reduced rates, helping to keep the neighborhood accessible and centered on creative activity.

Marsh emphasizes that the expanded campus is grounded in a commitment to long-term affordability and creative autonomy:

“It’s going to be always about art and the artist.”

Artist Bryn Jackson, who was scheduled to exhibit at Indianapolis Contemporary before its closure, shared the broader significance of the project:

“The closure of Indianapolis Contemporary had a destabilizing effect on the arts ecosystem… There is absolutely a need for a contemporary art space in Indianapolis. Big Car is doing a lot to reimagine what a museum can be.”