Design Arts Society
The members of the Design Arts Society (DAS) are dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of the aesthetic, historical and cultural significance of Western design. Their interests span the 16th century to the present and encompasses a broad range of media including furniture, glass, ceramics, metalwork, jewelry, and product design.
DAS members work to promote a greater awareness of the central role that design plays in our daily lives and to also help establish the IMA as an important center for the design arts in the United States. DAS offers an annual series of programs featuring lectures from international, national, and regional design experts, as well as private DAS members’ only special events. Past events hosted by DAS include: Shaping the New Century: A Two-Day International Design Symposium, A Night with George Nelson, Revisiting Cranbrook: Eliel Saarinen and the Survival of Tradition and many more.
DAS is led by a Board of Directors and is advised by R. Craig Miller, Senior Curator of Design Arts and Director of Design Initiatives, as well as a Museum Affiliate liaison.
Upcoming Events
Stay up to date on the latest by following the DAS Fan page on Facebook.
Michael Graves Reception and Lecture
Thursday, March 28 / Reception 5 pm-6 pm / Lecture 6 pm-7 pm
Beyond Gorgeous: The Work of Alexander Girard, presented by Alexandra Lange
Thursday, April 11
DAS Annual Meeting, (DAS members only)
Indiana Modern Lecture, Speaker TBD. (Free and open to the public)
Thursday, June 6
2011-2012 Board Officers
Tom Vriesman, President
Marika Klemm, Vice President
Mark Demerly, Treasurer
Marian Pettengill, Secretary
Scott Johnson, Immediate Past President
DAS Membership Dues
Become a member of DAS today! In order to be eligible for membership in the DAS, you must be an IMA member. If you are a student and/or under the age of 35, you are eligible for a special membership rate. For more information please contact the Development department at 317-923-1331 ext. 434
$40 individual
$60 couple
$140 patron
$160 patron couple
NEW! Students receive a free DAS membership (ID required)
Please create an account in order to join the IMA or renew your membership. If you already set up your account, simply log in below or here.
DAS Acquisition Fund
During the last four years, under the direction of R. Craig Miller, senior curator of design arts and director of design initiatives, the IMA has acquired over 1,000 design objects emphasizing twentieth and twenty-first-century design. The new Design Arts Galleries on the Museum’s third floor will expand the collection’s exhibition space to nearly 10,000 square feet. This new installation, scheduled to open in 2013, will be one of the largest–and first–comprehensive surveys of the history of contemporary design in an American museum. With a special lead gift of $10,000 from the Design Arts Society (DAS), we have launched the 2012 Design Arts Society Purchase Fund initiative. Our goal is to help the Museum acquire twentieth-century masterpieces to fill major gaps in the collection, and to augment the numerous gifts that will be secured from national and international patrons, designers, and manufacturers over the next year.