John Mellencamp will donate his personal artifacts and memorabilia to Indiana University, IU President Pamela Whitten announced at the IU Mellencamp Symposium on Friday.
“It shouldn’t be any other place than here, because this is where I’ve lived my entire life,” Mellencamp said. “I always come back here and I am a Hoosier.”
The collection will include his creative works, photographs, instruments and other significant memorabilia.
Mellencamp said he wants these items to serve as an inspiration to young artists.
Whitten also announced that a statue of Mellencamp will be built next to the IU auditorium and his paintings will be exhibited at the Eskenazi Museum of Art in 2024.
The day-long symposium brought together scholars and music industry insiders to discuss Mellencamp’s life of artistry, activism and philanthropy.
Before Whitten’s closing announcements, Mellencamp talked to Anthony DeCurtis, an IU graduate and writer for Rolling Stone. The musician talked about his beginning as a normal kid in Seymour, Indiana, his song writing process, and his days playing at the Bluebird in Bloomington.
Whitten said Mellencamp’s art and music will live on in perpetuity at IU.