Indiana University is honoring musician, activist and longtime Hoosier fan John Mellencamp on homecoming weekend.
On Oct. 18, Mellencamp will attend a ceremony unveiling a sculpture in his honor. The sculpture will stand near the Fine Arts Plaza on the Bloomington campus. Mellencamp received an honorary degree from IU in 2000, a doctorate of music. He has been a benefactor of IU for decades.
“We are excited to welcome John to our campus once again as we commemorate his invaluable contributions to music, art and our university,” IU President Pamela Whitten said in a release. “The arts have long been a point of pride at IU, and we look forward to honoring a musician and artist who has generously given back to his fellow Hoosiers and greatly impacted American culture.”
Read more: John Mellencamp wants IU to be the home of his archives
The Eskenazi Museum of Art has a current exhibit featuring Mellencamp’s art called “Crossroads: The Paintings of John Mellencamp.”
In March 2023, he spoke at the Mellencamp Symposium, a gathering at IU that explored his impact and legacy. Mellencamp said he wants IU to be the home of his archives.
“It shouldn’t be any other place than here, because this is where I’ve lived my entire life,” Mellencamp said at the symposium. “I always come back here, and I am a Hoosier.”
According to IU, the sculpture was funded by anonymous donors, John and Michelle Vickery, Randy Hoffman, and Allen Grubman.
Read more: John Mellencamp exhibit opens at Eskenazi Art Museum
Mellencamp, from Seymour, Indiana, lives in Bloomington. He began his career in Indiana, playing in local bars.
Aubrey is our higher education reporter and a Report For America corps member. Contact her at aubmwrig@iu.edu or follow her on X @aubreymwright .
