The Fine Arts Society of Indianapolis - History of The Fine Arts Society

History of The Fine Arts Society

Prior to 1961, there was little classical music on the radio in Central Indiana. In May of that year, a group of research chemists from Eli Lilly and Company pooled their resources, formed a corporation and on May 13 the "Lively Arts Station," WAIV-FM went on the air. The station offered a variety of classical music, jazz, poetry, interviews, folk music, discussions of religion, and editorials. Its broadcasts emanated from a tower atop the Dearborn Hotel on East Michigan Street in Indianapolis.

The station struggled financially, and only became profitable in 1967 when the program format became exclusively classical. Programs were chosen by station staff and were presented in their entirety without interruption. This was the first completely classical music format on the radio in Indianapolis.

Decisions between the owners of WAIV led to the sale of the station but Fine Arts Society co-founder Norbert Neuss was not about to give up. With the help of his friends he purchased WAIV's 2,500 classical record library, packed them up, and stored them in the Lilly Pavilion of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. His hope was to use them later. That moment came sooner than anyone could have hoped for.

Neuss's friendship with Frank P. Thomas, founder and owner of the Burger Chef System of restaurants, turned out to be a decisive factor in fulfilling his dream of reviving classical music on the radio. In early 1968, Neuss, F. Bruce Peck, Frank P. Thomas and Willis K. Kunz formed the Fine Arts Society of Indianapolis, Inc. as as a public charitable trust under the laws of the State of Indiana. The Society was granted 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service in January, 1969.

Upon hearing that the Indianapolis Public Schools were constructing a new radio/television center, the Society approached school officials. After informal discussions between Neuss and the staff of the school's broadcast center, IPS's Board of School Commissioners and the Society arrived at an agreement whereby the Fine Arts Society would augment the instructional programs of the IPS's radio station, WIAN-FM, with a "Second Programme" of classical music during prime evening hours that went on the air in November, 1969.

The partnership between the Fine Arts Society and the Indianapolis Public Schools' WIAN, represented a totally unprecedented and unique approach in financing a radio program without any tax subsidies. Through the Fine Arts Society's programming, WIAN was able to expand its broadcast hours by more than 100% at no cost to taxpayers.

During these years, more than 20 different broadcast services provided the Second Programme with concert materials from the entire spectrum of worldwide musical activity. The Society was also especially proud to bring, to the Indianapolis radio audience, selected student and faculty concerts from the School of Music of Indiana University in Bloomington. Also during this time, the Society suffered a serious loss on November 5, 1973, when the Grant Fire destroyed the downtown Thomas Building, including the offices and classical and opera record collection of the Society.

Thanks to the expansion of program time, WIAN was able to qualify for affiliation with National Public Radio and in the 1970s began receiving grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. WIAN had the financial resources to expand its own operation and programming originating from NPR, but this resulted in increased restrictions on broadcast time for the Society, and prompted the Society to seek another outlet for its programming.

Fortunately, the University of Indianapolis was in the process of upgrading its campus radio station both in signal strength and into stereo broadcast mode. The happy affiliation of the Society and the University began on January 26, 1983, when the Society broadcast its First Program on WICR-FM, 88.7. The nationally-unique contractual arrangement between the Fine Arts Society and the University continues to this day.

The Metropolitan Opera selected The Fine Arts Society to join its national radio broadcasting network in 1993 and continues on Saturday afternoons from approximately November through May.

2001 saw the retirement of the volunteer President of the Society's Board, Norbert Neuss, after 32 years of service to the organization. He was appointed President Emeritus. In the summer of 2005 Society longtime Treasurer Bruce Peck died. A year later, President Emeritus Neuss died. The Fine Arts Society's 8,500 cd music library was dedicated the F. Bruce Peck Library and one of the production studios was dedicated the Norbert Neuss Production Studio in honor of their memory and contributions to the Society.