Throughout her life, Carole Darst, a resident of Indianapolis, has made the arts part of everyday life for herself and others, and she has been involved in arts education, programming and planning in local and statewide community development, especially in Indianapolis, as well as in Ohio and Massachusetts. In recognition of her work, Darst, a member of the Denison University class of 1963, was recently honored by her alma mater with an alumni citation, the highest honor bestowed upon a graduate or friend of the college.
After graduating from Denison, Darst worked as a toy designer, graphic artist, exhibit theater set and store interior designer, and then professionally as an assistant education director at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. She was the exhibits and education director at the Indianapolis Arts Center, the special projects and exhibits coordinator for the Indiana Arts Commissions and the program and theater director at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Darst was the Indiana arts lobbyist on state and national levels from 1992 to 1996 as executive director of the Indiana Citizens for the Arts and Indiana Advocates for the Arts.
From 1999 to 2001, Darst directed the statewide Millennium Program for the State of Indiana while serving on the staff of the governor’s wife and implementing the revolving exhibit of Indiana artists at the governor’s residence. During those years, she served on many local and national arts and arts education boards of directors, programmed with Indiana University, Purdue University, and Indiana-Purdue at Indianapolis. She also taught summer courses at Ball State University on the critical role of arts in education, community development and sustainability. She received a Sagamore of the Wabash award in 2001.
One of her larger interests has been African art and culture, and as a collector and educator, she served as president of the Museum of Art-affiliate Ethnographic Society until its absorption by the museum in 2007.
Darst has chaired the Rotary of Indianapolis Downtown’s Gateways Project, Environment and Beautification Committee and World Community Service Committee. She also presented a session at the Peace and Reconciliation Symposium held between Indiana University and MOI University in Eldoret, Kenya, in May 2009, and she was awarded the Spirit of Rotary Award in 2010. Darst and her husband Dick have two grown daughters and three grandchildren.