The key to being a good partner is meeting your community where they are at. While partnerships mold and morph, over the past five years, Newfields has developed an amazing partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana (BBBSCI). Their mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

It’s personal for Clarence Cannon, Newfields' Community Engagement Manager: “This is special for me because I worked at Big Brothers Big Sisters before I started here at Newfields. I could see this was not just a place to view art and nature—it was a space where trust, confidence, and connection could grow.”

Clarence continues to say that “working with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana has deeply shaped how I understand community engagement and the role cultural institutions can play in people’s lives. One of the most meaningful moments came when the organization filmed one of their ‘Matches of the Year’ at Newfields because the Bigs and their Little often chose the museum as a place to spend time together.

Five Years of Partnership in the Making

The BBBSCI partnership began in 2021, when the organization was added to the list of various nonprofits who receive free tickets to Harvest Nights and Winterlights as part of our ticket distribution program. We hoped to provide an exceptional experience at Newfields for Bigs and Littles by inviting them to a safe space to interact with art and nature.

Newfields further engaged with BBBSCI during the 140th celebration of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. We highlighted our founding leader May Wright Sewall, an educator and activist, and hosted a college night focused on women in leadership. The CEO of BBBSCI, Darcey Palmer-Shultz, spoke at Newfields on the panel of influential women in Indianapolis making a real difference. “Darcey is a strong voice for the community and their families which are served through BBBSCI,” Clarence adds.

The partnership has flourished, with BBBSCI joining Newfields for The Future Is Now: Sneakerfest, providing nearly 30 of their youths with the opportunity to experience a temporary exhibit and receive a new pair of sneakers. At Newfields, we lit up our fountain and iconic sign on 38th Street and Michigan Road green for BBBSCI’s ‘Paint the Town Green” campaign. BBBSCI joined Newfields for opening day at the Indiana State Fair, sponsored by Newfields. Newfields continued engagement when hosting BBBSCI’s Match of the Year event in Deer Events Pavillion. This event highlights Bigs and Littles with a special relationship, showcasing the power of mentorship and the impactful work BBBSCI does.

Filming 2025 Match of the Year

While this work has largely been behind the scenes, the Match of the Year filming is a culmination of all this effort. Some backstory: The Bigs (couple Cameron and Sydney) and Little (Anthony) had been paired for nearly five years and shared a love of video gaming and rock climbing. They wanted to film at Newfields because they spent much of their time together wandering The Garden and the IMA Galleries. They even utilized the ticket distribution program to visit Winterlights this past holiday season, bringing together both families for a magical night where Anthony met Cameron & Sydney’s newborn baby for the first time.

Everyone gathering at Winterlights (December 2025). Photo courtesy of Cameron Stewart and Sydney Olund.

As Anthony, Cameron, and Sydney considered where to capture the depth of their mentoring relationship, this seemed like the most fitting place for filming. With help from Newfields’ Legal Affairs & Intellectual Property and Marketing & Communications teams, the project came to fruition.

Newfields is honored and excited to continue to partner with BBBSCI. Personally, the experience reinforced my belief that access matters and that welcoming spaces can influence how young people see themselves and their possibilities. It continues to shape how I approach partnerships today, leading with listening, building authentic relationships, and focusing on lasting community impact.