Venable was appointed as The Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO of Newfields in October 2012 under a five-year contract. Upon his appointment, the Board of Governors charged Venable with achieving financial stability for Newfields. During his tenure, Venable has worked alongside the Board to significantly reduce the endowment draw, while increasing earned and donated revenue. Newfields has secured major gifts in both art and capital under Venable's leadership, including a $10 million gift from the Lilly Endowment to enhance the Newfields gardens and to establish an Innovation Fund. The Fund enables Newfields to identify, research and pilot experimental programming that will increase the Newfields’ long-term sustainability. Venable's tenure marks some of Newfields' most highly attended exhibitions, including Matisse, Life in Color and Dream Cars: Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas. Among the many acquisitions Venable has spearheaded for Newfields, Five Brushstrokes, a large-scale installation by Roy Lichtenstein, is among the most high-profile. The sculpture— which was created by 1983, but never fabricated to full-scale during Lichtenstein's lifetime— made its world premiere at the Newfileds in 2014 and now resides in front of the main Museum building on the Dudley and Mary Louise Sutphin Mall. In April 2015, Venable and the board reinstated Newfields' admission policy, bringing the gardens, galleries and special exhibitions together under a single ticket. Under Venable's leadership, Newfields membership has reached a record-high, tripling from approximately 5,000 to 15,000. His initiative to position the Newfields as a cultural centerpiece in Indianapolis has been reflected through his efforts to provide accessible, innovative programming and to enhance the gardens and natural landscape on Newfields' main 152-acre campus. In April 2016, the Newfields' Board of Governors extended Venable's contract for an additional 10 years. The extended tenure aligns with the timeline of the Newfields' new ten year strategic plan. Under the extended contract, Venable will serve through January 1, 2026.
Publications
Venable has edited and written several scholarly publications. His book, American Furniture in the Bybee Collection, was awarded the Charles F. Montgomery Award of the Decorative Arts Society. His 1994 publication, Silver in America, 1840-1940: A Century of Splendor, also received the DAS's Montgomery Prize. Venable co-authored, China and Glass in America, 1880-1980 in 2000. In his current role as The Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO Venable periodically curates exhibitions, including the IMA's silver exhibition, Tiffany, Gorham, and the Height of American Silver : 1840-1930. and Dining by Design: American Silver 1925-2000, coming in March 2019.
