Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the National Endowment for the Arts, Visual Arts Program Selected Records, 1969-1989, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.natiendo
Creators:
National Endowment for the Arts. Visual Arts Program
Dates:
1969-1989
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
15.5 Linear feet
Repository:
The selected records of the National Endowment for the Arts, Visual Arts Program measure 15.5 linear feet and date from 1969 to 1989. The records contain supporting documentation for grant applications awarded and final reports submitted to the NEA's Visual Arts Program in the categories of: Workshops (1972-1976), Workshops/Alternative Spaces (1976-1979), Artists' Spaces (1980-1982), and Visual Artists Organizations (1983-ca.1987). Included are a variety of materials, such as slides, photographs, sound and video recordings, letters, resumes, newsletters, financial reports, operational procedures, and printed materials. After circa 1990, the NEA began returning supporting documentation to the applicants, hence, no records from the 1990s are included, although grants were awarded in the Visual Artists Organizations category until 1995.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The selected records of the National Endowment for the Arts, Visual Arts Program measure 15.5 linear feet and date from 1969 to 1989. The records contain supporting documentation for grant applications awarded and final reports submitted to the NEA's Visual Arts Program in the categories of: Workshops (1972-1976), Workshops/Alternative Spaces (1976-1979), Artists' Spaces (1980-1982), and Visual Artists Organizations (1983-ca.1987). Included are a variety of materials, such as slides, photographs, sound and video recordings, letters, resumes, newsletters, financial reports, operational procedures, and printed materials. After circa 1990, the NEA began returning supporting documentation to the applicants, hence, no records from the 1990s are included, although grants were awarded in the Visual Artists Organizations category until 1995.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as two series.
  • Series 1: Art Organization Files, 1969-1989 (Boxes 1-15; 13.5 linear feet)
  • Series 2: Slides, circa 1970-1981 (Boxes 16-17; 2.0 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts. From its founding, the agency provided grant funding in support of museums and other visual art programs. In 1972 a separate program to support museum funding was established. By 1981 there were as many as fifteen categories of funding in support of public art projects, workshops, artists' residencies, exhibitions, and other visual art programs. Organizations and individuals would submit NEA grant applications including extensive supporting materials. After ca. 1990, the NEA began returning supporting documentation to the applicants, although grants were awarded in the Visual Artists Organizations category until 1995.

Administration

Author
Ricky Gomez
Sponsor
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The National Endowment for the Arts, Visual Arts Program selected records were donated in 1996 by Michael Faubion, Director.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2019.
Separated Materials
Approximately 80 linear feet of exhibition catalogs and monographs received from the NEA along with the Visual Arts Program records were transferred to the Library of the National Museum of American Art.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Terms of Use
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Preferred Citation
National Endowment for the Arts, Visual Arts Program selected records, 1970-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
The National Endowment for the Arts grant applications are housed in the National Archives. The Smithsonian American Art Museum holds the National Endowment for the Arts Artists Archive.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Video recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Federal aid to the arts Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Programs (organizations) Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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