Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the SoHo Artists Association Records, 1968-1978, in the Archives of American Art

Summary
Background and History
Background and History
Collection ID:
AAA.sohoarti
Creators:
SoHo Artists Association
Dates:
1968-1978
Languages:
Collection is in English.
Physical Description:
0.4 Linear feet
Repository:
The records of the New York City SoHo Artists Association measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1968 to 1978. They document the Association's lobbying efforts to change New York City zoning laws to allow artists to live and work in SoHo lofts. Found within the collection are correspondence, reports, founding documents, notes, publicity and printed material, photographs, and a sound recording of the first meeting of the Association in 1970.
Scope and Contents note
Scope and Contents note
The records of the New York City SoHo Artists Association measure 0.4 linear feet and date from 1968 to 1978. They document the Association's lobbying efforts to change New York City zoning laws to allow artists to live and work in SoHo lofts. Found within the collection are correspondence, reports, founding documents, notes, publicity and printed material, photographs, and a sound recording of the first meeting of the Association in 1970.
The records contain documentation of the SoHo Artists Association's relationship with other organizations and city commissions, including the Artists Tenants Association, Citizens for Artists Housing, Historic Districts Council, New York City Planning Commission, New York State Commission on Cultural Resources, and Department of Cultural Affairs.
The collection includes a sound recording of the Association's first official meeting held on June 5, 1970 after incorporation. Members discuss the history of negotiations, how to work with commissions and boards, membership growth, the definition of who is an artist, how much minimum space an artist needs, what an artist considers to be adequate living quarters, and how to raise visibility and support. The meeting concluded with a vote, the ballots of which are included in the records.
Publicity records includes festival and tour information, the SoHo Newsletter, clippings, and other materials. Photographs are of the SoHo Artists Association meeting on June 5, 1970.
Arrangement note
Arrangement note
Due to the small size of this collection the records are arranged as one series.
    Missing Title
  • Series 1: SoHo Artists Association Records, 1968-1978 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)
Biographical/Historical note
Biographical/Historical note
The SoHo Artists Association was loosely formed in 1968 to centralize lobbying efforts to change New York City zoning laws to allow artists to live and work in SoHo loft spaces zoned for manufacturing. At that time, spaces that were vacated by manufacturers were being converted to studios by artists drawn by cheap rents, expansive spaces, and available natural lighting. Many artists also began to occupy their studio spaces, although zoning laws did not permit residency. The group voted to call itself the SoHo Artists Association at the same time they shortened the area designation on a city planning commission map from "South of Houston." The name for the neighborhood stuck and became a model for other neighborhood acronyms in New York City.
The Association acquired its incorporation certificate on June 2, 1970 and held its first "official" meeting a few days later. In addition to negotiating with the city, the SoHo Artists Association built community support and membership through community events and festivals. They also sought financial and foundation support for artists and extended those funds to purchase buildings for artists' residences as well as exhibition and performance spaces.
During negotiations and public hearings, the City placed a moratorium on evictions to allow more time to resolve the situation in a legal manner. In 1971 the Zoning Resolution was amended to permit Joint Live-Work Quarters for Artists. This law is still in effect and, for the most part, only visual artists and their families are permitted to legally live in converted lofts in SoHo.
Administration
Author
Amanda Louie
Sponsor
Funding for the digitization of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
The records were donated to the Archives of American Art by Gerhardt Liebmann, a member of the SoHo Artists Association, in 1979.
Existence and Location of Copies note
This collection was digitized in its entirety in
2012
and is available via the Archives of American Art's website. Blank pages and duplicates have not been scanned. In most cases, the cover, title page, and individual relevant pages have been scanned from published materials.
The sound recording in this collection was digitized for research access in
2009
and is available at the Archives of American Art offices. Researchers may view the original sound tape reel for the archival notations on it, but the original reel is not available for playback due to fragility.
Processing Information note
The collection was fully processed and a finding aid prepared by Amanda Louie in 2011. The collection was digitized in 2012 with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art.
Using the Collection
Preferred Citation note
SoHo Artists Association Records, 1968-1978. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Access note
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
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.
Related Archival Materials note
Also found in the Archives of American Art are the Artist Tenants Association records, 1959-1978.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arts organizations Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists -- Housing -- New York (State) -- New York Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Reports Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
SoHo (New York, N.Y.) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arts -- New York (State) -- New York Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artists' studios -- New York (State) Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
New York (N.Y.). City Planning Commission Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
New York (N.Y.). Dept. of Cultural Affairs Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
New York (State). Commission on Cultural Resources Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artist Tenants Association (New York, N.Y.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Historic Districts Council (New York, N.Y.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
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