Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of records of three projects of the Assistant Secretary for the Arts and Humanities. The majority of the records document the Special Exhibition Fund, established by Office Memorandum (OM) 833 dated October 26, 1984. The OM decreed that the Fund was meant only to fund significant exhibitions beyond the normal financial capability of the bureau, that a published scholarly catalog must be part of each proposal, and that funds were not available for refurbishing of old exhibits. Additional guidelines were adopted by the Special Exhibition Committee in 1985. The Fund was administered through the Assistant Secretary for Museums, then renamed Arts and Humanities, and finally renamed Assistant Provost for Arts and Humanities. These records consist of fund proposals, including budgets, schedules, letters of support, plans for catalogues, CVs, other funding, descriptions, and contingency plans for lesser funding approvals.

Other projects include possible plans for the General Post Office Building adjacent to American Art and Portrait Gallery (AAPG) and the USSR Project, which explored the possibilities of a collaborative exhibition of the US and the USSR on the issues of the 20th century.