Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries
Finding aid encoded in EAD, version 2002 by Phylicia Dolcy, November 2011
Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers
University received an operating support grant from the New Jersey
Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.
This collection contains the administrative papers of the women’s art gallery, Center/Gallery. The folders contain the newsletters,
calendars, meeting minutes, bylaws, budgets, and grant seeking applications of the organization. A significant portion of
the collection contains newspaper clippings, flyers, and advertisements for the various exhibits, workshops, and sales held
there. A limited amount of photographs are available for specific events.
Collection No.:
MC 1412
Language:
English
Repository:
Rutgers University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives
Center/Gallery was a non-profit, all volunteer, artist-run organization in North Carolina. Very much a part of the Women’s
Movement; it was founded to support development and rights of women artists and create a climate of experimentation. This
was to be achieved in two ways: a Center where artists can share ideas and learn from each other and a Gallery to showcase
contemporary art and host educational programs to join artist and community.
The inspiration for this project came in the spring of 1977, when the New York art critic and historian Lucy Lippard spoke
at the University of North Carolina Fine Arts Festival on women in art. A group of local women came together to talk about
art; many of them were solo artists with little support, feedback and limited opportunities to show their work. In the summer
of 1977, thirteen women organized and chartered Center/Gallery, a women’s shared space for artistic resources. By the end
of 1978 the group had grown to sixty members and obtained a small gallery space on Ransom Street, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
and a regular schedule of exhibits began. Miriam Shapiro and Nancy Spero visited and provided inspiration.
Mid 1979, they received a one-time grant for programming and operations from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. This was followed
by a North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Grant. These allowed for the expansion of the organization into a new space on
Main Street, Carrboro, North Carolina. Center/Gallery was holding an exhibition and a program every month as well as external
shows and with outside invitations. Fundraising intensified.
After a bylaws change in 1980, men were allowed to join as active members. Gallery hours expanded and members’ works were
being showcased across North Carolina.
In 1982 Center/Gallery sponsored its first biennial exhibition of local Black artists. In 1984 the exhibit was accompanied
by the work of Minnie Evans, and in 1986 Romare Bearden’s works were featured. The first annual juried show was also held
in 1984, with Dorothy Gillespie as juror. May Stevens selected the works and gave a talk on her works, sponsored by Center/Gallery
and University of North Carolina Art Department. Nancy Spero juried the 1986 competition followed by an exhibit of her own
work.
Center/Gallery also sponsored performance art, “Birthdays” by Kaola Allen, Bryant Holsenbeck and Kim Irwin, a series by Max
Below, and a two week residency and interactive event by Marilyn Gottlieb Roberts, “Gathering Evidence.”
1987 marks the beginning of Center/Gallery with Art Center and negotiations begin with their director Jacques Menache to affiliate
with them. The last Center/Gallery exhibit at the 118-A East Main Street Carrboro North Carolina was held between February
5-28, 1988 when the groups merged. Exhibits, programming and potlucks occurred through 1991.
The bulk of the administrative records of Center/Gallery date between 1980 and 1990. These are organized into folders by date,
with newsletters, calendars, and mailings kept together. A historical timeline, statement of purpose, and articles of incorporation
are separately foldered. One copy of the literary magazine, Egg vol. 1, Spring 1978 is also included as the original order of these records had it with the administrative materials.
The next section contains newspaper clippings of reviews of the exhibits and individual artists work, reactions to workshops,
general advertising flyers for exhibits and sales, mailings that went to members advertising events held at Center/Gallery,
exhibit floor plans, and some photographs of events. Most of the clippings are from local papers. These are arranged by date
and left in original order.
The final section contains the grant seeking efforts of Center/Gallery. The folders contain the applications, which are comprised
of financial reports, advertising, and plans for usage of grant money. Mid year reports to the grant giving agencies are included,
which are comprised of financial information and detail the successes of the programming made possible by the grant. There
is a limited amount of correspondence between Center/Gallery and the agencies, mostly clarification on application procedures
and letters of thanks to the funders. These grants are organized alphabetically, and then the grant information is organized
chronologically. This was a small shift from the original order, which had the materials entirely chronologically. However
since most of the grants came from two agencies, the separation interrupted the flow of correspondence.
Researchers can facilitate access to related materials in other collections by searching the Rutgers University Libraries'
online public catalog and other union catalogs under the following index terms used for people, organizations, and subjects
represented in these papers.
Personal Names
Bearden, Romare, 1911-1988
Below, Max
Evans, Minnie, 1892-1987
Gillespie, Dorothy, 1920-
Holsenbeck, Bryant
Irwin, Kim
Lippard, Lucy R.
Menache, Jacques
Roberts, Marilyn Gottlieb
Shannon, Joseph
Shapiro, Miriam
Spero, Nancy, 1926-2009
Stevens, May
Corporate Names
Art Center (Carrboro, N.C.)
North Carolina Arts Council
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Subjects
Art -- Study and education
Art -- Women -- 20th century
Carrboro (N.C.)
Chapel Hill (N.C.)
Feminism -- United States -- History -- 20th Century
Performance art -- Art, Modern -- America -- 20th Century
This section provides descriptions of the materials found within each series. Each
series description is followed by a container list, which gives the titles of the
"containers" (for example, folders, volumes, or cassettes) and their locations in
the numbered boxes that comprise the collection. The availability of any digital
items from a container is indicated with a hyperlink.