Archives of American
SmithsonianCampaign
SMITHSONIAN archives of american art Leadership Message Our gOAL the archives of american art is the stolen Michelangelo sculpture for return to preeminent institution documenting the its owners. And hear Chuck Close talk about $18 million history of art in America. It has a wealth the first set of paints he received as a child. of material from artists, collectors, dealers These and millions of other important and scholars, all essential to understanding personal histories bring richness and depth This is a critical moment for the Archives the nation’s full story. to our shared visual culture—and they would of American Art. We are poised to receive Our growing collection of letters, sketchbooks, have been lost or remained hidden had we diaries, emails, photographs and home not taken action to gather and share them significant collections from art makers and kate haw movies spans the 18th to the 21st centuries with the world. dIreCTOr thinkers from the late 20th century and and continues to grow. It is the most archives of american art Together, we will build and preserve the comprehensive collection of its kind and beyond. We seek funds to preserve these Archives’ collections, experience our includes the largest inventory of art-related treasures online with people worldwide oral histories in the world. documents, including those produced and nurture tomorrow’s discoveries. Please What will you find at the Archives? Visit our read our case for support and match your digitally. Your investment in the Smithsonian website and read George Catlin’s notebooks passions with our gift opportunities. Campaign will enable us to catalog and of his travels with the American Indians. See Thank you. photos of the Monuments Men packing a digitize these valuable collections to share on our website worldwide.
1 case for support Expanding research and Discovery
The preservation Thousands visit our centers in New York and oraL history endowment Washington, d.C., and hundreds of thousands Our collections include more than 2,200 of personal journals of researchers consult our website annually. As collected by the interviews with artists, scholars, collectors and our collection expands and more of it is available dealers. Their stories have shaped the art world— Archives will provide online, the potential for new discoveries and and there are new stories to tell every day. An scholarship in American visual arts is exciting. valuable insight for investment to endow this program will allow future scholars. Leadership endowments us the flexibility to document significant narratives The Archives seeks to endow four key leadership before they are lost and use new technologies to positions: the director, national collector, New York broaden access to this unique resource.
collector and chief of reference services. Gifts to preservation and access endow the director’s position will signify a commitment The Archives has collected prolifically since 1954. to quality leadership and innovation, strengthening By investing in archival preservation and staying the Archives’ prominence in the art world. current with digitization and evolving technologies, endowment gifts for a national collector will the Archives’ resources will be strengthened and enable us to pursue important collections around more information will be accessible. Our work the country. A collector in New York is especially will shape the future direction of scholarship in important since the city is the epicenter of the American art history with new collections and art world. more information available online. researchers rely heavily on the Archives’ reference
Janice Lowry, Journal #108, services. The chief of reference services is critical 2005. Janice Lowry papers, to understanding the full range of the Archives and archives of american art helps advance scholarship in a digital age.
3 Our Campaign Priorities
Gifts to the Leadership endowments The Smithsonian Campaign Smithsonian ● We seek an endowment of $5 million for the director’s position. will transform a national Campaign will ● We seek endowments of $2.5 million for the national collector treasure into a catalyst for allow the Archives position and for the New York collector position. change. Please join us as to preserve and ● We seek an endowment of $2.5 million for the chief of we raise $1.5 billion to spark digitize works reference services. discovery, tell America’s story, inspire lifelong that might be oraL history program endowment learning and reach people otherwise lost. We seek an endowment of $5 million to capture the histories of significant figures in art and expand the accessibility of everywhere. the collection.
preservation and access The Smithsonian Archives We seek $4 million in this category, with gifts of $25,000 or of American Art is raising $18 more, to support the preservation and recovery of collections million of the Smithsonian and improvements to web infrastructure. Campaign’s overall goal.
with your support, we can reach millions of students, educators and art enthusiasts worldwide, while continuing to rescue historical records. FOr MOre INFOrMATION, CAll 202.633.7989 PhOTO SCOTT STArk Or VISIT SMIThSONIANCAMPAIGN.OrG. SmithsonianCampaign
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archives of american art cover alexander calder working smithsonian | aaa.si.edu on a mobile in his studio in roxbury, conn., c. 1960. alexander calder research centers papers, archives of american art 750 9th street, nW victor Building, suite 2200 Washington, Dc 20001
300 Park avenue south, suite 300 new York, nY 10010 exhibition gaLLery Lawrence a. fleischman Gallery smithsonian’s Donald W. reynolds center for american art and Portraiture 8th and f streets, nW Washington, Dc 20001 affiLiated research centers amon carter museum, fort Worth, tX Boston Public Library, Boston, ma De Young museum, san francisco, ca huntington Library, san marino, ca