Northwestern University Archives • Evanston, Illinois BLOCK GALLERY, RECORDS OF THE, 1932-1997 Series 5/10 Boxes 1-82 Description of the Series, Boxes 1-53, 1932-1994 The records of Northwestern University’s Block Gallery (renamed Block Museum in 1998) date largely from the late 1970s through 1994, with a few earlier documents, and fill 53 boxes. The records are divided into seven categories: administrative and general correspondence files, donation and development records, events files, exhibitions files, Friends of Art, grants and arts organizations files, and personnel files. The administrative and general correspondence files, which fill the first nine boxes of the series, relate largely to routine matters including publicity, public relations, tour groups, and receptions held at the Block. The files are arranged alphabetically by keyword of folder heading. Donation and development records relate largely to donations to the Block, both financial and material. The first three boxes in this category contain records of smaller monetary donations from individuals during the period 1979-1987. These files are arranged chronologically. The remainder of the category contains files on larger financial donations, both by individuals and corporations, and donations of works of art. These files are arranged alphabetically by folder headings. The events files date between 1979 and 1989 and are arranged chronologically. These files principally contain information on tour groups visiting the Block Gallery. Also found here is a small volume of records on conferences and receptions held at the Block. These files, typically one folder per event, generally contain very basic information, commonly recording the number of visitors or noting the provision of any special accommodations. The exhibitions files fill twenty-three boxes and contain information on both accepted and declined exhibitions. The accepted exhibitions fill nearly eighteen boxes and are arranged chronologically by the date of the exhibition. Typically, there are multiple files on a particular exhibition; these files are further arranged according to a rough chronology or by topical folder headings. These files date from 1978 through 1987. They contain administrative correspondence, reports and related documents pertaining to the exhibition, information on physical space requirements, pertinent budgetary records, and audience evaluations. The files on declined exhibitions complete the category and fill five boxes. These files date from 1974 through 1987. Prominent among them is a large volume of material relating to a prospective exhibition on French genre painting. The Friends of Art is a group of Block Gallery patrons heavily involved in fundraising and development efforts. The Friends of Art files are arranged in five boxes, first into subcategories and within these alphabetically by folder title. The subcategories are: general, donors, events, membership, and solicitations. The files span the period 1972 through 1994. Filling six boxes, Grants and arts organizations files are arranged alphabetically by folder headings; they span the period 1979 through 1990. These files principally contain records of applications for exhibition funding made by the Block Gallery and Northwestern University to various granting agencies. There is a small number of files present relating to the Block’s involvement with governmental cultural agencies, mainly the Evanston and Illinois Arts Councils. A small volume of personnel files contain employment-related records on individuals who worked at the Block Gallery during the 1980s. There are also a few files relating to 1982 and 1984 searches for curators as well as job descriptions. 1 Northwestern University Archives • Evanston, Illinois BLOCK GALLERY, RECORDS OF THE, 1932-1997 Series 5/10 Boxes 1-82 Provenance: Six accessions make up this series: 90-114, 90-182, 90-186, 91-32, 91-184, and 94-101. Restrictions: The series may only be used with the permission of the University Archivist. Separations: Twelve and one-half boxes of extraneous and duplicate material have been discarded. Processors: Matthew Sudman, Robert Carlton and Kevin Leonard; August-November 2006. Description of the Addition, Boxes 54-82, 1980-1997 The exhibitions files addition fills 29 boxes and covers exhibits from 1980-1997. These files are arranged chronologically by the dates the exhibits ran. There are typically multiple files for each show, but all the folders are labeled with the title of the exhibits. These files contain administrative correspondence, reports and related documents pertaining to the exhibition, condition reports, pertinent budgetary records, slides, transparencies, photographs, exhibit catalogues, docent educational materials, and related publications. Provenance of the Addition: Transferred to the Northwestern University Archives on February 10, 2009 by Kristina Bottomley as accession number 09-20. Restrictions on the Addition: Access for Block Museum Staff only. Separations from the Addition: These video cassettes (listed below the respective exhibits to which they refer) are stored in the Archive's film collection. Fifty Years of Babar, Aug. 3-Sep. 19, 1984 (One video cassette, #2562, titled " Kathy Foley speaks on Babar Exhibit", from 8/15/1984). Painting at NU: Conger, Paschke, Valero, Jan. 24-Mar. 30, 1986 (One video cassette, #2563, titled " CBS News, "Painting at Northwestern" Exhibition", from 3/30/1986). Unpainted to the Last: Moby Dick and 20th Century American Art, Jan. 12-Mar. 3, 1996 (8 video cassettes, #2564-2570, titled "Moby Dick Tapes #1-8, with n.d.). Second Sight: Printmaking in Chicago, 1935-1995, Sep. 27-Dec. 8, 1996 (One video cassette, #2561, titled "James Yood Opening Lecture for Second Sight- Interview Included", from 10/2/1996). Processor of the Addition: Jason Nargis, March, 2009 2 Northwestern University Archives • Evanston, Illinois BLOCK GALLERY, RECORDS OF THE, 1932-1997 Series 5/10 Boxes 1-82 Container List Box Folder Title Dates Administrative and General Correspondence Files 1 1 Accession and Deaccession 1980-1983 2 Accessions and Acquisitions Policy 1984-1987 3 Alumni News 1983-1985 4 Art Encounter 1987 5 Art Facilities and Needs 1968-1975 6 Art for Campus 1971-1979 7 Art History C95 1987 8 Art History C95 1987-1988 9 Art History C95 1988-1989 10 Art History C95 1988-1989 11 Art History C96 1983-1986 12 Art History C96 1987-1988 13 Art History C96 1987-1988 14 Art History C96 1988-1989 15 Art History C96 1988-1989 16 Art History C96 1988-1989 17 Art History C99 1988-1989 18 Art History D01 1988 19 Art History D96 1988-1989 20 Art History Department: Faculty Meetings 1980-1985 21 Art History Department: Faculty Meetings 1984-1985 22 Art Museums and Galleries 1989 23 Arts and Recreation Magazine n.d. 2 1 Arts Club 1981-1986 2 Arts College 1980-1982 3 Benefits 1991-1993 4 Birmingham Museum of Art 1990 5 Blind and Visually Impaired 1979 6 Block Gallery 1980 7 Block Galley 1988-1989 8 Block Gallery Committee 1980-1983 9 Block Gallery Committee 1983-1984 10 Block Gallery Committee: Meeting Information 1983-1985 11 Block Gallery Committee: Meeting Information 1983-1985 12 Block Gallery: Groundbreaking 1977-1978 13 Block Gallery: Proposals 1980-1982 14 Block Gallery: Rules / Statement of Purpose 1989-1993 15 Block Gallery: Security System 1987 3 Northwestern University Archives • Evanston, Illinois BLOCK GALLERY, RECORDS OF THE, 1932-1997 Series 5/10 Boxes 1-82 Container List Box Folder Title Dates 2 16 Cablevision 1983 17 Catalogue Exchange 1981-1987 18 Catalogues Sent 1987 19 Chicago Architecture Annual 1985 20 Children’s Museum of Art 1979 3 1 Closed Carrel 1981-1983 2 College of Commerce and Industry 1987 3 Committee on Institutional Cooperation 1979-1985 4 Communications Residential College 1984 5 Computer ca. 1987 6 Corporate Art Curators 1980-1982 7 Correspondence 1978-1983 8 Correspondence 1979-1990 9 Correspondence 1987 10 Correspondence January 1988 11 Correspondence February 1988 12 Correspondence March 1988 13 Correspondence April 1988 14 Correspondence May 1988 15 Correspondence June 1988 16 Correspondence July 1988 17 Correspondence August 1988 18 Correspondence September 1988 19 Correspondence October 1988 20 Correspondence November 1988 21 Correspondence December 1988 22 Correspondence 1988-1990 23 Correspondence 1989-1993 4 1 Correspondence 1989-1993 2 Correspondence 1991-1993 3 Correspondence: Memoranda 1979-1981 4 Correspondence: Memoranda 1986 5 Council of the Arts 1982-1983 6 Courtesans of the Floating World 1978 7 Cultural Arts Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen 1979-1980 8 DeCordova Museum n.d. 9 Department of Public Safety 1989 10 Design Competition 1988 11 Detroit Institute of Art 1987 4 Northwestern University Archives • Evanston, Illinois BLOCK GALLERY, RECORDS OF THE, 1932-1997 Series 5/10 Boxes 1-82 Container List Box Folder Title Dates 4 12 Discovery Tours 1980 13 Discovery Tours 1983-1984 14 District 65 Workshops 1983 15 Dwyer Associates 1989 16 Education 1980-1982 17 Education 1987 18 Phyllis Ellis 1990 19 Evanston Art Center 1987 20 Evanston Cable Television 1982 21 Evanston Public School: Curriculum Development 1982-1983 22 Evanston Township High School 1988 23 Exchange Lists 1987 24 Faxes (Facsimile Transmissions) 1989-1990 5 1 Financial 1987-1989 2 Financial 1990-1991 3 Financial: Budget Planning 1989-1990 4 Financial: Purchasing Stores 1979-1985 5 Galerie Michael Neumann 1989 6 Gallery Advisory Committee 1979-1980 7 Gallery Advisory Committee 1980-1981 8 Gallery Advisory Committee: Meeting