Survey: Lawndale Art & Performance Center

Posted August 05, 2010 by Anonymous

Organization:

Lawndale Art & Performance Center

Part 1.

Year Founded:

1979

1c. Organization's annual budget.:

$250,001 - $500,000

1b. Primary activity[ies] of the organization.:

Exhibition Space

Part 2.

2a. Mission Statement:

Lawndale Art Center is dedicated to the presentation of contemporary art with an emphasis on work by Houston artists. We present exhibitions, lectures and events to further the creative exchange of ideas among Houston’s diverse artistic, cultural and student communities.

2b. Organization History / Organizational Overview. Index of important events in organization's history.:

Lawndale began in 1979 in an old warehouse owned by the University of Houston. The off-campus site on Hillman at Lawndale in the city’s East side provided studio spaces for graduate students in painting and sculpture. Scupltor James Surls, then Professor of Art, created an exhibition area for the students which soon expanded to include shows by other artists in the community. In 1987, The University of Houston elected to dispose of the warehouse Lawndale occupied. With support from the University and the art community, Lawndale received its non-profit status in 1989. After a period of time exhibiting in spaces as varied as the Houston Public Library, Glassell School of Art, and various office buildings, Lawndale moved to its present site in the Museum District. In 1993, Lawndale purchased the building at 4912 Main with funds from the art community, a trustee loan, and financing by the building’s owner. The new Lawndale home was built in 1929 by architect Joseph Finger. During 2004, Lawndale completed a $1.2 million renovation of the building; a complete upgrade that meets City Code with full ADA compliance. Project underwriting has been through the generosity of local foundations, its patrons, and short-term financing. Lawndale is committed to the site’s historical preservation, and Lawndale’s presence in the Midtown area has facilitated revitalization in the diverse community it serves. A volunteer Board of Directors, comprised of artists and business and arts professionals committed to Lawndale’s mission and programming governs Lawndale. Since its founding, Lawndale’s programs have exemplified its mission to support local and regional artists, to sponsor performances, exhibitions and educational forums; and to remain open to experimental works. Lawndale reflects the ethnic diversity of the region and collaborates with other cultural, educational and civic groups. With flexible exhibition spaces, Lawndale presents over twenty exhibitions, educational lectures and special events per year. Lawndale is recognized as a significant and thriving alternative to traditional Museum and commercial gallery spaces with its unique focus on Houston and Texas emerging artists. Lawndale provides educational opportunities to area school children and to university students through its teacher orientation and intern programs. In 2005, Lawndale will initiate an emerging artist studio program in studio spaces on its top floor.

Website Link to Organization's History / Organization Overview:

http://www.lawndaleartcenter.org/renovation.php

2c. Exhibition / Programming / Publishing History.:

http://www.lawndaleartcenter.org/events.php

Website Link to Exhibition / Programming / Publishing History:

Not yet available

Part 3.

3a. Names and email addresses of Founders, Board Members, Directors or other key individuals::

Ann Holloman aholloman@lawndaleartcenter.org

Additional Names and email addresses of Founders, Board Members, Directors or other key individuals:

Jimmy Castillo jcastillo@lawndaleartcenter.org

Additional Names and email addresses of Founders, Board Members, Directors or other key individuals:

Chelby King cking@lawndaleartcenter.org

3b. Could any of these individuals assist in providing an oral history of your organization?:

Yes

Part 4.

4a. Is organization currently active?:

Yes

4b. Year activity suspended if no longer active.:

Organization Still Active

Part 5.

5a. Type of organization at its founding.:

Collective / Unincorporated Association

5b. Type of organization currently, or at the termination of activities.:

Non-Profit [IRS certified]

Part 6.

6a. Does the organization have an archive?:

Yes

6b. Are there any short or long-term threats to the organization?:

None / Not Applicable

6c. Other threats to the organization::

At this time there is no imminent threat to the organization and we are currently enjoying a modicum of financial and staffing stability. However, as a non-profit art exhibition space whose priority is presenting works that are not generally commercially viable and which is focused on Houston and Texas artists, the very nature of our financial resources often borders on the fragile.

Part 7.

7a. How important is to the organization to preserve the organization’s historical material. From 1 – Very Important to 5 – Not Important.:

1. Very Important

7b. Has planning for the preservation and documentation of archive begun?:

Yes

7c. Does the organization know how and where to seek expertise and assistance?:

Yes

7d. Does the organization have specific concerns regarding starting an archive working with its historic materials?:

Lack of Staff

Part 8.

8a. Is the organization's archives in the collection of another institution or promised to one?:

8a. Location:

IF YES to 8: University (Name)

8b. Archival materials are also located at::

Yes

Where are these locations?:

There may be records in the home/offices of private individuals, past board members and exhibiting artists associated with the Center durinng its lifetime. There may also be records in the archives of the university from which the center was started.

Part 9.

9. Does the organization maintain archives for any other organization.:

survey_field_49:

IF YES to 9: 10a. Please describe:

Part 10a.

10a. Is the archive accessible to scholars, curators or researchers?:

Yes

Part 10b.

10b. Are there conditions of access for scholars, curators or researchers?:

Yes

Part 10c.

10c. How are arrangements made for access to archive?:

By permission on the individuals or entities wishing access. Access is only allowed at our current site.

Part 11.

The following questions address the historical materials (type, quantity and storage) of the organization. 11a. Paper Files and Documents:

Artist Files

Correspondence

Board Minutes

Exhibition or Production Files

Financial Records

Legal Documents

By-laws / Incorporation Documents

Other Paper Files

11b. Artwork and Documentation:

Audiotapes [Any Format]

Oral History, Recordings and / or Transcripts

Other Audio Recordings (i.e. records, etc.)

CDs / DVDs [Pre-Recorded or CD-R / CD-RW / DVD-R / etc.]

Other Digital Materials

Films

Slides

Photographs

Prints / Lithographs / Etchings / Screenprints / etc.

Videotapes

Other::

Other Artwork

11c. Press and Promotional Materials:

Announcements, Mailing Cards, etc.

Newspaper / Magazine / Media Clippings

Posters / Flyers

Other Press or Promotional Materials - Please describe below.

Other::

T shirts

11d. Printed Publications:

Artists' Publications

Brochures

Broadsides / Small Press

Commercially Published Materials

Checklists / Performance Programs / Price Lists

Programs of Events

Publication or Merchandise Catalogues

Other::

Other Printed Publications

11e. Other:

Architectural Drawings / Floor Plan

Layouts / Sketches / Instructions for Installations

Layouts / Sketches / Instructions for Performances

Other::

Other

Part 12.

12. What years does the materials cover?:

1970-1979

1980-1989

1990-1999

2000-2005

Part 13.

13a. How is the material stored?:

Other Boxes

File Cabinets

Flat Files

Three-Ring Binders

Other - Please describe below.

Please describe:

Archival storage

13b. Are some or all of these storage units “archival”?:

Some

Part 14.

14a. Estimated Number of Boxes or Milk-Crate Sized Storage Units:

11 - 20

14b. Estimated Number of Archive Drawers:

1 - 10

14c. Estimated Number of Archive Notebooks:

11 - 20

14d. Estimated the total Linear Feet. ["Linear Feet" is standard measure of the quantity of archival materials on the basis of shelf space occupied or the length of drawers in vertical files or the thickness of horizontally filed materials. For example, a:

100 - 150

Other Archive Storage Units - Please describe below.:

Most has been sorted and filed in archival folders and file boxes

Part 15.

15. Is the historical materials - or archives - inventoried or catalogued in any way, either formally or otherwise?:

Yes

Part 16.

16a. Is there a key, index or finding aid to the materials inventoried?:

Yes

16c. Electronic Based::

Database

Spreadsheet [i.e. Excel]

Part 16 / Electronic Files & Archival Management

16f. Does the organization have a back-up program, or back-up schedule, for its electronic records and perform monitoring of its removable media (i.e. floppies, ZIP disks, CD-ROMs, DVDs, portable hard drives, etc.)?:

Yes

16g. Who is responsible for working with the archival material?:

General Staff

Interns

Part 16 / Database

16d. What type of database software is in use?:

Microsoft Access

Part 17.

17. How are new materials processed?:

We are not currently processing new material

Part 18.

18. What, if any, conservation methods are in place for both physical materials and electronic data?:

Controlled Access

Disaster Plan

Acid-Free Housing

Part 19.

19. What type of climate-controls are present in the area[s] in which the archives are stored?:

Dedicated climate control system

Part 20.

20a. What are the goals for the historical materials for the next year?:

Continue archiving

20b. What are the biggest challenges to reaching these short-term goals?:

Staffing

20c. What goals are in place for the historical materials for the next three to five years?:

Continue the archive process

20d. What are the biggest challenges to reaching these long term goals?:

Staffing

20e. Are there any additional goals for the organizations historic materials?:

Would like them to be used for historical research

Part 21.

21. Estimated cost to achieve these archival goals for the next year.:

$20,001 - $25,000

Part 22.

22. Estimated cost to achieve these archival goals for the next five years.:

$90,001 - $100,000

Part 23.

23d. Other - Please describe below.:

Staffing solutions

Part 24.

24. What archival issues could / should visual arts organizations address collectively in the next three to five years? Ranked from 1 (highest priority) to 5 (lowest priority).24a. Shared standards / protocols for digitization:

Promote professional standards / protocols for digitization

Part 25.

25a. Is the organization a member of, or in contact with, any organizations concerned with archival issues?:

Finish

survey_field_150:

Lawndale Art and Performance Center

Who executed this survey.:

Ann Holloman

Is this survey complete and all appropriate questions answered?:

Yes