Author: Williamson, Katya

Publication Year: 1979

Media Type: Report

Summary:

This commentary and documentation of the Asylum Hill Artists' Cooperative was started as part of my studies in Arts Management at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, with William E. Parker, Professor of Art and the History of Photography, and has come out of my experience as the founder and director of the Asylum Hill Artists' Cooperative. (Preface)

Abstract:

This commentary and documentation of the Asylum Hill Artists' Cooperative was started as part of my studies in Arts Management at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, with William E. Parker, Professor of Art and the History of Photography, and has come out of my experience as the founder and director of the Asylum Hill Artists' Cooperative. (Preface)

Artists make up a significant population in Asylum Hill, but for many reasons have remained anonymous to each other and the Hill community. The Hill Center wants to remedy this problem. By providing facilities for art exhibitions, performances, workshops and group gatherings and enabling artists to identify with each other through the establishment of an arts council, collective or league, both the Hill community and artists would benefit. (p. 39)

CONTENTS
Chapter 1. General History of Asylum Hill Artists' Cooperative.

Chapter 2. Key developments within phases of the history of the Asylum Hill Artists
                 Cooperative.

Phase 1.   Ideational period/November 1975 - February 1976.
Phase 2.   Research period /February 1976 - April 1976.
Phase 3.   Initial organizational period/April 1976 - June 1976.
Phase 4.   High activity period/June 1976 - September 1976.
Phase 5.   Structural conflict and change/September 1976 -
                October 1976.
Phase 6.   Establishment of priority task-search for
                gallery/November 1976 - January 1977.
Phase 7.   Re-examination of priorities-objectives-final location of
                space/February 1977 - April 1977.
Phase 8.   Intense physical and political activity/May 1977 - June
                1977.
Phase 9.   Re-examination of Cooperative's guidelines for
                membership and concept of cooperative/July 1977 -
                September 1977.
Phase 10. Clarification and redefinition of roles of officers and
                chair-people for the 1977-78 annual year/October
                1977 - December 1977.
Phase 11. Confrontation of performance and visual units of
                cooperative/ December 1977 - January 1978.
Phase 12. Allocation of CETA monies for hiring staff and resultant
                change/February 1978 - April 1978.
Phase 13. Radical change in structure, personnel and production/
                May 1978 - October 1978.
Phase 14. Consolidated growth of organization and professional
                reputation; possible expansion into ownership of
                building/October 1978 - February 1979.

Chapter 3. An arts administrator's response to problems and resolutions within the
                 Asylum Hill Artists' Cooperative.

  I. Artists: 
     A. Reaction to structure. 
     B. Personal identity. 
     C. Personal power. 
     D. Meeting of their needs.

 II. Environment:
     A. Corporate support.
     B. Neighborhood vs. city-wide scope.

III. Organization: 
     A. Building membership concept. 
     B. Physical space of the organization - its identify. 
     C. Growing institutionalization. 
     D. Lack of membership participation. 
     E. Style of leadership: Dictatorship or Democracy?

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Community Development