Washington Women's Art Center Explained

Washington Women's Art Center
Purpose:Provide professional support and opportunities for women in the arts[1]
Location:Washington, D.C.

The Washington Women's Art Center (WWAC) was a nonprofit feminist art collective in Washington, D.C.[2] It existed for over a decade, from 1975 to 1988.

History

WWAC was founded in 1975 to support women in the arts. Inspired by ideas presented at the 1972 Conference of Women in the Visual Arts at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Katharine Butler, Barbara Frank, Janis Goodman, Sarah Hyde, and Ann Leffler Slayton and Josephine Withers founded WWAC.[3] It was originally located at 1821 Q Street NW. For a time WACC was located at the Lansburgh Cultural Center at 420 7th Street NW.[4] In 1986 WWAC relocated to 6925 Willow Street, NW in the Takoma neighborhood.[5] The same year the organization was renamed The New Art Center. The organization closed its doors in 1988.[6]

The organization produced a newsletter entitled Womansphere. WWAC hosted collaboratively run workshops and exhibitions. Fees for membership and these events was the main source of funding for the organization.[7]

In 1979, Nancy Cusick, as director of WWAC, was on the coordinating committee for the United Nations' International Festival of Women Artists held in Copenhagen as part of the World Conference on Women, 1980. In 1985 Cusick and WWAC participated in the Focus International held in Nairobi as part of the World Conference on Women, 1985.[8] [3]

Legacy

The Washington Printmakers Gallery originated with a group of artists meeting at WWAC. The gallery’s first show was in May 1985.[9] [10]

In 2018 the American University Museum held a retrospective exhibition of WWAC entitled Latitude: The Washington Women's Arts Center 1975-1987.[11] Also in 2018, as a companion to the Latitude exhibition, Lucy Blankstein and Ellouise Schoettler interviewed over a dozen WWAC alumni.[12]

Materials from the Washington Women's Art Center are archived at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Voices from the Washington Women's Arts Center . Voices from the Washington Women's Arts Center . 29 March 2023.
  2. Web site: Lefrak . Mikaela . A Gallery Of One's Own: How The Washington Women's Arts Center Created A Home For D.C.'s Creative Women . WAMU . 29 March 2023 . en.
  3. Book: The power of feminist art : the American movement of the 1970s, history and impact . 1994 . Harry N. Abrams . New York . 978-0810926592 . 116.
  4. Book: Latitude : the Washington Women's Arts Center 1975-1987 : June 16-August 12, 2018 . 2018 . Alper Initiative for Washington Art, American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center . Washington, DC . 978-0-9993328-4-9 . 12 . 29 March 2023.
  5. Book: Latitude : the Washington Women's Arts Center 1975-1987 : June 16-August 12, 2018 . 2018 . Alper Initiative for Washington Art, American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center . Washington, DC . 978-0-9993328-4-9 . 19 . 29 March 2023.
  6. Web site: Finding Aid to Washington Women's Art Center Collection 1972-2002 . Betty Boyd Dettre Library & Research Center . NMWA . 29 March 2023.
  7. Book: Latitude : the Washington Women's Arts Center 1975-1987 : June 16-August 12, 2018 . 2018 . Alper Initiative for Washington Art, American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center . Washington, DC . 978-0-9993328-4-9 . 10 . 29 March 2023.
  8. Web site: Moore . Emily . LibGuides: International Women's Art Festivals: Home . National Museum of Women in the Arts . 3 April 2023 . en.
  9. News: Datebook The Textile Museum Celebrates Its 60th Year. The Washington Post. 1985-05-02. WH36.
  10. Web site: Washington Printmakers Gallery 33 Years: Honoring Our Founders Group Exhibition. East City Art . 2019-11-24. 2018-09-25 .
  11. News: Jenkins . Mark . Review In the galleries: The unique perspectives of the Washington Women's Art Center . Washington Post . 29 March 2023.
  12. Web site: WWAC Videos . Voices from the Washington Women's Arts Center . 30 March 2023.

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