VISUAL ARTS INFORMATION SERVICE (MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.):

The Visual Arts Information Service (VAIS) was established in August, 1980 to help local artists network, to foster a sense of community among visual artists, and to reduce isolation among individual artists. The articles of incorporation (May 18, 1981) allowed the organization to raise funds, to solicit gifts and contributions, and to disseminate information about the arts through publication of a periodical. The incorporators were Pierce Butler (St. Paul), and Marc W. Larson and Lynn Ball of Minneapolis. Due to financial problems the organization disbanded in October 1993.

The organization's periodical ArtPaper, published in St. Paul (1981-1993) ten times a year, covered all aspects of art from local, national, and international perspectives. It received nationwide recognition for the high quality of its content and contained the most comprehensive listing of art competitions, grants, and jobs in the visual arts.

For more background information, see the first folder in box 1.

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Most of the records relate to ArtPaper, rather than to its parent organization, but information on the two entities is intermixed throughout the collection.

A complete set of minutes of the board of directors (1981-1993) contain information on foundations solicited, IRS nonprofit status, ArtPaper organizational charts, budgets, operating expenses, circulation data, fundraising, purchase of equipment, staff appointments, board elections and personnel, advertising, and related information on the operations of VAIS and ArtPaper. The minutes are in outline form, with financial records attached. Some meetings are documented only by agendas. The minutes for 1993 reveal the deteriorating financial condition of the organization.

One folder of board retreat files (1992-1993) contains outlines and reports of all aspects of ArtPaper production, including organizational growth and development; goals; delegation of authority; directors' duties and functions; mission statement; relationship between VAIS and ArtPaper; reader surveys; editorial policies; finances, including salaries and staff cuts; foundation support; writers' fees; and promotion and publicity. Also included are detailed reports (1992-1993) from director Vicki Moore and editor Jan Zita Grover.

Other organizational records of particular substance include financial and budget reports (1985-1993), circulation charts (1987-1993), long range plans (1985-1990), and reader surveys (1984-1993).

The rest of the collection consists of grant proposal files, arranged in two sets. The general grant files include correspondence and copies of the grant proposals with accompanying documentation. Major donors included the Bush, Jerome, McKnight, and Northwest Area foundations; the Minnesota State Arts Board; the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council; and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The regional grant files consist of proposals to ten Minnesota regional arts commissions and councils. Materials in these files are similar to those found in the general files.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Visual Arts Information Service (Minneapolis, Minn.). Organizational Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Processing Information:

Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, November 1995.

Catalog ID number: 990017336830104294

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The publication ArtPaper is available on microfilm in the Minnesota Historical Society serials collection.

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Art and state -- Minnesota.

Art patronage -- Minnesota.

Arts boards -- Minnesota.

Arts fund raising -- Minnesota.

Arts publicity -- Minnesota.

Charitable uses, trusts, and foundations -- Minnesota.

Federal aid to the arts -- Minnesota.

Fund raising -- Minnesota.

Grants-in-aid -- Minnesota.

Periodicals -- Circulation.

Periodicals -- Marketing.

Periodicals -- Publishing -- Minnesota.

Organizations:

Bush Foundation -- Art patronage.

Jerome Foundation -- Art patronage.

McKnight Foundation -- Art patronage.

Metropolitan Council Regional Arts Council (Minn.)

Minnesota State Arts Board.

National Endowment for the Arts.

Northwest Area Foundation (U.S.) -- Arts patronage.

Places:

Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minn.).

Occupations:

Artists -- Minnesota.

Editors -- Minnesota.

Titles:

ArtPaper.

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