Fonds LA.SC067 - Mercer Union fonds

Identity area

Reference code

LA.SC067

Title

Mercer Union fonds

Date(s)

  • 1974-1999 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

9.78 m of textual records and other materials

Context area

Name of creator

(1979-)

Administrative history

Mercer Union was created by former members of A.C.T. in 1979 to operate as an artist-run, non-profit cooperative gallery. Twelve founders contributed financially to the rental of a ground floor space at 29 Mercer Street and planned to mix local, regional, national and international exhibits, collaborating with other artist-run programs. Its mandate was to exhibit new work in the most advanced forms of painting and sculpture that was not receiving exposure in the commercial and public galleries. Performance art, installations and music were incorporated into the programming, which has continued to represent innovative and sometimes controversial material. Twelve board members are elected by dues-paying members and serve on the various committees (programming, curatorial, etc), with the help of a small paid staff. The gallery moved to 333 Adelaide Street West, 5th floor in 1981 and 439 King Street West in 1994. Their present location is 37 Lisgar Street; current information about the gallery can be obtained at www.mercerunion.org.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Fonds acquired from Mercer Union in 1999

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds consists of the administrative files created by the Mercer Union gallery during the first twenty years of its existence, including photographs and slides, material printed for the gallery (catalogues, posters, invitations etc.), newspaper reviews, and a small number of video tapes, audio tapes and computer disks. Files remain in the order they were received; errors in filing have not been corrected. Fonds is comprised of the following series: Artist/exhibit files Board of Directors files Programming binders Curatorial files Promotional material

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Further accruals are expected

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright is held by the creators and their heirs. It is the researcher's responsibility to obtain permission to publish any part of the fonds.

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

Contents of binders have been moved to files, as noted. Photographs have been placed in archival envelopes. Audio tapes, video tapes and computer disks have been removed from files and grouped in the final 2 boxes.

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Archivist's note

Originally prepared by Sylvia Lassam, 2003.
Updated and adapted by Nirvana Chainani, 2019.

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places