Municipal Art Society records supplement

The collection is divided into fifteen series. Materials are alphabetized by subject matter within each series and then arranged chronologically, with undated items first.

Series I: Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, 1899-1973 (1 folder)

Most of the By-laws remain with the minute books retained by the Municipal Art Society. The minutes of the Municipal Art Society are available on microfilm at the Archives of American Art, Detroit, Michigan.

Series II: Civic Art, Programs and Projects, 1925-1991 (2 boxes)

Physical and intellectual civic enhancements sponsored in whole or in part by the Municipal Art Society are included here. Information relating to specific programs and projects (architecture, paintings, parks and parkways, publications and sculpture) including correspondence, proposals, printed matter, and notes, are filed in this series. Items within this series relate to the city of Baltimore in an aesthetic, developmental or re-developmental manner.

Subjects include architectural projects such as prizes awarded through the Baltimore Association of Commerce; the revitalization of Mt. Vernon Place and Bolton Hill (1971); and, publications such as Baltimore Heritage (1963) and Juror's Guide to Baltimore City: A Walking Tour.

Baltimore Planning interests and commissions projects include revitalization of neighborhoods such as the Inner Harbor; and Mt. Royal in 1937 and Laurence d'A.M. Glass' Mt. Royal project (1982). The Citizens Planning and Housing Association (CPHA) developed City Series (1988-1990).

The Johns Hopkins Memorial (1935) is foldered as a separate project and is one of several sculptures by Hans Schuler funded in whole or in part by the Municipal Art Society (MAS). Other Schuler pieces funded by the MAS may be found in the Maryland Institute folder. The Maryland Institute folder also includes subjects such as Baltimore Promenades (1980-82); George Lucas (1972, 1974); Jonathan Silver, Birth of Venus (1984, 1988); Science Center Sculpture (1986); F. Grainger Marburg Award initiated May 4, 1988; The Baltimore Conference (1990); and Quentin Moseley's neon lights atop the Fox Building (1991).

Maryland Art Place projects include Liberty Plaza, Jeff Schiff (1985-1989).

Jones Falls Valley park and expressway projects include Stan Edminster's Baltimore Painted Bridge Joins Art to Highways alias Painted Bridges over JFX and his Guilford Avenue Bridge.

The Lee-Jackson Memorial (1934-1950) was funded by the J. Henry Ferguson bequest to the MAS for that purpose. The 2 February 1948 address by William J. Casey chronicles the process.

The Mayor's Advisory Committee on Art and Culture initiated projects such as Artscape (1981-1989) and placed works around Baltimore by artists such as Sol LeWitt (1984) and Martin Puryear (1986).

The container list below indicates folders on specific painting and sculpture projects including gifts of sculpture to Baltimore's Sister City, Kawasaki, Japan. Scholarships sponsored by the Municipal Art Society and aesthetic vision based relationships with Baltimore institutions are also found within this series foldered as the name of the scholarship or liaison institution/corporation/committee.

Municipal Art Society relationships with some Baltimore museums, libraries and The Walters Art Gallery form a separate series titled Museums and Libraries.

Series III: Correspondence, 1924-1992 (1/4 boxes)

This series contains Executive and General Correspondence.

Correspondence between executive officers (1924-1992) concerns aspects of the vision, organization and running of the Municipal Art Society. Correspondence regarding bequests, financial interests and Municipal Art Society membership in other organizations are foldered separately.

The content of General Correspondence (1934-1991) primarily concerns scholarship and grant requests, including the Municipal Art Society's guidelines for Grant Proposal (n.d.). Subjects mentioned include: E.K. Rand, A Toast to Horace (1937) based on Rand's January 1936 lecture A Toast to Horace on His Sabine Farm; Baltimore/Washington Parkway (1935+); Maryland Outdoor Life Federation (1935, 1936); the Phoebe Stanton and Sherry Olson publication of a history of Baltimore (1971-1973); the Pride Memorial, (1980-1981) and the International Sculpture Symposium of Baltimore.

Individual projects funded, sponsored or cosponsored by the Municipal Art Society may be foldered within the Civic Art, Projects and Programs series or the Museums and Libraries series below.

Series IV: Ephemera, 1934-1990 (2 folders)

The first folder in this series houses Municipal Art Society ephemera. The second folder houses information describing activities sponsored by other institutions. The materials may have been collected to discern future lecturers; this relationship is apparent in the Lecture series.

Series V: Executive Committee Meetings, 1935-1992 (1/2 box)

A list of officers generally accompanies the annual meetings. Meeting agendas have been retained where meeting minutes are unavailable. Grant applications included here provide insight into and documentation of support solicited from the Municipal Art Society.

Series VI: Exhibition Committee, 1935-1939 (1 folder)

Most of the extant Exhibition Committee materials are housed in MS 2840, Municipal Art Society Records. The few papers contained here relate to additional committee activities and exhibits during the time period 1935-1939.

Series VII: History, undated, 1924, 1941, 1953, 1954, [1988] (1 folder)

This series includes brief periodic histories of how the organization fulfills its mission statement. Based on information found in the Membership series, these histories may have been circulated to solicit funds for, or interest in, the programs of the Municipal Art Society.

Series VIII: Lectures, 1935-1984 (1 1/2 boxes)

Contained in this series are correspondence, ephemera, and refreshment arrangements concerning lectures sponsored by the Municipal Art Society. A June 18, 1938, letter to a potential lecturer states that the Society sponsors six lectures annually. Only two extant addresses (1936, 1938) are included here.

Series IX: Membership, 1935-1988 (3 folders)

Among the information found in this series are the correspondence, notes, and member lists concerning the Municipal Art Society membership as coordinated by the Treasurer.

Series X: Museums and Libraries, 1934-1990 (2/3 box)

Contained in this series are materials relating to programs sponsored by the Municipal Art Society for various Baltimore museums and libraries; the Walters Art Gallery is included with these cultural institutions. Materials also include programs the Society co-sponsored with a given museum, library or The Walters Art Gallery. Institutions are foldered separately.

Series XI: Press Releases, 1956, 1957, 1970 (1 folder)

The 1956 press release by the Municipal Art Society is a resolution by the executive board concerning plans for the civic center in Baltimore. The press release in 1957 voices concerns about the location of public parking scheduled for 810-812 St. Paul Street. A $1,000 prize is offered in the 1970 press release for the beautification of Baltimore City.

Series XII: Treasurer, 1935-1991 (2 folders)

This series is composed mainly of correspondence generated by the two Municipal Art Society treasurers during this time period: William J. Casey and Alan P. Hoblitzell, Jr. Some reports and a few receipts accompany the papers in this series.

Series XIII: Special Events, 1935-1970 (1 folder)

This series contains papers concerning special events, laudatory dinners and entertainment organized by the Municipal Art Society. Lectures are filed as a separate series. Information on Exhibits can be found in the Exhibition Committee series; or, in the Civic Art, Programs and Projects series in the folder corresponding with the institution/committee co-sponsoring the exhibit with the Municipal Art Society.

Series XIV: Statements, 1954-1991 (8 folders)

Documents include Asset Statements, Annual Asset Reviews, Statement of Portfolio Valuations, and fund statements

Series XV: Meeting minutes, 1899–1960

3 albums of meeting minutes for the Society.