The Archives of Eye Level Gallery: A Guide
Collection Number: MS-3-35Fonds-level description created and electronic version prepared by Laurena Fredette, August 2006
Collection Level Description
Title: Eye Level Gallery fonds
Dates: [197-] - 2004
Extent: ca. 8.6 m of textual records and other material
Eye Level Gallery (ELG) was founded in 1974 by a group of artists formerly associated with Inventions Gallery. Inventions was established in 1972 by a group of local female artists but was destroyed by fire in 1974. When the gallery moved due to the fire, members decided to extend membership to male artists and change the gallery’s name. ELG has always been located in Halifax, predominately in the downtown core. The gallery occupied a few different premises on Barrington Street in its early years, moved to the north-end in 1986, and then returned to Barrington Street in 1993 where it remained until 2000. After a four year hiatus, ELG reopened in 2004 at its current location at 2128 Gottigen St.
Since its founding, ELG has been an organization run by artists for artists. The gallery has offered an alternative space for contemporary art; provided exhibition space for local, national, and international artists; featured the works of emerging and established artists; offered workshops; provided a venue for theatre, music, and dance performances; sponsored visiting artists; and later housed a resource centre. The gallery has always operated as a non-profit organization committed to the “presentation, development and promotion of contemporary art” (Eye Level Gallery “Mission”). ELG has also made an effort to display innovative, not necessarily saleable, work that stretched artistic boundaries and challenged the status quo. In addition, its commitment to contemporary art in general helped the development of two other now independent arts organizations: Live Art Dance and the Centre for Art Tapes. As with other arts organizations, understaffing and inadequate funding have been ongoing problems for ELG. Although the gallery receives funding from a number of sources, including membership fees and grants from the Canada Council and the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism and Culture, fluctuating funding levels have sometimes led to program or operational changes.
ELG is managed by a board of directors, a number of committees, and a gallery director. Although the organization, responsibilities, and sometimes even title of these groups have changed overtime, the board of directors has always maintained the ultimate authority within the administrative structure. Committees oversee the various responsibilities of the board including finance, membership, staff, curatorial, space, and fundraising. The gallery director is responsible to the board and carries out their actions and policies; creates and circulates press releases and proposals; and manages the day-to-day activities of the gallery. Previous directors of Eye Level Gallery include Julia Schmitt Healy 1974-1975; David Sayer 1975; Susan Beaver 1975-1976; Garry Conway 1976-1977; Marina Stewart [1977-]; Michael Fernandes [-1982], David Craig 1982-1986; Melodie Calvert [1986-]; Catherine Phoenix 1988-1992; Ann Verrall 1988-1990; Susan Bustin 1992-1994; Andrea Ward 1994-1995; David Diviney [199-] - [200-]; Svava Juliusson [200-]; and Eryn Foster [ca. 2006].
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Eye Level Gallery. n.d. Eye Level Gallery. 19 July 2006 Available: http://www.eyelevelgallery.../imprint>
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Donated in 2005 and 2004 by Eye Level Gallery.
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This fonds consists of documents created and collected by Eye Level Gallery that reflect all aspects of the gallery’s management. The fonds includes artist files; programmes, catalogues, posters, reviews, guest books, and miscellaneous files regarding exhibitions and events; slides; administrative files; publicity files, including press releases; correspondence; publications; financial documents; contracts; minutes of board of directors meetings; photographs; fundraising files and membership lists; as well as audio cassettes.
Finding aid available onsite.
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[Identification of item], Eye Level Gallery fonds, MS-3-35, Box [box number], Folder [folder number], Dalhousie University Archives and Special Collections, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
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