Business for Culture and the Arts records

Collection

Identifier: Coll 476

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The bulk of the collection consists of organizational papers and records of Business for Culture and the Arts (BCA), a Portland, Oregon, nonprofit organization. In addition to administrative records such as board and committee records and reports, the collection includes materials related to events hosted by Business for Culture and the Arts, particularly the organization's awards event, Arts Breakfast of Champions. The collection also includes digital files, videotapes, CDs, and DVDs relating to Oregon artworks, artists, and arts organizations that BCA possessed at the time of its dissolution in 2015.

Dates

1969-2014
Majority of material found within 1984-2014

Creator

Business for Culture and the Arts (Portland, Or.) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright holders.

Administrative History

Business for Culture and the Arts (BCA) was a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon, that encouraged local businesses to support the arts. It was founded in 1969 as the Oregon Arts Foundation. The organization changed its name to Oregon Business Committee for the Arts in 1987, and afterwards changed the name again to Business Committee for the Arts - Northwest Region, and then to Northwest Business Committee for the Arts, before choosing the name Business for Culture and the Arts in 2009. In addition to encouraging businesses to donate to artists and art organizations, BCA encouraged businesspeople to serve on the boards of arts groups, and trained them in how to raise money and apply management skills to running arts organizations.

Business for Culture and the Arts ceased operations and dissolved in 2015.

Sources: Articles in the Oregonian, 1992-2005; business registry records on the Oregon Secretary of State website.

Extent

8.2 Cubic Feet (7 record cartons; 2 oversize folders (30x42))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Records of Business for Culture and the Arts, a nonprofit organization in Portland, Oregon, that encouraged local businesses to support the arts. It was initially founded as the Oregon Arts Foundation in 1969, and dissolved in 2015.

Arrangement

Collection is arranged in four series: Series 1: Administrative records; Series 2: Events; Series 3: Outreach and publicity; Series 4. Artworks, performances, artists, and other arts organizations.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Access to digital files, audiocassettes and films requires use of specialized equipment. Contact library staff for assistance.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Business for Culture and the Arts, care of Parker Lee, June 2015 (Lib. Acc. 28587).

Separated Materials

Artifacts were separated to the Oregon Historical Society musuem collections.

Processing Information

Collection was initially processed in 2015 by Sue Armitage and Jeffrey A. Hayes, and rearranged in 2022 by Hayes. Collection was titled "Business for Culture and the Arts collection" prior to 2022. Along with physical rearrangement, work peformed in 2022 included additional description of digital and audiovisual materials in the collection.

Many of the folders in this collection are Business for Culture and the Arts' original file folders. In cases where the label originally applied to the folder is either inaccurate or requires clarification, the updated title is written on the front flap of the folder. Titles for videocassettes in the collection were transcribed from labels on the media; contents have not been verified by library staff.