The records of the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair document the origins and development of the art fair from a small fair designed to promote business on South University avenue to one of the nation's premier, juried street art fairs. The documentation includes administrative records, correspondence, photographs, scrapbooks, posters, flyers and promotional material. The record group is divided into three series: Board and Committee Records, Other Materials, and Visual Materials.
The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is the oldest of the three fairs that make up the annual Ann Arbor Art Fairs. Held since its founding on South University, East University, and Church Street, it is also generally acknowledged as the most prestigious of the three fairs, garnering recognition as one of the nation's finest juried art fairs. The fair is a nonprofit organization. Types of work exhibited have included paintings, weaving, pottery, prints, photography, sculpture, and more.
The fair was originally planned in 1959 as a way to draw increased crowds and attention to the Summer Bargain Days. During Bargain Days, merchants ran sidewalk sales and other promotions to encourage downtown shopping. Actual institution of the Street Art Fair began during the 32nd annual Bargain Days in 1960, July 20-22. The objectives of the first fair were "to enable the public to meet, talk with and buy from professional artists" and "to provide an interchange of ideas and techniques."
One of the founders and early committee leaders was Esther Rainville. She was instrumental in establishing the long range vision and plans for a permanent, annual art fair of high caliber. Local organizations involved included the Ann Arbor Art Association (AAAA), the Chamber of Commerce, the South University Businessmen's Association, and the University of Michigan. Other local artists' groups, such as the Handweavers Guild and the Potters Guild, also cooperated by exhibiting their work there. In all, over one hundred local artists sold their work or gave demonstrations at the first fair. Because of the fair's success in its first year, organizers decided to make it an annual fair.
Compared with later fairs, the first art fair was small, including only three tents and the rest of the items hung from wires strung between parking meters. Though at first organizers had difficulty finding exhibitors, the fair quickly grew in size, quality, and the geographic diversity of its participants. In 1961 there were over 260 registrants and sales came to around $9,000. The fair continued to grow in both size and renown, with artists from as far away as Japan included among the over 400 participants in 1966. By 1968, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair had established a national reputation for excellence, and sales topped $150,000.
Applications had originally been accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. However, as the fair grew, concerns grew about its size. Also raised were worries about maintaining a high level of quality. To this end, a jurying process was instituted in 1965, for the 1966 fair. This process, along with the influx of artists and artisans from across the nation, drew some criticism from those who felt that the fair had moved too far away from the original purpose of showcasing local talent.
In more recent years, important issues have been the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair Committee's relationship with the local merchants association and the establishment of closer working ties with the other two fairs, the Summer Art Fair and the State Street Art Fair. In the 1990s, the Three Fairs Committee was formed to investigate ways of increasing cooperation among the fairs.
Also in the 1990s, there was a renewed association with the merchants group (previously called the South University Businessmen's Association and since renamed the South University Merchants Association, or SUMA). Eventually, in late 1997, the primary body representing South University area merchants reorganized as the South University Area Association (SUAA), and contention between the AASAF Committee and SUAA escalated. Issues at stake were the sharing of fair revenues, the number of SUAA representatives who should serve as AASAF board members (with SUAA stipulating that two-thirds of the board must be chosen by SUAA), and ultimately, control of the art fair itself.
In 2001 some resolution was reached. The AASAF Committee agreed to a temporary revenue-sharing and payment plan with SUAA. AASAF also made plans to move, in 2003, to an as-yet unspecified location, at which point it would not be required to make payments to any other entities other than the "standard city permit fees." SUAA would then be free to use the South University area for its own promotions and events.
