University of the Arts Institutional Records Are Now Housed at HSP

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) is honored to announce the acquisition of the University of the Arts (UArts) institutional records, ensuring the preservation of nearly 150 years of creative, academic, and cultural history. To mark this important moment and honor the UArts community, HSP will host a free preview event on Saturday, November 8, inviting former students, alumni, faculty, and the public to view highlights from the collection, learn about the preservation process, and engage in dialogue about how this legacy will live on.

Photograph of 320 South Broad Street as the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art, 1927

The acquisition, which does not include student records or personal belongings, follows the closure of UArts in June 2024, a sudden and painful loss for Philadelphia’s cultural and educational landscape. After the closure, HSP contacted university leadership to discuss safeguarding its historical records. Over the following months, the two organizations worked closely to prepare the collection for transfer. It is now the single largest collection in HSP’s 200-year history.

READ MORE ABOUT THE COLLECTION HERE

“HSP is proud and humbled to accept responsibility for preserving the records of the University of the Arts,” said David Brigham, Librarian and CEO of HSP. “Despite the tragic loss of this hub of creativity and arts education across the performing and visual arts, HSP is committed to preserving and making accessible the institutional records and examples of the artistic productions of students, faculty, and alumni for the benefit of current and future artists, historians, and students in perpetuity.”

To provide a glimpse into this extraordinary collection, HSP will host a special event on Saturday, November 8, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., featuring select highlights from the UArts’ archives.

University of the Arts "Big Shot" poster, undated.

Join us for:

• Musical performances and artist demonstrations

• Make-and-take activities

• Remarks on the history of UArts by Sara J. MacDonald, former Director for Public Services at the University of the Arts Greenfield Library

• Remarks on why this archival collection matters to the city by David Brigham, HSP Librarian and CEO , on why this archival collection matters to the city

• Opportunities for members of the University of the Arts community—students, alumni, faculty, and staff— to contribute their own stories through a memory collection project

Cover of Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art first annual report, 1876-1877, published 1878;  Philadelphia Dance Academy original charter, 1958;  Original poster produced for the PMSIA 8^th Annual Entertainment and Ball, 1920;  Artist's books: Julie Chen Full Circle, 2006; Kyra Devine Fossil Cell, 2014; Angela Catherine Driscoll My Mother’s Sewing Machine, 2003; Nicole Eiland ordinary discovery, 2006. 

Preserving, processing, and making the collection accessible will take significant resources. HSP has already secured an initial $50,000 gift toward an estimated $500,000 need for cataloging, conservation, and digitization.

“It will take time, a tremendous exertion of skilled work, and a substantial investment to make the UArts collection fully accessible,” added Brigham. “HSP is committed to that long-term effort and hopes the philanthropic community will generously support these efforts.”

For inquiries related to the contents, scope, and availability of records, please reach out at uartsarchives@hsp.org. For all press inquiries, please contact Wendi Sheridan at En Route Marketing, wendi@enroutemarketing.com.