Fonds consists of the following series of textual records, 1943-1983: Society for Art Publications Minutes of Meetings, Correspondence and Memoranda; General Correspondence; General Correspondence - Alphabetical; Correspondence - Anne Brodzky Personal Files; Subject Files; Reference Material; Issue Files; Production Files; Advertising, Promotion and Subscriptions Files; Financial Files; and Canadian Art/artscanada Publications. Fonds also consists photographic and art material, 1967-1982, divided into a separate series entitled Photographs and art. Collection of slides of collected canadian paintings published by Society for Art Publications. The canadian painters include along with the year of their creative work of art are Paul-Emile Borduas, 1944, 1953 and 1956; G. Roberts, 1967; John Chambers, 1964-1966; Claude Breeze, 1964-65; Pierre Clerk, 1965; Michael Snow, 1963 and 1965; Jack Bush, 1960 and 1965; Graham Coughtry, 1961; Harold Town, 1960 and 1964; Jean McEwen, 1960 and 1965-66; Ronald Bloore, 1961 and 1964; Murray Favro, 1966; Jean-Paul Riopelle, 1953 and 1958; Marcelle Ferron, 1961; L.L. Fitzgerald, ca. 1955; Les Levine, 1964; Robert Hedrick, 1960; Edmund Alleyn, 1960; Jack Reppen, 1961; Fred Varley, ca. 1940; Jack Humphrey, 1963; Tom Thomson, 1917; Jock MacDonald, 1957 and 1959; J.E.H. MacDonald, 1917; Ester Warkov, 1965-66; Charles Comfort, 1948; Jean-Paul Lemieux, 1958 and 1960; Arthur Lismer, 1926; Ralph Allen, 1965; Toni Onley, 1959 and 1961; Lise Gervais, 1961; Tony Urqhart, 1966-67; Ted Godwin, 1964-65; Greg Curnoe, 1965-1967; Marcel Barbeau, 1965; David Milne, 1910-1953; Arthur McKay, 1964; John Meredith, 1964; Yves Gaucher, 1964 and 1966; D. Fowler, 1875; Guido Molinari, 1964; Lawren Harris, 1919; Brian Fisher, 1965; Maxwell Bates, 1966; York Wilson, 1962; Emily Carr, 1932; Antoine Plamondon, 1835; Cornelius Kreighoff, 1870; Sherrry Grauer, 1965; Joyce Wieland, 1963; M.G. Britain, 1954; Alfred Pellan, 1958; J.W. Morrice, ca. 1909; Roy Kiyooka, 1964; Claude Tousignant, 1964; Marianne Schmidt, 1965; R. Murray, 1967; Guerite Fera, 1966-67; Norman Laliberté, 1967; Gail Lamarche, 1967; Kirsti Fernberg, 1967; Joyce Lehto, 1967; Herta Reidl-Ursin, 1967; Jordi Bonet, 1967; Merton Chambers, 1967; Gerald Tooke, 1967; Greta Dale, 1967 and David Chavel, 1967. In additon, fonds contains moving images and sound recording. Included are filmstrips and one audio flex disc collected from Canadian artists by Anne Trueblood Brodzky, editor of artscanada magazine, 1966-1968; interviews, radio programs, speeches, and discussions with personalities related to art (mainly painting) in Canada about the state and progress of art in Canada, 1966-1980; an interview with Roloff Benny by Alex Jarvis; and a discussion between Brydon Smith, Ayala Zacks and Ted Bieler on the subject of Futurism and Kinetics, 1967.
Society for Art Publications : The Society for Art Publications grew out of an informal governing board which had been set up, in 1944, to oversee the transformation of the arts bulletin Maritime Art into the magazine Canadian Art. A desire to expand both the bulletin's readership and coverage led to numerous editorial changes. It was initially aided by the infusion of financial support from the Carnegie Corporation. In 1952, the magazine's auditors recommended the establishment of a more responsible board, charged with overseeing the publication. The newly-formed, non-profit Society for Art Publications was officially granted a national charter in March 1953. Original members were Robert Ayre, Frederick Cleveland Morgan, Jean Chauvin, Donald Buchanan and Harry Orr McCurry; original directors were Buchanan, McCurry and Ayre.
As the original charter states, S.A.P.'s aim was "to promote public appreciation of the fine arts and design in Canada by the printing and distribution of publications on fine arts and design." Its main responsibility was the publication of Canadian Art.
Canadian Art, titled artscanada after 1967, was published continuously from 1943 to 1982 and underwent a number of stylistic changes from the time of its inception. The more conservative format of the magazine was greatly enlivened by the art direction of Paul Arthur who took on that position in 1958. The 1960 appointment of editor Alan Jarvis, former Director of the National Gallery of Canada, further strengthened editorial content. By the 100th issue, in January 1966, a more international field was covered. Barry Lord took over the position of editor in 1967. Under the new banner of artscanada, an unsuccessful experimental format was introduced, consisting of loose-leaf materials, vinyl recordings and a tabloid paper. The appointment of Anne Trueblood Brodzky as editor later that same year saw the return to a more traditional format and a thematic approach to each issue.
Of particular note was the double-size Dec. 1973/Jan. 1974 issue, entitled "Stones, bones and skin", which covered native arts and traditions and was later published in a hard-cover edition. Other issues focussed on such themes as modes of representational art, photography, video, architecture and the Canadian cultural revolution. Photographer Eberhard Otto contributed much to the visual content of the lushly-designed magazine. Brodzky retained her position until the magazine discontinued publication in 1982.
Throughout its 40-year history, Canadian Art/artscanada came to rely more and more on government funding, through the agencies of the Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council. The high production costs, concomitant with the rich lay-out of the magazine, were never aligned with its news-stand price. Artscanada staff tried to eradicate its growing deficit through the organization of two "art draws", in 1978 and 1980. Ticket-buyers were offered the chance of winning an original work, donated by such artists as Ivan Eyre, Jack Shadbolt, William Ronald, Ernest Lindner, David Gilhooly and Ron Bloore.
These fund-raising efforts fell far short of financial requirements. During the 1970s, criticism was increasingly directed towards the editorial staff by its readership, government officials and some S.A.P. Board members. Many felt that the magazine failed to cover effectively the Canadian arts scene, especially in light of heavy government subsidizations. Artists such as John Boyle and Greg Curnoe were irate over its frequent use of American critics. The magazine was accused of ignoring regional arenas in favour of international ones. Finally, in 1982, both government agencies refused any further grants without critical changes in both format and content. Unable to appease government officers, artscanada published its last issue, entitled "Contingencies", in November 1982.
