Artists Union

Artists Union. The Artists Union was a prominent labor union and advocacy organization for visual artists active in the United States during the Great Depression. Founded in New York City in 1934, it emerged from the broader social realism and leftist political movements of the era, seeking economic relief and asserting the rights of creative workers. The union played a critical role in lobbying for and administering federal art projects, most notably the WPA's Federal Art Project, which provided employment to thousands. Its activities, which included picket lines, publications like *Art Front*, and major exhibitions, significantly influenced the relationship between art, labor, and the state in twentieth-century America.

History and origins

The Artists Union was established in the turbulent economic climate of the mid-1930s, a direct response to the widespread unemployment and financial desperation faced by artists following the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Its formation was deeply intertwined with the rise of communist and socialist ideologies within cultural circles and was preceded by activist groups like the John Reed Club. A key catalyst was the creation of the Public Works of Art Project in 1933, which highlighted both the potential for government patronage and the need for organized advocacy to secure fair wages and working conditions. Early meetings at venues like the Hotel Brevoort in Greenwich Village consolidated various artist committees, leading to the union's official founding with painter Stuart Davis as its first president. This period also saw close alliances with other cultural unions under the umbrella of the Congress of Industrial Organizations.

Organizational structure and membership

Modeled on industrial unionism, the Artists Union operated with a democratic structure centered around a general membership and an elected executive board. Key leadership figures included Hugo Gellert, Elizabeth Olds, and Boris Gorelick, who helped steer its political and artistic direction. Membership was open to all artists regardless of medium or style, encompassing painters, sculptors, graphic artists, and muralists, which led to a diverse coalition of abstract artists and social realists. At its peak, the union claimed over 4,000 members across several chapters, with the most active branches in New York City and San Francisco. It maintained a formal headquarters and published the influential journal *Art Front*, edited by Meyer Schapiro and others, which served as a platform for debate on aesthetics and Marxist theory.

Activities and advocacy

The union's primary activity was aggressive advocacy for federally funded employment, culminating in successful pressure that helped establish the Federal Art Project under Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. It organized numerous demonstrations and sit-ins at locations like the College Art Association and the Whitney Museum of American Art, demanding expanded relief and protesting dismissals. Beyond picketing, the union provided legal aid, fought against censorship, and argued for artists' rights to retain intellectual property over their commissioned works. Its political activism extended to supporting the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and condemning the rise of fascism in Europe. These efforts positioned the union as a central force in the cultural front of 1930s American left.

Notable affiliated artists and exhibitions

The Artists Union included a remarkable roster of significant American artists who shaped the period's visual culture. Key members comprised Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Arshile Gorky, Mark Rothko, and Alice Neel, many of whom participated in union actions before achieving later fame. Notable social realist participants were Philip Evergood, William Gropper, and Moses Soyer. The union organized landmark exhibitions to showcase its members' work and promote its social message, including a major 1936 show at the Municipal Art Gallery in Los Angeles. These events often featured themes of class struggle, urban life, and labor, directly reflecting the union's political commitments and providing visibility for artists employed by the Treasury Section of Painting and Sculpture and other public programs.

Impact and legacy

The Artists Union dissolved in 1942 following the cessation of the Federal Art Project and the shifting national focus toward World War II. Its immediate impact was substantial, having secured wages for thousands of artists and legitimized the concept of government support for the arts, a principle that influenced later initiatives like the National Endowment for the Arts. The union fostered a generation of artists who would go on to define abstract expressionism and postwar American art. Its legacy is evident in subsequent artist advocacy groups, including the Artists Equity Association founded after the war. The union's history remains a critical subject for scholars studying the Depression Era, the cultural policies of the New Deal, and the enduring tensions between artistic autonomy and political engagement in the United States.

Category:Art organizations based in the United States Category:Defunct trade unions in the United States Category:New Deal arts projects