The Poetry Collection is the repository of the records of the Hallwalls Contempoary Arts Center. These records document the first thirty years of the Center's activity. Included are administrative and curatorial records, events calendars and publicity materials as well as photographs, slides and videos.

Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center was founded in 1974. Among the artists credited with founding the organization are Charles Clough and Robert Longo. Their intent was to create an artist-run space to serve three primary functions: (a) to educate local artists and the public in new art forms; (b) to encourage and develop the careers of local artists; and (c) to devise ways to help emerging artists throughout the country by exhibiting and presenting their work.

The gallery began in a turn-of-the-century brick icehouse with adjacent residential space, located on Essex Street on Buffalo's West Side . From these facilities Clough, Longo and their colleagues presented many exciting and important exhibitions and performances. For example, during its first year visiting artists included: Vito Acconci, Chris Burden, Bruce Boice, Marcia Haff, Robert Irwin, Lucy Lippard, Richard Serra, and Barbara Schwartz. Since 1974, programming was further developed to include presentation of interdisciplinary art forms, as well as music, video, film, performance/interdisciplinary theatre and literature.

For more information about Hallwalls history please see Consider the Alternatives: 20 Years of Contemporary Art at Hallwalls (1996).

Collection guides:
     • Artists files
     • Video collection