Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1970 - 2019 (Creation)
Level of description
Archive Collection
Extent and medium
65 linear metres (282 archival boxes); approximately 30 original bankers boxes with obsolete physical carriers.
Context area
Name of creator
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
This collection was gifted to the Library by the Locus+ Board of Trustees in 2019.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Locus+ is a visual arts commissioning agency that works with artists on the production and presentation of socially engaged, collaborative and temporary projects, primarily for non-gallery locations. In each project place or context is integral to the meaning of the artwork. Locus+ creates new opportunities for artists, whose work is issue-based, to work in different contexts and across formats.Although Locus+ was formally established in April 1993, it was preceded by the Basement Group (1979-1983) and the first office-based visual arts organisation in the UK, Projects UK (1983-1992). The Locus+ Archive incorporates material from all three organisations and as such it forms a comprehensive historical overview of contemporary art practice from the '70s to the present, covering artists' projects from a variety of British and international contexts.
Material within the collection focuses on project planning for visual art installations, complimented by audio visual evidence and photographic slide outputs. There is also business administration documents relating to the operational activities of Locus+, strategic reporting and funding applications. Other themes in the collection focus on publicity and press cuttings regarding visual arts installations supported by Locus+ and a reference library of visual arts magazines.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
No further material is expected to be added to the collection
System of arrangement
The collection is arranged into project administration documents supplemented by publicity/press cuttings, audio visual and slide series. Business administration documents have been split along operational, strategic and funding functions. Division by paper documents and then other material formats has occurred in line with Locus+ filing system. Each series has been arranged chronologically apart from when an alphabetical series of arrangement has taken prominence.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open with some restrictions, researcher interview may be required. AV collection partially processed and access facilitated where possible.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright relating to all works created by Locus+ has been passed to Newcastle University Library. In all other cases, UK copyright rules apply.
Language of material
- English
- French
- German
- Spanish
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Paper documents, photographs, 35mm and 50mm slides. A significant proportion of the collection consists of audio visual material housed on obsolete digital carriers. These carriers include: 1/4 inch open reel, Betacam and Digital Betacam, standard audio cassette, sony digital audio tape, CD, DVCam, DVD, Hi-8, Mini DV, Umatic-SF and LF, VHS and Vinyl formats. Born digital contents have been digitised into accessible versions and available on specific hardware in the special collections reading room.
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Draft
Level of detail
Full
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Not yet advertised publically