Archive Collection LP - Locus+ Archive

Identity area

Reference code

LP

Title

Locus+ Archive

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

(1993-)

Administrative history

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

Related descriptions

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

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places