Creative Arts Organizations

A review of trade organizations involved in visual resources and creative arts would not be complete without addressing the educational and cultural heritage sector. Two groups stand out as being leaders in this venue - The Society for Photographic Education (SPE) and The Visual Resources Association (VRA). Their primary goals for photography and related media are to “foster the development of practice, teaching, scholarship and criticism”, and to “provide leadership, educational tools and advocacy standards” for the members.

The Directors have offered insight into their programs and outreach:

-Society for Photographic Education, www.spenational.org, Jennifer Pearson Yamashiro Ph.D., Executive Director. -Visual Resources Association, www.vraweb.org, Kathe Hicks Albrecht, President.

SPE Society for Photographic Education

“SPE is a national membership organization providing a forum for the discussion of photography and related media, especially as it applies to practice and education. In this way, we honor our past and guide the direction of our chosen medium. We simultaneously address issues germane to traditional photographic arts and strive to increase the organization’s relevance to our changing field, fully embracing the shared concerns of artists and other professionals working with photography, new media and digital technologies.” Since 1963 this non-profit organization has sought to develop teaching, scholarship and critical analysis, with its national headquarters at Miami University in Oxford, OH, and the archives at the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, AZ.

In 2004 there were 1845 members, 65% professors of fine art photography or photographic artists, 30% students of fine art photography, and 5% writers, curators, historians and other professionals in the field. The spring Annual National Conference is a popular gathering event, hosting exhibits, portfolio reviews, lectures by well-known speakers, awards, a career placement service and student scholarships.

SPE publications include a quarterly newsletter, biannual journal, membership directory and resource guide. The acclaimed journal, exposure, welcomes manuscripts for publication. There is a Fine Print Collector’s Program and member featured exhibitions all over the country. Members enjoy an “arena of scholarly inquiry and fellowship.” www.spenational.org

VRA Visual Resources Association

“VRA is dedicated to furthering research and education in the field of image management within the educational, cultural heritage, and commercial environments. The Association is committed to providing leadership in the visual resources field, developing and advocating standards, and offering educational tools and opportunities for the benefit of the community at large. Our international membership includes: information specialists; digital image specialists, art, architecture, film and video librarians, museum curators; slide, photograph, microfilm and digital archivists; architectural firms, galleries, publishers, image system vendors, rights and reproductions officials, photographers, art historians, artists, and scientists.”

There is a strong educational component, and the annual conference offers workshops, seminars, keynote speakers, and a vendor exhibition hall. The Association maintains an active LISTserv, “which is an informal forum for colleagues to gather information about everything from specific specs on scanners, to broader issues of copyright policy and digitization project management concerns.” There is also a Summer Educational Institute, and extensive publications, including an e-newsletter, and special bulletins on subjects such as Cataloging Chinese Art.

“VRA has sponsored sessions at the Museum Computer Network, The Art Libraries Society of North America, the College Art Association, and monitors approximately twenty professional organization LISTservs.”

“Our educational component has expanded tremendously and will be the focus of further expansion in the future. We are also working on developing standards for cataloging image information and working on shared cataloging issues.” www.vraweb.org

If you are culturally and academically inclined, these organizations are invaluable for their resources, research, access and networking.