Texas Commission on the Arts:

An Inventory of Records at the Texas State Archives, 1969-1987, undated (bulk 1980-1985)

Agency History

The Texas Fine Arts Commission was created in 1965 by the 59th Legislature through House Bill 273 as a temporary agency. The 60th Legislature passed Senate Bill 21 in 1967, establishing the Commission as a permanent agency. The name of the Commission was changed in 1971 (House Bill 1784, 62nd Legislature) to the Texas Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and to its present name, Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) in 1979 (House Bill 637, 66th Legislature). The Commission is composed of eighteen members appointed by the Governor, with concurrence of the Senate, to six-year overlapping terms. The Commission is comprised of private individuals representing all fields of the arts, known for their professional competence and experience in connection with the arts. A chair is elected by Commission members. Several committees (composed of Commissioners and others) are appointed by the Commission--Administrative Committee, Advisory Review Committee, Business Involvement Committee, Governor's Mansion Committee, Liaison Committee, and Minority Involvement Committee. An Executive Director is appointed by the Commissioners to handle administrative duties for the Commission.

The responsibilities of the Commission are to develop a receptive climate for the arts in Texas, attract outstanding artists to Texas, advise state agencies and others in matters relating to the arts, and expand and enhance opportunities for all Texans in the arts. The Commission also had the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Mansion Supervisors, abolished in 1965 by the 59th Legislature, to oversee the public areas of the Governor's Mansion. These duties were transferred to the Texas Historical Commission in 1989.

The Commission provides coordination, information, and financial assistance to artists, arts organizations, and arts programs, to advance the arts in Texas. It receives funds from the State Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the U.S. Department of Education, and other sources, and operates several programs through which funding is provided to interested parties. Programs through which financial assistance is available include or have included the General Assistance Program, the Touring Arts Program, the Arts Education Program, the Networks Program, and the Major Institutions Program.

The Commission staff created a state arts plan in 1979 to identify the arts needs and priorities in the state, allowing input in the planning process by arts organizations, artists, and the general public. This plan outlines the goals and objectives of the Commission, types of assistance available, and how to apply for financial assistance. The Commission reviews and revises, if needed, the plan annually. Over the years some assistance categories have been dropped or significantly altered while others have endured few changes.

Providing financial assistance is a major part of the Commission's duties. The Commission created advisory panels in the various arts disciplines to aid the Assistance Review Process with financial assistance requests. Advisory panelists can be nominated by any persons or organizations throughout the state, but must be experts or professionals in their respective fields. The panelists are voted on by the Commission to three-year terms and are assigned to one of the nine panels--Community Arts (formerly Partnership), Dance, Education, Literature, Media, Music, Theatre, Touring, and Visual Arts/Architecture. The advisory panels review and assess the quality of applications and make recommendations, which are then passed on to the Assistance Review Committee. This Committee (ARC) further reviews applications and panel recommendations, makes its own recommendations, and presents the materials to the Commission, which makes the final decision on the grant applications. Occasionally, projects which require immediate action because of an emergency or which have statewide impact can receive limited funding through the Emergency Review Process. In this process, the application is reviewed by the Executive Director, the ARC chairman, and the Commission chairman.

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Scope and Contents of the Records

Types of records include correspondence, memos, minutes, reports, brochures, newsclippings, press releases, and videocassettes. Records range in date from 1969 to 1987 and undated, with the bulk of the material dating from 1980 to 1985. Records reflect the work, policies, and procedures of the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) including dealing with issues of minority representation on the Commission, fundraising, budgeting and marketing concerns, and copies of bills pertaining to TCA activities. Records include, for example, policy statements of the Commission; orientation packets for Commissioners detailing enabling legislation, duties, assignments, standards of conduct, organizational charts, etc.; quarterly activity and financial reports of the Commission; and notices of National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants and awards.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

None.

Restrictions on Use

See the Archives' Preservation Officer to arrange viewing videocassettes.

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Related Material

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Records, 1969-1987, undated (bulk 1980-1985), Texas Commission on the Arts. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession number: 1995/120

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Commission on the Arts on May 10, 1995.

Processing Information

Lisa M. Hendricks, June 1995

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Detailed Description of the Records

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