Office of Cultural Affairs, 1931-2019, bulk 1958-2002

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Summary

Creator:
Duke University. Office of Cultural Affairs
Abstract:
The Duke University Office of Cultural Affairs was created in 1969 as part of the Division of Student Affairs and existed until 1993, when, as part of a reorganization of the Division, it was superceded by the Office of University Life. The Office of Cultural Affairs Records, 1931-2002 (bulk 1958-2002), consist of budgets and financial reports; calendars; contracts; correspondence; meeting minutes; printed materials; black-and-white, color, and 35mm photographs; and videocassettes, audiocassettes, and digital audio tapes. Materials primarily span the years of the OCA's official existence, 1969-1993, but also contain earlier materials about its first director, Ella Fountain Pratt, and later records created by the Office of University Life. Arranged in five series: Subject Files, which provide a broad overview of the OCA's activities, including early correspondence between Duke University and the American Dance Festival, which moved to Duke in 1977; the Chamber Arts Society, a group that promoted chamber music performance in Durham and surrounding areas; the Duke Artists Series, a concert series that began in 1930 and came under the oversight of OCA upon its creation in 1969; the Summer Session, programming for which also became one of the OCA's primary responsibilities; and the Triangle Dance Guild, a group independent of Duke that coordinated with the OCA to promote dance performance on campus and in Durham and surrounding areas from 1976-1984.
Extent:
16.25 Linear Feet
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
UA.09.08.0002
University Archives Record Group:
09 -- Student Affairs
09 -- Student Affairs > 08 -- The Center for Multicultural Affairs

Background

Scope and content:

The Office of Cultural Affairs Records, 1931-2019 (bulk 1958-2002), consist of budgets and financial reports, calendars, contracts, correspondence, meeting minutes, photographs, and printed materials that document the Office's administration and scheduling of concerts and other performing arts events, arts festivals, and certain performance venues and buildings on the campus of Duke University. The majority of these records span the years of the OCA's official existence, 1969-1993; but there are also older materials that stem from the earlier Duke career of the OCA's initial director, Ella Fountain Pratt, as well as later records created under the Office of University Life, which superceded the OCA in 1993. Audiovisual material in the collection include more than 500 black-and-white, color, and 35mm photographs; additionally, there are several videocassettes, audiocassettes, and digital audio tapes. The collection is arranged in five series beginning with the most general, Subject Files, followed in alphabetical order by four smaller and more specific series that document the history of various concert series or arts organizations.

The Subject Files are not only the largest series but also give the broadest overview of the OCA's activities. Several large folder groups exist within the series, including one that contains early correspondence and negotiations between Duke University and the American Dance Festival, which moved to Duke in 1977. The series also contains correspondence and other records that span Pratt's entire career at Duke, from the late 1950s through her retirement in 1984. The next four series document the history of various concert series or artistic groups that were either administrated by or collaborated with the OCA. The first and largest of these series is the Chamber Arts Society. Founded in 1945 to promote chamber music performance in Durham , this group eventually came under the aegis of Duke University and the Office of Cultural Affairs in 1975. Although files here tell a little of that early history, they primarily document some fifteen years of concerts on campus from the mid-1980s through 2002. Following this are the records of the Duke Artists Series, a concert series that began in 1930. When the OCA was created in 1969, management and oversight of the Duke Artists Series was made one of its primary responsibilities. The files here mainly document several seasons of concerts in the late 1980s and late 1990s. Much like the Duke Artists Series, cultural programming for the University's Summer Session Series also became a primary responsibility of the OCA upon its creation. This series covers more than forty years of summer session history, including programming that continued under the Office of University Life. The final series contains the history of the Triangle Dance Guild. Independent of Duke, this group existed from 1976-1984 and coordinated with the OCA to promote dance performance on campus and in Durham and other local venues.

Biographical / historical:

The Duke University Office of Cultural Affairs was created in 1969 as part of the Division of Student Affairs and directed by Ella Fountain Pratt from its inception until 1984. Pratt was succeeded by Susan L. Cook, who served as Director until 1993, when the Office was superceded by the Office of University Life as part of a reorganization of the Division.

Acquisition information:
The Office of Cultural Affairs Records were received by the University Archives as a transfer, 1971-2003 and 2021.
Processing information:

Processed by Michael Shumate and Sarah G. Carr, July 2013

Encoded by Michael Shumate and Julia Eads, July 2013

All accessions from 1971-2003 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.

Updated to add accession UA2021-0033 by Tracy M. Jackson, February 2022.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Using These Materials


Restrictions:

For a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material, permission in writing from the office of origin and the University Archivist is required for use. After twenty-five years, records that have been processed may be consulted with the permission of the University Archivist.

Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Office of Cultural Affairs Records, Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.