Ar(t)chives on The Row

What is Remembered Lives

Project Row Houses, though not a collecting institution, has accumulated an impressive volume of materials since 1993. After living in the Eldorado Ballroom until it underwent rehabilitation in 2022-2023, the archives are currently housed in secure, climate-controlled storage. The collection contains approximately:

• 65% photographs, slides, and film negatives.
• 20% correspondence, ranging from personal notes to grant award letters.
• 10-12% ephemera, like posters and flyers, invitations to events, newsletters, Artist Round catalogues, and more.
• 3-5% works of art. 

Once organized, these materials will support a number of projects and activities:

Phase one, digitizing and processing the materials so they can be indexed and searched, will be underway by fall 2025. By the following summer, we will have an estimate of how much time it will take to work through the remainder of the backlog and continue to process new materials as they are acquired. 

With a clearer understanding of exactly what is in our holdings and how to stay current, we will be able to fine-tune what we now estimate to be a ten-year plan to establish the PRH Institute. The Institute will contain not just the archives, but also studio and gallery space for artists plus classrooms, works spaces, and administrative and program offices for the PRH team and community. 

We are also evaluating which works of art in the collection might need conservation. The goal is a prioritized list of what needs immediate attention and cost estimates for the work. 

Finally, we will be laying the groundwork for supporting catalogues raisonnés for the seven artists who founded PRH. A catalogue raisonné is heavily researched and annotated inventory of every work produced by an artist. It is generally compiled by an art historian or team of art historians to serve as the definitive research tool.

Our goal is that the Institute, with the Archive at the heart, will serve as home base for future scholars studying our founders’ histories, careers, and impact alongside what each poured into Project Row Houses. 

We look forward to sharing what we discover, and we may need your help. As we process materials, we know we’ll have photos that need identifications, stories that need key details, and connections to people and institutions that are connected to the work. Keep an eye on social media for calls to action. 

Do you have material you think might be a fit for the Archive? We’re not ready to claim it yet, but you can get it ready to share at the appropriate time.

• Photos? Make notes of who is in them and the date (exact or approximately). Jot down a few sentences about what’s happening in them.
• Old letters, posters and fliers, even stories – you can always record a voice memo on your phone or write it down – don’t forget to say or write your name and connection to PRH at the beginning or end.

Once we’re better positioned to manage acquiring new items, we will be able to work with you to ensure that your memories are thoughtfully preserved and readily available to researchers, academics, journalists, students, history enthusiasts, and the PRH community. 

Our Thanks for a Transformational Gift

 In June 2025, the Henry Luce Foundation awarded PRH a major grant to support the first phase of this work. 

The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world. Established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time, Inc., the Luce Foundation advances its mission by nurturing knowledge communities and institutions, fostering dialogue across divides, enriching public discourse, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in leadership development.

A leader in arts funding since 1982, the Luce Foundation’s American Art Program advances the role of American art in realizing more vibrant and empathetic communities. Through support for innovative projects, it empowers institutions to celebrate creativity, elevate underrepresented voices, challenge accepted histories, and seek common ground.

Project Row Houses deeply appreciates the investment and encouragement the Henry Luce Foundation has provided, and welcomes them to the growing community of individuals, foundations, and corporations that continue to work alongside us to give life and form to our social sculpture.