Ar(t)chives on The Row

Since its inception in 1993, Project Row Houses has accumulated a wealth of invaluable materials that document our rich history and artistic endeavors. However, due to limited resources, these materials had remained stored away, inaccessible to both the local community and the wider public. In honor of our 30th anniversary, we have undertaken the initial steps of an archival processing project to organize and make these invaluable resources accessible. We are delighted to acknowledge the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) American Rescue Plan (ARP) grant for funding the establishment of our archive collection.

The PRH Archives collection comprises a diverse array of historical artifacts, including documents, publications, photographs, artworks, A/V media, ephemera objects, and legacy items. These materials offer a remarkable chronicle of PRH’s journey from its founding to the present day, providing valuable insights into the evolution of our institution and its transformative impact on the Third Ward community. The centerpiece of our archival efforts is the Artists Rounds Collection, which captures the essence of PRH’s legacy Rounds, serving as the cornerstone of our institution. We are diligently organizing our physical collection to ensure it can be readily accessible to researchers and the community. In line with technological advancements, we are also working towards creating a digital repository for our born-digital materials, as well as digitized versions of the physical items within the archive. This forward-thinking approach will enable users from around the world to access our collection, facilitating learning, exploration, and a deeper understanding of our cultural heritage.

We invite you to join us on this exciting journey as we continue to expand and add new collections to our repository. Each addition represents another chapter in the story of PRH and its lasting impact on our community.

For inquiries regarding the PRH Archives, please reach out to our dedicated Project Archivist, Salima Bowaniya, at sbowaniya@projectrowhouses.org. Stay tuned for more updates and developments!