Society of Independent Artists of St. Louis

The Society of Independent Artists of St. Louis was organized in 1930 under the name of the “Saint Louis Artists No-Jury Exhibit Society.” The organization was reorganized in 1931 as the Society of Independent Artists of Saint Louis. The purpose of the society was to “promote freedom and tolerance for all styles of expression, encourage development of proven talent, and generally further matters pertaining to the fine arts; to hold one main no-jury exhibition each year.” (American Art Directory, 88) The annual meeting of the society was held in April. The members paid annual dues, and half of those dues were used for prizes at the annual exhibition. By the 1970s one quarter of the dues were used for prizes. Prizes for all other exhibitions were provided by an endowment fund. The society also held monthly art competitions and meetings with speakers and demonstrations. Later in their history, the society held a special exhibition including all the award winners of the fiscal year; during this show they would present their principal award, medal and annual Merit Award. In 1944, the president of the society was Melvina Calvert Schworm, and Frank G. Smith was Corresponding Secretary.  In 1970, the president of the society was Charles F. Jamieson, and Geneva Patterson was Vice President. Beginning in the 1950s and to the 1970s the society held an annual costume ball as well.

Select Sources

R.R. Bowker Company, American Federation of Arts. American Art Directory (New Providence, NJ: National Register Pub., 1970), 88.

“At Artists’ Costume Ball,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, February 21, 1960, 2D.

American Art Annual (New York: MacMillan Co., 1944), v. 36: 138.

Society of Independent Artists Annual Histories, 1946-1972, State Historical Society of Missouri, Research Center St. Louis, University of Missouri-St. Louis, https://collections.shsmo.org/manuscripts/saint-louis/s0092.

Society of Independent Artists, Independent Artists of Saint Louis Third Annual No Jury Exhibition: Old Courthouse, Oct. 15-Nov. 15, 1932 (St. Louis: Society of Independent Artists, 1932).

Contributors

Roberta Wagener, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Record Published

Published on September 20, 2021