Albert M. Bender Grants-In-Aid Program

Finding aid created by San Francisco Art Institute Library staff using RecordEXPRESS
San Francisco Art Institute Library
20 Hawthorne St.
San Francisco, California 94105
4152941113
becky@sfailegacyarchive.org
http://www.sfai.edu/current-students/anne-bremer-memorial-library
2023


Descriptive Summary

Title: Albert M. Bender Grants-In-Aid Program
Dates: 1941-1953
Collection Number: SFAI.010
Creator/Collector: San Francisco Art Association
Extent: 7 boxes of paper documents
Repository: San Francisco Art Institute Library
San Francisco, California 94105
Abstract: The Albert M. Bender Grants-In-Aid were grants awarded to Bay Area residents who wanted to complete projects in art, literature, and photography. The yearly contest was administered by the San Francisco Art Association from 1942 to 1953. The trust was first formed in 1941 after Bender’s death and the first grants were awarded in 1942. Albert M. Bender (1866-1941) was born in Dublin, Ireland, but moved to the United States as a teenager. As an adult, he supported the arts in the San Francisco Bay Area through the patronage of Bay Area artists like Ansel Adams. He also helped support universities like Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, and Mills College, as well as organizations like the San Francisco Public Library, the San Francisco Museum of Art (later the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), and the California School of Fine Arts (later the San Francisco Art Institute).
Language of Material: English

Access

The collection is open for research use.

Publication Rights

Much of the material in this collection is under copyright protection. Contact the San Francisco Art Institute Library for questions or requests regarding use of these materials.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item]. Albert M. Bender Grants-In-Aid Program. Collection Number: SFAI.010. San Francisco Art Institute Library

Biography/Administrative History

The San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) is a private fine arts college which dates back to 1874 when the San Francisco Art Association, an organization founded in 1871 to promote and exhibit local artists, first began offering art classes to the public. The school was known as the California School of Design from 1874 through 1916, and the California School of Fine Arts from 1916 through 1961, when it became the San Francisco Art Institute.

Scope and Content of Collection

Collection of paper materials from 1941 to 1953 covering the creation and administration of the Albert M. Bender Grants-In-Aid Program. Materials include letters, memos, bills, contest applications, reference letters, and blank sample applications. The contest was affiliated with the San Francisco Art Association and operated out of the San Francisco Bay Area. It was only open to applicants residing in the Bay Area for at least two years. Awards were given in literature, art, and photography. From 1942-1947 the contest for each year took place completely within the first year listed (i.e. 1942-1943 took place entirely within 1942). There was no contest in 1948, but the same labeling convention for the year was kept for 1948-1952 (i.e. the contest for 1948-1949 actually took place entirely within 1949). The entire file for the 1946-1947 Art grant applications is missing. Names of applicants were sourced from a list available in the 1946-1947 Miscellaneous file. Many files have large amounts of water damage and mold throughout. The pages of the 1952 Photography file are severely water-damaged and mostly inseparable. Names of applicants were taken from the first page of the file, which was still legible. There are also several missing single applications within other files. Arrangement: Material arranged chronologically by year. Within each year material is divided by subject into Miscellaneous, Literature Applications, Art Applications, and Photography Applications (when applicable). Material within Miscellaneous folders arranged chronologically.

Indexing Terms

Art—Competitions
Art, American—20th Century
Art and literature
Grants-In-Aid
Literature—Competitions
Literature, Modern—20th century
Photography—Competitions
Poetry—Competitions
Poetry, Modern—20th Century
Bender, Albert M. (Albert Maurice) 1866-1941
San Francisco Art Association
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.)

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