The Kitchen has been a center for innovative artistic activity since its founding in 1971. Operating as a meeting place between disciplines in New York, the space has fostered the development of experimental artwork across music, video, dance, performance, and installation art. The archive predominantly contains extensive video and audio recordings documenting performances at the space; artist files; posters; and printed ephemera. Audio and video recordings are unavailable until reformatted. Contact the repository for information regarding access. Some audiovisual material is currently available for on-site use only.

The Kitchen was founded in 1971 as an artist collective by video artists Steina and Woody Vasulka. Located in the unused kitchen of the former Mercer Arts Center in Greenwich Village, the space functioned as an arena where artists could share their ideas with like-minded colleagues. Dedicated to music and video, and emphasizing experimentation with emergent forms of technology, programming soon evolved to encompass dance, performance, readings, and seminars on art and technology.

426 Linear Feet (446 boxes, 7 flat file folders, 1 boxed roll)

Open for use by qualified researchers. Audio visual and born digital materials are unavailable until reformatted. Offsite material may require additional retrieval time; contact reference for information.