60 Years

On March 2, 1962, six of the 22 founding members of ADAA signed the certificate of incorporation to form the organization. Its first stated purpose was to “promote the interests of the individuals…and organizations engaged in the business of dealing in works of fine arts and to improve the stature and status of the fine arts business.” Sixty years later, this goal is still a key part of ADAA’s mission and we have developed a series of initiatives in honor of this milestone anniversary.

A group of members were interviewed to build a video archive for the Association, discussing their thoughts on what it means to be a dealer, and what it means to be an ADAA member. You can watch the first two compilations below. A video on the history of ADAA's formation can be found here. Our ongoing Gallery Chat Interview Series with members can be found here. 

Six grants of $10,000 each were given to nonprofit organizations across the U.S. that support the arts in their local communities. The grantee recipients have been selected by a vote of the entire ADAA membership. This one-time grant is separate from the ADAA Foundation, which was established in 1970 and annually supports fine art museums across the country with operating budgets under five million dollars.

The ADAA Relief Fund was established in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and distributed emergency grants to both member and non-member galleries and nonprofit arts organizations affected by the storm. Created through donations from member galleries as well as other individuals and institutions, the Relief Fund was expanded recently to support arts and cultural organizations affected by natural disasters across the country. The newly launched page on the ADAA website, found here, features more information as well as the application form, and will now make it easier for those organizations impacted by natural disasters to apply for grant consideration. 

At the forefront of ideas and innovations in the field, ADAA members spur the creative economy and contribute to the vitality of their communities. Find out more by downloading the digital version of the Directory here, listing all the members and outlining the ADAA’s various organizational arms.