The archive includes the papers, correspondence, diaries and manuscripts, recordings, research material and publications of Professor Eric Mottram and spans the period 1928-1995. Covering his own creative work and academic publications, it also reflects his wide-ranging cultural investigations in the field of twentieth century American and English literature, film, music, art, theatre and popular and material culture. A major series of files about named authors and poets covers figures as diverse as Robert Creeley, Robert Duncan, Allen Ginsberg, Michael McClure, Charles Olson, Ezra Pound, Jerome Rothenberg, Muriel Rukeyser, William Burroughs, Basil Bunting, Bob Cobbing, Roy Fisher, Bill Griffiths and Tom Raworth. Also of particular importance are a series of original tape recordings, mainly made by Mottram, of poets reading their work. Linked to this material is a rich series of little press publications and little magazines. The two chief aspects of Mottram's own work are reflected in his artist notebooks and essays. The former run from 1979-1988 and contain draft poems, notes on a whole range of research topics, with inserts of postcards, press-cuttings, photographs, cartoons, artworks and postage stamps to create a rich wallet of collage effects. The essay series, including published and unpublished material and supporting notes, reflects his wide-ranging contribution over nearly half a century to the teaching of American and English literature. Major groupings within the archive are as follows: personal papers including appointment diaries, 1951-1995, and correspondence with Ted and Joan Wilentz, 1963-1994; papers reflecting Mottram's own poetry including notebooks, and manuscripts, 1956-1995; papers reflecting his publications including reviews and collaborations, 1952-1988; editorial papers notably for The Poetry Review; correspondence with and/or papers relating to twentieth century creative writers, 1928-1998; little press publications, 1954-1998;little magazines, 1942-1998; papers relating to academic teaching, research and administration, [1952]-1994; Mottram's essay texts and associated material, 1947-1995; promotional material for literary events and from publishers, 1945-1958; artworks and posters, 1953-1994; photographs by Mottram, 1950-1995; and recorded material notably including original recordings of poets from both sides of theAtlantic reading their material, 1950-1998.

Archives, [1957]-1996, of Africa95, including material from the festival administrators, producers and participants.

Various deposits, c1980-1996, on individual artists or on planning Africa95 include correspondence, printed material, photographs, and slides of the work of artists from Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the USA.

Records of the central administration, 1991-1996, comprise planning papers and correspondence, 1991-1993; minutes of the Executive Committee, 1993-1995, Board of Trustees, 1995-1996, Funding Committee, 1993-1994, and Annual General Meeting, 1995; Chairman's correspondence, 1993-1996; research materials on non-western arts in Europe; Executive Council records, comprising correspondence, 1992-1995, reports received, 1993, 1995, and Trustees' report and financial statements, 1995; contracts, information and correspondence of the Co-ordinator, 1993-1994; International Council of Artists proposals, contact lists and correspondence, 1993-1994; brochures, 1993-1995; legal papers concerning incorporation, lease of premises, and charitable status, 1993-1995.

Records relating to arts management, 1980-1996, cover funding and sponsorship, 1993-1995; publicity, 1994-1995; press activity, 1994-1996, including cuttings; posters, 1993-1995; general administration, including personnel and finance, 1994-1995; arts organisations and other festivals, 1991-1995; subject files, 1985-1996, including exhibition catalogues on people and places including Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, the USA, and Zimbabwe; videos, 1980-1995, including artists and their work; publications and exhibition catalogues, 1980-1995, for Algeria, Angola, France, Korea, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the UK.

Records relating to finance and development, 1991-1996, cover budgets and funding, companies and sponsorship, and Trusts.

Records on receptions and launches, 1993-1995, relate to events in various locations.

Records relating to Africa95 Nigeria, 1994-1995, include correspondence and photographs.

Records relating to arts events across the UK cover visual arts (photography, fine art, sculpture, calligraphy, metalwork, textiles, and architecture), 1991-1996; cinema, 1993-1995; music, including classical, traditional, gospel, world, jazz, reggae, and popular music [1957]-1996 (including videos, sound recordings and scores); performing arts, including dance, theatre, and puppetry, 1989-1996 (including videos); literature, including poetry, 1993-1995.

Records relating to other activities cover conferences on African arts, including events at the School of Oriental and African Studies, Royal African Society, and Courtauld Institute of Art, 1993-1996; education and young peoples' events, 1993-1996; international workshops and residencies, including events in Senegal, Zimbabwe, London, and Yorkshire, 1990-1996; television and radio, 1992-1995 (including sound recordings of programmes on Radios 1, 3 and 4).

Records relating to post-festival administration, 1994-1996, cover evaluation, celebratory concert, finance, and archive arrangements.

Records of Southbank Centre comprising:

Administrative records including:
Opening Ceremony book of distinguished visitors, 3 May 1951, containing signatures of guests; Visitors books (signed by performers), 1956-1966; Press releases, 1969-1991 (1 box); Annual Reports, 1992-present

Event diaries, 1951-present; records of attendance and ticket sales, 1957-1970s

Arts Board Recreation and Arts Committee files, 1976-1982; Visual Arts Committee files, 1978-1982; London County Council Committee orders files relating to Royal Festival Hall, 1949-1975; Southbank Board administrative files, 1985-present

Artist agreements, 1974-1976; administrative files 1970s-1980s; files relating to redevelopment

Records relating to exhibitions including administrative files, papers and photographs, 1951-1994; printed catalogues of exhibitions; card catalogue of exhibitions, 1950s-1980s; photographs relating to exhibitions, 1981-1993

Records of performances and events including Meltdown summer music festival publicity material, 1993-2000; music projects subject files, 1970s-1980s; South Bank Summer Music (SBMS) administrative files, 1969-1984

Card index of performances at Southbank Centre venues arranged by artist, instrument, conductor and composer, 1951-1985

Printed publicity material including Preview, South Bank Centre publication, 1991-1995; Scrapbooks containing printed programmes, 1951-1964 (18 vols); copies of printed performance programmes 1951-present; Exhibition programmes, 1976-1980s; publicity posters, 1980-2000; leaflets 1960s-present

Collection of published magazines containing articles or special issues relating to the Festival of Britain of the RFH, 1951-1995

Cuttings collection including newspaper cuttings, 1951-1964; Press Department cuttings, 1984-present; Education Department press cuttings, 1987-1993; cuttings and papers relating to site development, 1996; articles and speeches of Nicholas Snowman, 1992-1999; orchestral residency background, 1990-1995; redevelopment submission, 1991; seasons and launches, 1994-1996; cuttings re Festival ballet, dance, 1952, 1954; cuttings of concert reviews and events; press cuttings, 1984-2002

Scrap books of press cuttings arranged by subject including Royal Festival Hall organ, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 1954; National Theatre and South Bank Opera House, 1958-1965; Philharmonia /New Philharmonia Orchestra, 1963-1966; Royal Festival Hall Competition, 1965; Queen Elizabeth Hall opening, and acoustics, 1967; South Bank Summer Music, 1964-1968; Orchestral Resources Report, 1970; Night of Nights-Frank Sinatra, 1970; Kirov Ballet, 1979; Calas/Di Stefano, 1973; Andre Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra, 1975; Royal Festival Hall 25th anniversary, 1976; Horowitz concert, 1982; Metropolitan Mikado, 1985; and The Soul of the Terracotta Army, 1987

Photographic collection comprising:
Files of photographs arranged by subject including aerial views, auditoria, backstage, brewer and South Bank Lion, Embankment, Festival Pier and Jubilee Gardens, Festival of Britain, foundation stone and topping out, furniture and fittings, Hayward Gallery interior and exterior, models and artists' impression, organs, Queen Elizabeth Hall under construction, exterior and interior, Royal Festival Hall construction, exterior and interior, Royal Festival Hall completion, site and views from the site, staff and miscellaneous images, 1920s-1970s
Scrap books of photographs relating to Royal Festival Hall construction, exhibitions, foyer exhibitions and other events, receptions, interior, exterior and models, Stage productions and films
Collection of photographs and negatives of artists, conductors, events and staff

Collection of visual materials including:
Portraits of - Bela Bartok, Artur Schnabel and Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Arthur Bliss, Walter Crane, Piero De Gamba, George Gissing, Gerald Moore, Paul Tortellier, by artists including Janos Halafy, Adrian Allinson, Wyndham Lewis, Sonia Miller, Bette Flashtig
Collection of drawings by Dr Willy Dreifuss including portraits of Sir Thomas Beecham, Clifford Curzon, Jascha Horenstien, Otto Klemperer, Rafael Kubelik, Artur Ribinstein, Adrex Segovia
Prints of Ludwig van Beethoven, Clara Haskil, Double Basses of the New Philharmonia Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini, by artists including Michael Garady, Doroth Bradford, A Rienzi
Lithograph of Sir Henry Wood, view of Somerset House from Waterloo Bridge, view of Waterloo Bridge from the west; 27 prints of musicians and singers published in Vanity Fair, 1872-1908

Collection of films and videos of programmes and promotional material, relating to the Festival of Britain, Royal Festival Hall anniversaries, architecture and building development, the South Bank development, [1951], [1976] 1983 -2001

Sound recordings including:
Commercial CD (100) and audio cassettes (50) recordings of concert performances held at Royal Festival Hall
Oral history recordings (on audio cassette, DAT, and CD) of interviews with managers, London County Council members, architects, musicians, staff and patrons, including Felix Aprahamian, Hugh Bean, Lord Birkett, Tony Blackwell, Harry Blech, Jack Brymer, Shirly Cooper and Ted Higgins, Nicholas Danby, John Denison, Maura Dooley, Rober Glazebrook, Noel Goodwin, Ian Grant, Reg Fulker, Illtyd Harrington, Victor Hochhauser, R G F Howden, Michael Kaye, Frank Kellond Jones, London Festival/English National Ballet, Ruth Mackenzie, George Mann, Sir Leslie Martin, Lord Menuhin, Peter Moro, Yvonne Pegler, Anthony Phillips, Richard Pulford, David Seigle-Morris, Dennis Spall, Anthony Steele, and Christine Wilde, 1990s
Recordings of miscellaneous interviews and broadcast radio programmes relating to Royal Festival Hall and the Festival of Britain, 1957, 1990-2000

Material relating to the Festival of Britain including:
newspapers, magazines, guides, extract articles, programmes and exhibition catalogues [1951-1993]; Festival plans and posters; Festival ephemera and objects including ash tray, curtain, head scarf, press pass, presentation soap [1951]; chairs and other furniture
Cassette and CD recordings containing extracts from BBC commentaries, relating to the opening of Royal Festival Hall, various events, and interviews with Robert Matthew and William Allen; Festival Times, publication of the Festival of Britain Society, 1989-present.