Women's Art Library/Make

The Women's Art Library began in 1976 when a small group of women artists began to collect slides from other women artists to establish a record of their work. The Library first opened its collection to the public in 1982 as the Women Artists Slide Library during the 'Women Festivities' held in London. The Library was then housed in Battersea Arts Centre, Battersea, London. In 1987 the Library moved to Fulham Palace at the invitation of the Women's Unit of Hammersmith and Fulham Council. In 2000 the Library relocated to the Central Saint Martin's School of Art and Design, Charing Cross Road, London. In 1993 the Library was relaunched as the Women's Art Library to reflect the broader range of materials, for example published and unpublished written documentation and photographs which the Library acquired in addition to the slides. The name of the Library was changed in May 2001 to MAKE, the organisation for women in the arts. The aim of the organisation was to enhance public knowledge of the practice, impact and achievement of women in visual culture. A serial publication was produced from 1983-2002, firstly as a newsletter 'The Women's Artists Slide Library Newsletter', becoming a bimonthly 'The Women Artists Slide Library Journal', then quarterley magazine 'The Women's Art Magazine', and finally 'MAKE, the magazine of women's art'. In addition the organisation produced numerous other publications in different formats, catalogues linked with exhibitions organised by WASI, (Women in Humour, Second Viewing), a Women's Art Diary, a calendar DATRES, a Women's Art Library Slidepack (1994) which includes teacher's notes, and two anthologies of critical writings based on group exhibitions of women's art. 'Contemporary Arab Women Artists: Dialogues of the Present', 2000 and 'Private Views: spaces in Britain and Estonia', 2001.