The New Deal and the Arts: Federal Project Number One
About the Program
This May marks the 91st anniversary of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the bold New Deal program that put millions of Americans back to work during the Great Depression—and, in the process, helped reshape American culture. Best known for building roads, bridges, airports, and schools, the WPA took a remarkable turn in August 1935 with the launch of Federal Project Number One, an unprecedented federal investment in the arts.
Through its projects for art, music, writers and theatre, along with the Historical Records Survey, Federal One transformed everyday American life. It filled public buildings with murals; brought live theater and original music to towns across the country; published iconic state guidebooks; offered art and music classes; collected information on traditional American cuisine and recorded oral histories from formerly enslaved people —saving voices and stories that might otherwise have been lost.
In this richly illustrated presentation—which you can njoy from the comfort of your own home at a time that best fits your schedule—Kathleen explores the extraordinary legacy of Federal Project Number One, highlighting how it made art accessible, preserved history, and fostered creativity during a time of national crisis, with special attention to its lasting impact in New York. Discover how a government program not only rebuilt infrastructure, but also helped define American culture.
This recorded video event includes the original PowerPoint—with wonderful images that you will be able to see directly on your computer screen, tablet, or mobile device.
About the Speaker:
Kathleen Murphy Skolnik teaches art and architectural history at Roosevelt University in Chicago, and leads seminars on Art Deco design at the Newberry Library, a private research library there. She is a co-author of The Art Deco Murals of Hildreth Meière and a contributor to the recently published Art Deco Chicago: Designing Modern America. Her articles have appeared in ADSNY's Art Deco New York journal, and she currently serves on ADSNY's Advisory Board.
Registration:
How to Register for ADSNY's programs:
- Click the gold Register button located to the left of the "About the Program" section
- Enter the requested information in the registration form and follow the instructions to pay online and complete your registration
- In a few moments, you will receive an email confirmation of your registration
If you need further assistance registering for this event, or are experiencing a different issue, please email Events@ArtDeco.org, let us know which events you would like to register for, and we will send you an invoice that can be easily completed without going through the ArtDeco.org website.
All ticket sales are final. Sorry, there are no refunds or exchanges.
ADSNY is not able to issue new access information for this video event after the expiration date of the access link and password you receive upon your registration.
