Amber Moon records
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Amber Moon records
- Date
- 1975-1986 (inclusive)
- Extent
- 4.23 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Feminists -- Kentucky -- Lexington.
- Music -- Performance -- Kentucky.
- Performing arts -- Kentucky -- Lexington.
- Women college students -- Societies and clubs
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged into eleven series: Organization, Administrative, Financial, Fundraising, Outreach, Personnel, Women's resources, Productions, Publicity, Performances, Prospective performers.
- Preferred Citation
- 92m2: [identification of item], Amber Moon records, 1975-1986, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Amber Moon was a nonprofit educational and cultural organization which produced events and workshops featuring women artists. It began in 1979 as a collective of four women in Lexington, Kentucky. The group formed out of shared purpose which was, in the words of collective members, "to bring to the Lexington area cultural arts events of particular interest to (but not exclusively for) women. We focus on artists and events that would not otherwise be available to our area. Our approach to this problem has been to design a Cultural Arts Series that presents the diversities of women's culture through music, film, poetry and theatre." Named for a phase of the moon, members espoused the rising moon as a symbol of women gaining strength. The collective dissolved in the mid-1980s as a result of waning community and financial support and a growing conservative political landscape.
- Scope and Content
- The Amber Moon records (dated 1975-1986; 4.23 cubic feet; 14 boxes) consists of the operating records, publicity, performing files, and photographs documenting Amber Moon Productions, a feminist performance group in Lexington, Kentucky.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Organization, 1978-1986
General, 1978-1983
Herstory, 1980-1983
Articles of Incorporation, 1978 August
Bylaws, 1982 April
Articles about Amber Moon, 1979 September-1982 April
Collective member's job descriptions, 1982 December-1983 February
Recruiting collective members, 1979-1983 and undated
Collective notes, 1979-1984
Scope and Contents
The Collective Notes subseries includes the minutes and agendas from the collective meetings. Each meeting had a facilitator and a scribe, both of whom are noted on each document.
1979-1980
1980-1981
1981-1982
1984
Community ties, 1980-1984
Scope and Contents
The Community Ties subseries documents one of Amber Moon's main concerns which was its relationship with and standing in the Lexington community. As a member of the Lexington Council of the Arts, Amber Moon generated an awareness of women's arts and culture among other member arts organizations, as well as brought music, dane and theater performances to the public.
Coffee houses, 1981 and undated
Donations to the University of Kentucky, 1981 June
Letters, 1980 November-1984 March
Lexington Council of the Arts, 1980-1986
Scope and Contents
Amber moon was an Affiliate member of the LCA from 1980 to 1984. Still in existence today, LCA's main objective is to publicize and support the work of arts groups and artists in Lexington. It serves as a governing body of its member arts organizations and agencies in Lexington.
1980 July-1981 December
Directory handbook, 1981 January
1983 September-1986 January and undated
Retreat materials, 1980-1985
Scope and Contents
The collective wen on retreats to map out directions, as well as discuss issues which it faced. The first four retreats were held in conjunction with other art collectives. The remaining retreats included Amber Moon members only.
Illinois South Project, 1980 March
Horse Cave, 1981 July
Illinois South Project, 1981 March
Grailville, 1981 September
Amber Moon, 1982 September
Amber Moon, 1983 Summer
Amber Moon, 1984 Summer
Amber Moon, 1984 Spring
Amber Moon, 1984 Summer
Amber Moon, 1985 Spring
Related materials, 1980 and 1983
Administrative, 1980-1984
Financial, 1978-1985
Bills, receipts, invoices (filed by billing date), 1978-1984
Bills, receipts, invoices (filed by billing date), undated
Budget, 1982-1985
Disbursements, 1979-1980
Disbursements, 1978-1982
Miscellaneous materials, 1979, 1980 and undated
Check request form (blank), undated
Expense request form (blank), undated
Income request form (blank), undated
Sunday supper request form (blank), undated
Telephone calls request form (blank), undated
Tax exempt status, 1978-1983
Tax exempt status, 1985
Tax exempt status, undated
Tax returns, FY1979
Tax returns, FY1981
Tax returns, FY1982
Fundraising, 1975-1985
Scope and Contents
The collective relied on private contributions, grants, and ticket sales for financial support of its projects. Its major funding was through grants from the Kentucky Arts Commission and the Lexington Fayette Urban-County Government. They also conducted pledge drives and contributed their own money to keep the organization going.
General, 1975-1985
Grants, 1978-1984
Scope and Contents
The grants subseries includes proposals and awards; dates indicate the grant period. The Southern Arts Federation (SAF) is a regional service and programming organization for the citizens of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Formed in 1975, SAF's foal is to represent the South in the arts at the national level. Amber Moon received literature from SAF but no funding.
Eastman fund, 1981 May-1981 November
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): General information on grant procedures, 1979
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Programming grant, 1979
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Technical assistance grant, 1980 March-1980 April
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Technical assistance grant, 1980 May-1980 December
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Challenge grant, 1980-1981
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Programming grant, 1980-1981
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Challenge grant, 1981-1982
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Programming grant, 1981-1982
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Programming grant, 1982
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Challenge grant, 1982-1983
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Technical Assistance grant, 1983 August-1984 June
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Challenge grant, 1983-1984
Kentucky Arts Commission (KAC): Technical Assistance grant, 1984 February
Kentucky Humanities Council (KHC): Information, newsletters, 1977-1983 and undated
Kentucky Humanities Council (KHC): Proposals, 1980 September-1980 October
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Cultural Arts Grant, 1983
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Cultural Arts Grant, 1984
Southern Arts Federation (SAF): Application materials and information, 1980-1984
Southern Arts Federation (SAF): Marketing materials, 1980-1984
Brochures and catalogs from other arts organizations, 1978-1984
National Women's Music Festival funding request, 1982
Pledge drives, 1982-1985
Outreach, 1980-1984
Personnel, 1981-1984
Administrative Coordinator (job applications and procedures), 1983
Employee files, 1983 January-1984 July
Employment policies and procedures, 1983-1984 December
Insurance (contracts and information), 1981
Related materials, undated
Women's resources, undated
Prospective performers, undated
Liz Alberda
Sirani Avedis
Brown Bag Readers Theatre: Women and Alcoholism
Sue Fink
Susan Freundlich--Music for the Deaf
Katharine Kay
Kathy Kramer
Kristin Lems
Diane Lindsay
Little Flags Theatre: The Furies of Mother Jones
Lordly & Dame, Inc. [agent for several performers]
Karen Mackay
Gayle Marie
June Millington
Bernice Reagon [See also Sweet Honey in the Rock Box 8, Folders 3-7 and Box 10, Folders 1-4]
Betsy Rose & Cathy Winter
Beth Scalet
Judy Sloan
Willie Tyson
Sandra Washington and Sharon Washington
Mary Watkins
Kay Weaver
Women on the Move
Productions, 1978-1985
Directories, 1978-1982
Miscellaneous materials, 1980-1981
Performance spaces, 1980-1985
University of kentucky Center for the Arts, Concert Hall and Recital Hall, 1980
Arts Place, 1984 April and 1985 April
University of Kentucky Memorial Hall, undated
Transylvania University Mitchell Fine Arts Center, undated
Professional conferences and networks, 1980-1981
Women's production companies, 1978-1985
At the Foot of the Mountain, 1978-1985 and undated
Mentoress Productions, 1979
Off the Wall Distribution, 1979
WomanSound, Jubilee, WomanShine, 1980, 1981, and undated
Women's Theater of Cincinnati, 1981-1982
Roadwork, 1981-1983
Sea Friends Records, 1981 January-November
National Women's Music Festival, 1983 June
Publicity, 1977-1985
Scope and Contents
Publicity materials for specific performances are located in Performances - see boxes 8-12
Flyers and letterheads, 1981
Mailing lists, 1979-1985
Amber moon member list, 1982 February
Amber Moon member lists, 1985 March
Bluegrass clubs (Herald-Leader newspaper section), 1982 October
Community organizations, 1981 and 1984
International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades, 1980 April
Kentucky Arts Commission literary events, 1979 November
News outlets for press releases, 1980, 1984, and undated
Studio Players master list, 1982
Miscellaneous materials, 1981-1982
Performances, 1978-1984
A Night of Women's Music, publicity, 1978 March 10
The Story of a Mother, contract, 1978 May 4
Sweet Honey in the Rock, 1978 November 12
Kay Gardner and Mojo, 1979 May 25
National Women's Film Circuit, 1979 September 28-30
Holly Near on Tour for a Nuclear-free Future, 1979 November 7
Ntozake Shange poetry reading [cancelled], 1980 March 8
June Jordan, 1980 March 8
An Evening of Music from the Moutains with Hazel Dickens and the Reel World String Band, 1980 April 19
Dora DuFran's Wild West Extravaganza, or the Real Lowdown on Calamity Jane, 1980 May 11-12
At the Foot of the Mountain, "Raped: A Look at Bertolt Brecht's The Exception and the Rule", grant application, circa 1980 May
Chocolate Waters, 1980 August 3
Izquierda, 1980 October 25
Wallflower Order, 1980 November 12
National Women's Film Circuit, publicity, 1980 November 18-20
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, 1981 January 22-24
Holly Near with Adrienne Torf, 1981 March 11
Terry Garthwaite & Alive!, 1981 April 8
Silkwood, 1981 October 3
Garthwaite, Sorrels, Hawkins publicity, 1981 November 13
Sweet Honey in the Rock, 1981 December 11
Ferron, 1982 February 19
Meg Christian, 1982 March 31
Mischief Mime, 1982 April 14
A Full Moon--A Fair, 1982 May 8
Cris Williamson, 1982 September 26
Edwinna Lee Tyler & A Piece of the World, 1982 October 23
Therese Edell with Betsy Lippett [cancelled], 1982 November 20
Alix Dobkin, 1982 November 20
Jasmine, 1983 January 28
Margie Adam, 1983 February 25
Kate Clinton, 1983 April 9
Casino Night, finances, 1983 April 23
Rhiannon & Mimi Fox, 1983 July 2
An Amber Moon Affair, publicity, 1983 July 2
Ginni Clemmens, 1983 September 17
Torf & Tillery, 1983 October 14
Wallflower Order, finances, 1983 November 13
Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, program, 1984 February 16-17
Robin Tyler, 1984 February 18
Teresa Trull & Barbara Higbie, 1984 March 31
Split Britches, 1984 April 14
Debbie Fier, 1984 July 7
Casselberry & Dupree, 1984 November 3
Photographs, 1979-1984, undated
Performers, 1979-1984
Kay Gardner and Mojo, 1979 May 25
National Women's Film Circuit, 1979 Sepember 28-30
June Jordan, 1980 March 3
Hazel Dickens, 1980 April 19
Dora DuFran's Wild West Extravaganze, or the real Lowdown on Calamity Jane, 1980 May 11-12
Dora DuFran's Wild West Extravaganze, or the Real Lowdown on Calamity Jane (reduced camera-ready duplicate), 1980 May 11-12
Ferron, 1982 February 19
Meg Christian, 1982 March 31
Therese Edell with Betsy Lippett, 1982 November 20
Margie Adam, 1983 February 25
Ginni Clemmens, 1983 September 17
Adrienne Torf of Torf & Tillery, 1983 October 14
Linda Tillery of Torf & Tillery, 1983 October 14
Linda Tillery, undated
Teresa Trull of Teresa Trull and Barbara Higbie, 1984 March 31
Split Britches, 1984 April 19
Negative, undaed
Prospective Performers, undated
Sirani Avedis, undated
Susan Freundlich, undated
Katharine Kay, undated
Kathy Kramer, undated
Kristin Lems, undated
Karen McKay, undated
June Millington, undated
Betsy Rose & Cathy Winter, undated
Willie Tyson, undated
Sandra Washington and Sharon Washington, undated
Mary Watkins, undated
Kay Weaver, undated
Women on the Move, undated
Amber Moon Collective Members, 1983-1984, undated
top: Jackie Gruer; middle: Laura VanSlyke; bottom: Barbara Dumesnil, undated
left: Sue Ann Salmon; middle: Jackie Gruer; right: Barbara Dumesnil, undated
Barbara Dumesnil, undated
Collective members, undated
Summer retreat at Highlander, Tennessee, 1983
Negatives from Barbara Dumesnil's retirement dinner, 1984
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Table of Contents
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.