From the community, for the community. Online access to documents and collections of performance art

Abstract

The article looks at the challenges and opportunities of collecting and disseminating performance art from an art library’s perspective. Based on the collecting experience of the Mediathek at the Academy of Art and Design FHNW Basel (Switzerland), the text contextualizes the own digital collections within the Swiss performance art context. What is special about Mediathek’s collection is 1) the fact that a remarkable number of documents of performance art are accessible for free via the internet, without login, in a structured, searchable and sustainable way. Because the policy permits, upon certain conditions, the acceptance of content from individuals, groups, and institutions not associated with the university, there is 2) a considerable amount of ‘external’ materials in the collections. The aim of the essay is to make this treasure of sources known. Therefore, digital access points to the projects and collections described in the text are mentioned in the references.