Records of Edinburgh College of Art and Artists Archives

These collections relate to the arts and artists in Scotland and in the world, and contain personal papers, correspondence, drafts, sketches, scrapbooks, and all kind of material showing the creative process and helping to understand the context of some artists’ work and the evolution of art in Scotland.

One of the most important collections is composed of the records of the Edinburgh College of Art, which became an integral part of the University of Edinburgh in 2011. Edinburgh College of Art is one of the most influential art schools in the UK and has been since 1908 the principal provider of a wide range of teaching and skills in the practical arts. The majority of the collection covers the period 1906-2011, and contains administrative and teaching records which provide an overview of practices, trends and technology in the art scene. Student records and social activity are well represented. The collection has a few volumes of minutes and student records for the predecessor bodies of the Trustees Academy and School of Applied Art. A particular strength of the collection is the photographs and design work for the annual Revel Party. The correspondence of Sir Robin Philipson in his role as Head of drawing and Painting provides an insight into the impact the college had in the 1960s and 1970s. There is a substantial photographic element to the collection, together with numerous press cuttings. The collection is currently being catalogued; please contact the CRC in advance if you would like to consult the material.

Other collections relating to artists include, but are not limited to the papers and artwork of Yolanda Sonnabend relating to her collaboration with C. H. Waddington (Coll-1461), the papers of English painter Thomas Hartley Cromek (Coll-177), and designs of Marie Laurencin, a French painter and printmaker and a member of the Cubists associated with the Section d'Or (Coll-1090). The Special Collections have also recently acquired the archive of Scottish artist Sax Shaw, although the fonds isn’t catalogued yet.