Festival Plans & Press Releases

This page contains a selection of press releases and plans for the 8th through the 12th Annual Avant Garde Festivals, held from 1971 to 1975. The documents are chronologically arranged and can be viewed in a larger format by clicking on the appropriate links.

Press Release: Plans of the 8th Annual Avant Garde Festival (1971)

This one-page press release includes plans for the 8th Annual Avant Garde Festival, held at the 69th Regiment Armory on November 19, 1971. The document announces "Video art, painting poetry, jazz, documentations, happenings, air art, actions, events, films, sculpture, kinetic light art, electronic music, lighting design, computer art, projections, environments, things, dance, earth art, structures, inflatables, synthesizer art." The document includes an extensive list of artists and works.

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Preliminary Plans for the 9th Annual Avant Garde Festival (1972)

This one-page document presents a list of the artists, as well as their projects or events, which were planned for the 9th Annual Avant Garde Festival, to be held on the Alexander Hamilton riverboat at the South Street Seaport.

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Plan of the 9th Annual Avant Garde Festival (1972)

This 4-page document includes five diagrams of the Alexander Hamilton riverboat's floor plan, showing where the participating artists will perform or exhibit during the 9th Annual Avant Garde Festival. A Festival program is also included.

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Press Release: 9th Annual Avant Garde Festival (1972)

This is the 2-page press release for the 9th Annual Avant Garde Festival, to be held on October 28, 1972 aboard the Alexander Hamilton, a riverboat in the East River at the South Street Seaport in Manhattan. In the press release Charlotte Moorman expresses her hopes that the Festival will also be presented in Poughkeepsie and Albany, on the two evenings following the New York City event. The document includes an extensive list of the planned artists and their works.

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Postcard: 9th Annual Avant Garde Festival (1972)

This New Year's greeting card, sent by Henry Niese to Howard Wise, features a color photograph that shows the Alexander Hamilton riverboat, and shows the Festival banner made by Niese.

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Press Release: Plans for the 10th Annual Avant Garde Festival (1973)

This press release announces provisional plans for the 10th Annual Avant Garde Festival, to be held in November 1973 in conjunction with Penn Central and Amtrak, at either Penn or Grand Central Stations in New York. The document states that 250 artists from 24 countries will participate, and includes a list of some artists and works, as well as two drawn diagrams of railroad cars.

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Plans for the 11th Annual Avant Garde Festival Letter of invitation to artists(1973)

This one-page letter from Charlotte Moorman presents preliminary plans for the 11th Annual Avant Garde Festival, to be held at Shea Stadium in November of 1973, the exact date to be determined by the calendar of the Mets, Yankees and Jets. Moorman invites the artist to present a work at the festival, and requests a proposal. The document includes a diagram of Shea Stadium.

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Artists' Information: 11th Annual Avant Garde Festival (1974)

This is a one-page information sheet for artists participating in the 11th Annual Avant Garde Festival. Moorman outlines instructions and requests practical information, such as the artists' equipment list, diagram, and electrical requirements. She includes notes on installing and dismantling the works and advises the artists to "wear thermal underwear, if possible."

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Press Release: Plans for the 11th Annual Avant Garde Festival (1974)

This is the two-page press release for the 11th Annual Avant Garde Festival, to be held on November 16, 1974 at Shea Stadium in Flushing Meadows, Queens. The release announces "Video art, paintings, films, banners, inflatables, jazz, sports, poetry, actions, laser imagery, plant art, sculptures, flags, documentations, fashion art, kinetic light art, events, post card theatre, happenings, electronic music, edible art, projections, environments, computer art, dance, rubber stamp art, drama, pieces, air art, structures, synthesizer art." It includes an extensive list of all planned artists and events.

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Plans for the 12th Annual Avant Garde Festival: Letter of invitation to artists (1975)

This letter, signed by Charlotte Moorman, invites artists to participate in the 12th Annual Avant Garde Festival, scheduled to take place at Floyd Bennett Field/Gateway National Recreational Park on September 27, 1975. Moorman states that over 500 artists from 25 countries will participate. Moorman requests an artist's proposal, with space and electrical requirements. The document includes a diagram of Floyd Bennett Field.

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Description of Participating Artists and Works (1975)

Headed "Events Planned So Far Include," this 8-page typewritten document by Charlotte Moorman lists and describes in detail the many artists, events and projects planned for the 12th Annual Avant Garde Festival. The document includes a hand-written note to Howard Wise from Moorman.

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