and/or @ 50 – Anne Focke Archive Project

Artists were the heart of and/or. During its ten years, nearly 800 visual artists, composers, videomakers, performers, writers, filmmakers, photographers, curators, playwrights, critics, and poets passed through and/or, sharing their work, stories, and ideas. Full list here Please let us know if you see someone missing or a name misspelled here

“From its incorporation in February 1974 to its voluntary disbanding in October 1984, and/or was one of the most influential independent arts organizations in Seattle history. It was invented and run by artists who were interested in new art not seen or supported anywhere else in Seattle at the time. As its director, Anne Focke (b. 1945), wrote in 1982, its motto was, ‘and/or is a conjunction’.”

– Jen Graves, Historylink

AND/OR@50

In October, 2024, the Anne Focke Archive Project produced a two -day celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of and/or, an artist-led space in Seattle. Norie Sato, artist and former and/or staff member opened the celebration with these words:

Artist founded, directed, and run

Almost 900 artists, curators, writers, musicians, architects, critics, patrons, scholars, arts leaders

10 years

Innumerable staff, board, volunteers

Money—some, but not very much

Thousands of folding chairs moved and set up, thousands of yards of black plastic used to darken the space, gallons of paint

A library, a video editing facility, an electronic music studio, an exhibition and performance space, publications

Mailings, licking stmps (or not), running to Sudden Printing, constantly moving equipment, borrowing, begging, helping

Art of the moment, community

Now 50 years since its founding, we are commemorating, marking, celebrating, remembering

The anniversary celebration looked backward and forward at and/or and its significance, influence, and reach, and it also launched the Anne Focke Archives Project. (See more about the project here and the archive here.)

The 2024 anniversary included three activations – two evening events and the publication of a set of zines. They were envisioned by Project advisors to keep the spirit of artists and organizations alive and in conversation with today’s artists, scholars, and activists. You can contribute to the ongoing history by adding your story here.

CONVERSATION

Elliott Bay Book Company reading room, October 16
An evening of conversation informed by the legacy of and/or and by the energy of artists whose evolving work will shape the future Two conversations were presented. The first, GOODNIGHT AND/OR, featured artists who had been close to and/or looking back at their experience. The second, AWAKE!, featured younger artists working in artist-led organizations today. See more here.

CELEBRATION

Odd Fellows Café + Bar, and/or’s original home, October 17
An evening of food and drink and the community of friends old and new The evening celebrated both the artists and artwork that animated and/or from 1974-1984 and the impact that era had on the arts today. Festivities featured artist performances, toasts to the past and future, personal memories, stories, and fun. See more here

ZINES!

Four Zines were published as a set for and/or@50, October 2024. Copies of the sets are available at no charge. Please email us to request

“Wade through History with me.”
Introducing the Anne Focke Archive Project, by AFAP Advisors, October 16, 2024

Invented and Run by Artists
and/or (Seattle arts organization), by Jen Graves, first published by HistoryLink, June 26, 2013

Two Essays:
and/or – enough structure and enough openness
By Anne Focke, An excerpt from, “A pragmatic response to real circumstances”, first published by the back room, 2006
What Lasts
By Anne Focke, first published on Carrying On, August 12, 2019

GOODNIGHT and/or A WAKE
An incomplete story of one organization’s archive, by Anne Focke, first published by Common Field, September 2018