Standing Ground: The Dynamic Creation of a Women's Art Collective

Standing Ground: The Dynamic Creation of a Women's Art Collective

Twin Cities archivist, historian, and curator Heather Carroll presents a history of the Women's Art Registry of Minnesota (WARM), sponsored by the Minnesota Historical Society.

Founded in the early 1970s, at a time when women artists were routinely overlooked by galleries, museums, and curators, WARM began as a bold act of visibility — a 35mm slide registry created to promote the artwork of women artists in the Twin Cities. It evolved into a feminist cooperative gallery that operated for 15 years (1976 - 1991), the largest women’s art collective in the country. What followed was a decades-long legacy of artistic excellence, mentorship, and activism. WARM not only gave voice and space to women artists at a critical moment in American history but also shaped generations through its pioneering mentorship program, innovative exhibitions, and unwavering commitment to equity in the arts.

This lecture is part of LEGACY: The Women of WARM Gallery, an exhibition at Kickernick Gallery, honoring WARM as it marks the 50th anniversary of its founding in April 1976 in the Warehouse District of Minneapolis.