Group Tour

This one is all from memory, my memory of what I was told by others. Its origins are real, and the story itself is basically real, I was just not there. I knew someone who was and it was corroborated, in 1976 or so. The story is real, although not being there I may have a few facts screwed up. There is probably no more than one or two others who were there at the time left to challenge my story.

It was the late 60’s or early 70’s, I know it was before my time involved with the organization. The organization was UICA, the Union of Independent Colleges of Art, at that time comprising of nine US independent, degree granting, colleges of Art. This was the precursor of the current Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design.

This was a meeting of the Business Managers of the nine art schools, the guys who wore the suits to work. This was the first time they had met and were looking at standardising accounting practices for purposes of comparisons between and among themselves.( You can tell I worked there because I remember the appropriate language.)

The meeting took place in San Francisco, at the San Francisco Art Institute. This was the late 60’s or so and San Francisco was the place to be. Although nine suited businessmen walking around SFAI in suits was quite a sight I’m sure. As they toured, they passed through the main outdoor court where 10-15 students, teachers etc. were all seated and talking. The tour took them through the buildings and returned, sometime later, through the court again. When they returned, they found the same 10-15 people sitting just where they had been, the only difference was as the men walked through the same people, the 10-15 were all naked! It just seemed like such a good idea!