Art Museums and Socioeconomic Forces: The Case of a Community Museum

Community art museums emerged during the late 1960s and early 1970s as alternatives to mainstream art museums. However, these nontraditional/ethnic art organizations have become increasingly similar to established museum models. This article examines the historical evolution of a community art museum in New York City and the factors that contributed to its conventionalization. The study suggests that fieldwide economic and professional pressures were the driving forces behind the transformation of this organization.