Dance Club Collection

Provenance

The materials in the Dance Club Collection were gathered by Jean Louis Testud. Both he and his lover Frank Stark were on many Club mailing lists for receiving various invitations and announcements. The materials were donated to the National Archive of Lesbian and Gay History by Frank Stark in 1993, after the death of Mr. Testud.

Scope and Content

This Collection contains a variety of announcements, invitations, and posters from dance clubs in the 1980s. Only a few are from outside New York City. Some of these clubs were specifically for gay men while others attreacted a wider clientele which included many gay men. Where necessary and possible, date information from postmarks was penciled onto the materials by the archivist. When the collection was accessioned the materials were in no particular order; they were arranged by name of club during processing.

History or Bio

The “Club Scene” in New York City was an important part of life for many gay men in the 1970s and 1980s. Arguably the most well known of the gay clubs was the Saint followed closely by the Limelight. In addition there were a number of clubs which, while not specifically gay, attracted many gay men. Among these were Studio 54 and Bond International. The clubs often staged elaborate productions and theme nights, complete with invitations and sometimes posters. Often individual producers or production companies were famed for their club work.

Folder List