The National Arts Club

The National Arts Club was founded in 1898 by author and poet Charles De Kay, the literary and art critic for The New York Times. He together with a group of distinguished artists and patrons conceived of a gathering place to welcome artists of all genres as well as art lovers and patrons. The Club's Membership has included three U.S. Presidents: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Among the distinguished painters who have been members are Robert Henri, Frederic Remington, William Merritt Chase and Cecilia Beaux. Sculptors Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Daniel Chester French, Anna Hyatt Huntington and Paul Manship were all members as were composer Victor Herbert, conductor Walter Damrosch, photographer Alfred Stieglitz and architects Stanford White and George B. Post. Renowned for its expansive American art collection, the Club owns works by Edward Potthast, Francis Mora, Ella Lamb, Charles Curran, Henry Watrous, Oscar Fehrer, Helen Turner and Will Barnet among many others. The National Arts Club hosts both members-only and public events honoring exemplary leaders in their chosen fields of art as well as exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances, lectures and readings. Feature programs focus on visual arts, literature, film, architecture, fashion, photography and music. The mission of The National Arts Club is to stimulate, foster and promote public interest in the arts and educate the American people in the fine arts.