The Founding of the WPA

By Katherine Holloran

WPA – The Works Progress Administration Click icon to add picture• It was a work relief

program • One of Franklin D.

Roosevelt’s New Deal Programs to fix the economy

• Employed more than 8.5 million people

• People were hired to build public buildings, bridges, roads, public parks, and airports

• Created in 1933• Average salary was

$41.57 a month

LowellO In 1926 Lowell entered

into a severe economic downturn, several years before the rest of the country. This is due to the use of steam powered factories being used because it cost less.

O Caused many mills to be closed, sold, and/or demolished.

O Picture of the Demolition of the Saco-Lowell Shops in the 1930s. Today it is the parking lot for the National Park Visitor’s Center.

The WPA and ArtClick icon to add picture

• A Division of the WPA: The Federal Art Project, focused on creating federal art, music, theater, and writers’ projects to employ artists, writers, actors, and musicians

• Supported tens of thousands of artists

• Funded 100,00 paintings and murals; 17,744 pieces of sculpture

• After a few months 1100 artist were working for WPA

“Hell! They’ve got to eat just like other people.” – Harry Hopkins

Artists of the WPA

The WPA favored Figurative art and disliked Abstract

art.

The Federal Art ProjectO Designed to supplement artists’ income and

more importantly, fund patriotic art projects to inspire dispirited Americans

O For an artist to be considered for the program, they must first apply for Home Relief to confirm they are impoverished, then submit samples of their work

O Once approved the artist would receive $24 per week

O Disbanded on June 30, 1943O Many WPA funded paintings are lost or have been

destroyed (a plumber bought many of the paintings in bulk to use to insulate pipes) after thousands were auctioned off in 1943.

Works Cited“American Experience.” PBS. PBS. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. “FDR Creates the WPA.” History.com. A&E. Television Networks. Web. 13 April 2015. Wolf, Justin. "The Art Story: Works Progress Administration (WPA)." The Art Story: Works Progress Administration (WPA). The Art Story, Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://www.theartstory.org/org- wpa.htm>."Lowell, Massachusetts History | Lowell History | Lowell.com." Lowell, Massachusetts History | Lowell History | Lowell.com. City of Lowell, 17 Dec. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.Sciuto, Corey. "Preservation Movement: Then and Now." : "Preservation Movement: Then and Now" Corey Sciuto, 29 Aug. 2010. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://coreysciuto.blogspot.com/2010/08/preservation-movement-then-and-now.html>.

Pictures (in order of appearance) "Great Depression." Great Depression.Web. 14 Apr. 2015. http://libimages.wolfsonian.org/XC1993.542.000.jpg"Franklin D. Roosevelt." Exhibits. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://www.moaf.org/exhibits/checks_balances/franklinroosevelt/index>. Sciuto, Corey. "Preservation Movement: Then and Now." : "Preservation Movement: Then and Now" Corey Sciuto, 29 Aug. 2010. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://coreysciuto.blogspot.com/2010/08/preservation-movement-then-and-now.html>."Harry Hopkins." Harry Hopkins. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://www.old-picture.com/american-legacy/000/Hopkins-Harry.htm>.Gardner, K.A. "Metropolitan Life." Flipped Again. Flipped Again, 28 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

"Post Office Murals (WPA Murals)." Texas Post Office Murals, WPA Murals.Web. 20 Apr. 2015.