This collection of papers documents the artist Fred Williams' participation in various administrative roles and art organisations. The collection demonstrates Fred Williams' influential role as a founding Council member of the Australian National Gallery (now called the National Gallery of Australia) who helped develop the national collection and who took an active role in supporting Australian art and artists. The public offices and responsibilities held by Fred Williams that are represented in this collection include: 1. The Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council, where he was a member from 1973 until 1976; 2. The Commonwealth Art Advisory Board, where he was appointed a member in 1972; this was later replaced with the Art Acquisitions Committee; 3. The Council of the Australian National Gallery, where he was appointed a trustee in 1976 after serving on the Second Interim Council from 1974. The material in this collection includes minutes from meetings, financial records, curatorial and acquisition reports, exhibition notes, various lists, grant applications, budgetary details, proposals, photographic reproductions of works of art, press clippings and correspondence with the Australian National Gallery, gallery directors and artists including James Gleeson. Other organisations mentioned include Australian Council of the Arts; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Print Council of Australia; Australian Gallery Directors Council; Australian National Gallery Building Committee; Victorian College of the Arts; Australian Centre for Photography; Gallery A; Art Gallery of South Australia; Art Gallery of New South Wales; Australian National University; Contemporary Art Society of Australia; Craft Association of Tasmania and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
