About the Archives

The Corita Art Center maintains a substantial collection of photographs, correspondence, press clippings, publications, ephemera, and other archival records pertaining to the life and work of Corita. Dating from 1955 to the present day, the archives exist as a growing collection with active bequests from the artist’s students, close friends, and colleagues. Notably, the collection features material related to her exhibitions, commissions, and time as a teacher and head of the art department of Immaculate Heart College.

In addition, the archives contain institutional records pertaining to the Corita Art Center, including public programming and exhibition materials, publications, and posthumously made merchandise.

Research & Access

The collection is currently open to researchers and scholars. A finding aid for the Corita collection is available upon request. For any inquiries regarding research, please write to collections@corita.org with a detailed description of your request, including a brief summary of the proposed research and subject matter as well as the desired visit date. Please allow up to 2-3 weeks for us to review and respond.

Rights & Reproduction

Corita Art Center, a project of Immaculate Heart Community, holds the copyright to all works by Corita Kent, excluding some commissions. The right to reproduce any of Kent’s art, photography, or commissions in print, electronically, or in any other existing media must be cleared by the Corita Art Center or its agents. All image requests for publication, scholarship, and non-product-based commercial use should be directed to Artist Rights Society (ARS).

Digitization Efforts

CAC is currently amidst an ongoing initiative to digitize, describe, and make accessible its art and archival materials online. Most notably, its collection of over 20,000 35mm slides.

Ethical and Inclusive Descriptive Practices Statement

The Corita Art Center, Immaculate Heart Community, is committed to building cultural and historical pathways for the multitude of voices represented in the local and broader communities we serve. At our core, CAC believes that art and arts education are powerful platforms for social change. As an artist’s estate and art center that stewards the legacy of Corita Kent—an artist and educator that championed equity and social justice—we aim to be inclusive in our approach to description, discovery, and access. Read the full statement →

Collection Highlights

Corita Art Center is currently amidst an ongoing initiative to make its collection of archival materials accessible online. The first stage of this project will center on our collection of 35mm slides. (more info on slide collection here) Taken primarily by Corita Kent between 1955-1968, CAC’s 35mm slide collection documents Corita's years as a professor and head of the art department at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, California. Depicting a wide range of sites, events, and public figures, the images not only document her life as an artist, teacher, and sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Order but also present a rare view into the diverse student body and extraordinary community of women that were part of the once renown Catholic college.