Associated American Artists

Since its founding, The Print Center has actively sold the work of exhibiting artists, considering the sale of work an important way to support artists and build collectors, as well as providing a source of revenue for the organization. In 1978, as part of a larger attack on the nonprofit art community, the Internal Revenue Service ruled that the organization was operating as a cooperative gallery and revoked its nonprofit status. In response, The Print Center ceased all sales activities, and Associated American Artists (AAA), the renowned New York print dealer, opened a Philadelphia branch on the second floor of the building. It operated as an independent exhibition space, while also handling all of The Print Center’s sales. Margo Dolan became the Director of the AAA’s Philadelphia branch, and Ofelia Garcia was appointed as the Executive Director of The Print Center. Over the next six years, AAA presented a stellar array of exhibitions, ranging from historical shows of little known printed masterworks, to solo exhibitions by major contemporary artists including David Hockney and Jasper Johns. In the spring of 1984, The Print Center regained its right to sell artworks, AAA closed, and Dolan opened the commercial gallery Dolan/Maxwell around the corner at 1701 Walnut Street.