Instagram story viewer> @arcnyc> Tagged

The Archive of Contemporary Music

@arcnyc

2.9K

followers

424

following

ARC is a nonprofit & one of the largest private collections of Contemporary Music in the world. Visit our website for more info. Admin: @stupefaction.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Meet the pocket museum, a small gallery or display devoted to a single subject. For my latest piece for @washingtonpost I spoke with @rawaanalkhatib , author of “Hello Museum,” and four inspiring creators of special spaces including: @arcnyc @great78project @morbidanatomy @joanna.ebenstein @redhookpinballmuseum Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2026/10/17/how-create-pocket-museum-out-collections/

42

2

A great afternoon for Ridgefield’s cultural community.

Today, we had the pleasure of joining Congressman Jim Himes and B. George, founder of the Archive of Contemporary Music, for a tour of the Archive’s new home in Ridgefield.

Representatives from the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce, Ridgefield Arts Council, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield Library, and Theatre Barn came together for a conversation about the arts, cultural preservation, and the extraordinary creative resources we have right here in town.

A wonderful opportunity to share what makes Ridgefield such a distinctive cultural destination, celebrate the organizations that contribute to its creative identity, and look ahead to all the exciting things still to come.

Thank you to Congressman Himes for taking the time to visit and to B. George for welcoming us!

#RidgefieldCT #RidgefieldCulturalDistrict #ArchiveOfContemporaryMusic #RidgefieldChamber #RidgefieldThrivesTogether

78

0

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Anonymous
Lori and John Berisford
Charter Diligence Group
The Couri Family
Elaine and Kevin Cox
Anita and Nick Donofrio
Eversource Foundation, Inc.
Fairfield County Bank
Liz and Steven Goldstone
Margaret Sullivan and Rick Lawrence
Chris and Carl Lecher
Peggy and John Loehr
Eileen and Tom McIntyre
The Norwitt Family
Patricia and Stephen Ross
Heather and Robert Salaga
SPHERE, Inc.
Tim Dent Team

THANK YOU TO OUR GALA DONORS
Anonymous
Sharon and Jerry Garavel
Jacqueline and Len Goldner
Barbara and Paige Hillery
Liesegang Building & Remodeling
Grace and Edwin Smith

THANK YOU!
ARChive Contemporary Music
À Table by Sarah and Bernard
Brick House Pizza
Lily Fertik
James Daniel Entertainment, Sean McKee aka Big Daddy
The Prospector
Allison Stockel, Auctioneer

Thank you to the generous individuals and businesses below for supporting the Living Artfully Gala Silent Auction. Your generosity strengthens our community, and we are deeply grateful for your support.

109 Cheese & Wine
850 Degrees Wood Fired
A.C.T of CT
À Table
Adam Broderick Image Group
Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
Lori Berisford
Brenda Berta
Brasserie Saint Germain
Stephanie Campbell
Caraluzzi’s Market
Gina Cushman
Danbury Hatricks
Richard A. Danzig
Deborah Ann’s Sweet Shoppe
Flipping Creative
Genoa Deli & Pizza
Highlife by Tom
Glass Guys
Kaz Outdoors
Robert Klaeger
Jessica Mancini
Margo McEachern
Paula’s Pillows
Pelo by Edgardo
Posa Ristorante & Vineria
Prospector Theater
Dr. Margaret A. Reed
In loving memory of her mother who loved Founders Hall
Ridgebury Farm & Stables
Ridgefield Parks & Recreation
Ridgefield Playhouse
Ridgefield Theater Barn
Steve and Patti Ross
Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra
Cecilia Shirk
Southwest Café
Martha Talburt
The Tweaked Home
West Lane Inn
*As of October 3 2026

#ridgefieldct #community #foundershallridgefield

13

5

This is the true story of rescuing Coco the Cat from a building near the original World Trade Center. The text is from an email blast I sent on September 13, 2001. I redacted the text to fit into a three minute video clip photographs from my own archive, some of which from later years to illustrate the narrative. I also used some from stock photos.

#worldtradecentermemorial #worldtradecenter #twintowers #catrescue #twintowersmemorial
@arcnyc @alcpam @pggrammy21

153

9

Woke up this morning, only a few blocks north of what is now called “Ground Zero”, not knowing what to do, Which project to start or to complete..

Of course, the first thing I do is turn on the TV to see if anything happened while we slept. After a while, the information on TV becomes redundant background, an uninterrupted audio wall paper; the voices of the well-meaning newscasters inevitably become irritating, the talking heads now just pointillist representations, as the antenna that had previously provided the signal to my TV set is now buried in Ground Zero rubble. The massive antenna that just a week before soared hi above me while I was Deejaying just one floor below.

Still in my underwear, I tackled the emails that came in from all over the world the night before. One of them was from Bob and Patrice who were stuck in Europe as all flights were still suspended. I had met Bob whose legendary Archive of Contemporary Music, with millions of records, CDs and everything music, was almost exactly behind my kitchen window one block south on White Street. Music and Vinyl were the initial glue of our friendship.

They were very concerned about their cat alone in the apartment in the shadow of Building 7, which was declared an imminent collapse. The person who was supposed to go to feed Coco had by now refused to go anywhere near the site.

I immediately replied and asked if there was something I could do. Bob sent back a message with the phone number of a friend of theirs in Brooklyn, Pam, who had keys to their apartment, but who was unable to get through the blockades protecting the downtown area from visitors who have no immediate necessary business there.

continued in comments

@pggrammy21 @arcnyc #worldtradecenter #worldtradecentermemorial #twintowersmemorial #catrescue

166

10

Something BIG is coming to Ridgefield’s arts and culture scene… 🎶

A collection of more than 3 million recordings is getting a new permanent home right here in Ridgefield.

Swipe through to learn more. #RidgefieldCulture

2k

37

A special guest at Coffee & Conversation this morning! 🎶

We were thrilled to welcome B. George, founder of the ARChive of Contemporary Music, as @arcnyc prepares to make Ridgefield its new home.

One of the world’s largest collections of popular music recordings and music-related materials is coming to our community, and we couldn’t be more excited about what this incredible organization will bring to Ridgefield.

Welcome to Ridgefield, B. George and ARC! We’re so glad you’re here and look forward to all that’s ahead. 🎵

#RidgefieldCT #RidgefieldChamberofCommerce #RidgefieldThrivesTogether #ARChiveOfContemporaryMusic

85

2

3

15

For the past several years, one of the largest collections of recorded music in the world has been sitting quietly in Staatsburg. More than three million recordings.

And there is a decent chance most of us had no idea it was there.

The ARChive of Contemporary Music — ARC — landed here during the pandemic because it needed something New York City had stopped giving it:

Room. A ridiculous amount of room.

ARC says it has cataloged about 170,000 of its 45s since moving upstate and is only about halfway done.

Then founder Bob George casually tells us ARC has more than 300 Jimi Hendrix LPs.

Three hundred.

Hendrix released only a handful of commercial LPs during his lifetime, so naturally my first question was: Bob. Why. 😂

Turns out, this is exactly why archives exist.

Different countries released different versions. Covers changed. Track orders changed. There are alternate pressings, bootlegs and counterfeits that look almost identical until somebody who knows tells you they absolutely are not.

My highly scientific translation of ARC’s philosophy: no, we do not already have that one. Please stop throwing music history away.

Now they’re leaving the Hudson Valley.

ARC bought a permanent building in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and George expects the move to take roughly a year. The new home should give ARC room for exhibitions, research and public programs.

And this is the part that bugs me.

We had this here.

George says people in Dutchess County treated ARC well. But when we asked whether meaningful regional support ever materialized to keep it here, his answer was essentially no.

So Ridgefield gets the permanent home.

And we have about a year to realize what the hell has been sitting here before the trucks start rolling.

Three million records sounds like a funny number until you start asking why anyone keeps 300 Hendrix albums, why 170,000 cataloged singles is only half the job, and what we lose when an archive like this packs up.

Full story is live now at 👉👉👉HVHappenings.com.
Link in bio.

📍 Staatsburg, NY
📸 Bob George / ARChive of Contemporary Music

#HudsonValley #DutchessCounty #Staatsburg #MusicArchive #HudsonValleyHappen

651

29

2016 was formative to say the least. Split my time between being a good grad student at UMASS Amherst and frequenting the NYC dance floors & record shops. As if I hadn’t fallen in love with music enough already, these endeavors and getting to know all these people shaped my understanding of club culture and sound forever.

82

0

What did people do before the internet? We made mixtapes. Lots and lots of mixtapes. All of these are now in the collection at @arcnyc, the Archive of Contemporary Music.

45

6

Last day at the @arcnyc today. Photo taken by Bob George as we left the property to go to a beautiful dinner along with Phast Phreddie Patterson. I want to thank Bob & Phreddie for giving me a fantastic four years of great work & tons of laughs. I’ve never had so much fun. This job has been absolutely perfect for me, but life goes on. We’ll see what the next chapter brings. It may still include the ARC.

96

6