The Woodstock Community Video collection captures the politics and cultural life of Woodstock, New York from 1971 to 1975. Sony’s Portapak video camera, introduced in 1967, decentralized broadcast media, and provided the technology for the guerrilla television movement. In 1970, Ken Marsh, Elliot Glass, and Elaine Milosh founded the People’s Video Theater, a video collective based in New York City. Marsh and Milosh moved to Woodstock in 1971. Ken Marsh organized Woodstock Community Video, Inc. (WVC) a year later and became director. Members included Barbara Buckner, Bob Dacy, Gary Hill, Steven Kolpan, and Elaine Milosh. The collective’s mission was to create alternative cable programming, provide documentary coverage of local events, and stimulate community activism. In 1973, Woodstock Community Video developed the Artists’ TV Lab, a project that offered workshops to new videographers, providing guidance to community groups producing their own tapes. Artists were encouraged to explore the new medium. The Lab moved to Rhinebeck, NY in 1976. Ken Marsh was active in both organizations until 1979. A collection of videos and the Woodstock Community Video Archive Catalog 1971-1975, were given to the Woodstock Public Library District by Tobe Carey, a contributor to WCV programming, producer of his own documentaries and art projects, and president of Willow Mixed Media, Inc.
