Artists Space was founded in 1973 by Trudie Grace and Irving Sandler when they asked why the visual arts didn't have their own publicly-funded showcase. The first space occupied by Artists Space was on Wooster Street. During the first year, to implement the idea of fairness, there was a system of artists choosing artists to exhibit. There were so many artists in New York and Sandler and Grace didn’t want to leave anyone shivering in the cold, so they initiated the Unaffiliated Artists File. Any artist who is a New York State resident can send in slides to potentially attract dealers and curators. In 1975, Helene Winter arrived in New York to head Artists Space. Under her tenure, the alternative space began to encompass film, video, and performance; organize traveling theme shows. Today Artists Space is still thriving as offering an exciting alternative venue.