The Union was founded started in 1932 to supersede the AKhRR. The integral Union was instituted in 1957.[1] By January 1, 1976, the Union included 14,538 members.[1]
Prior to the Artists' Union of the USSR, there existed the Union of Soviet Artists (Союз советских художников, Soyuz sovetskikh khudozhnikov), which was founded by Alexander Grigoriev in Moscow in spring 1930. It included Moscow and Leningrad artists along with former members of the AKhRR.[2] The first exhibition of the Union of Soviet Artists was held on 15 April 1931 in Moscow at the exhibition hall of the co-operative society Khudozhnik.[3] The Union of Soviet Artists ceased to exist in 1932 following a government decision.
Following the resolution "On the Restructuring of Literary and Artistic Organizations" by the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) on 23 April 1932, unions of Soviet artists were established in the Union and autonomous republics, in krais, in oblasts, and in cities to supersede previous organizations.[1]
The first Congress of the Artists' Union of the USSR was convened in February–March 1957.[4]
^The title in accordance with the English edition of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.[1] Also referred to as the USSR Union of Artists or the Union of Artists of the USSR.