One of the cultural touchstones of the cultural front noted by Michael Denning was the ACA Galleries established by Herman Baron in 1932. It now is located on West 20th Street but in 1946 was at 61 East 57th in the heart of what was then the gallery district. It specialized in realist and expressionist art, mostly by artists who were also political activists. The works ran heavily toward social commentary and depictions of working class life.
Among the premier artists in the ACA Galleries stable in 1946 were Philip Evergood (a selection of his main works can be found here) and Robert Gwathmey, a white Southerner known for his depiction of African American life. The New York Times noted on April 12 that the exhibition of statues by Aaron Goodelman at the gallery had been extended through the 20th. On March 18 the newspaper had taken note of a show of water colors and gouaches by Claire Mahl. The gallery did not get the spotlight attention from The Times in 1946 accorded some of the most prestigious galleries of the time and social realism was falling out of style as abstract expressionism became the cutting edge.
On the week of March 21 the ACA Galleries was a co-sponsoring along with the New Age Gallery a spring exhibition and art auction for the Greenwich Village Club of the American Labor Party at the ALP offices at 28 Greenwich Avenue. The Times listed Evergood, Gwathmey, Harry Gottlieb, William Gropper, Lena Gurr, Mervin Jules,Elizabeth Olds and Abram Tromka as among the artists represented in the show.
In December the gallery announced an arrangement with Amalgamated Bank of New York, located at Union Square and Fifteenth Street, for patrons to buy art on credit. The bank, still union owned and in operation at present, was affiliated then with the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. The bank was offering loans at 4 per cent interest with the art serving as collateral. Insurance was figured into the cost of the transaction. The Times article noted that prices at the gallery ran from $500 to $1500 ($550-$16,000). In addition to Evergood and Gwathmey, artists named as being represented by ACA Galleries included David Burliuk, Moses Soyer, Gregorio Prestopino and former middleweight boxing champion Mickey Walker.