Mark del Costello Collection, 1943-2008

Summary

Creator:
del Costello, Mark, 1949-2024
Abstract:
Collected photographs, posters, flyers, and programs from the life and career of journalist and educator, Mark del Costello.
Extent:
1 document case(s), 13 photograph(s), and 13 poster(s)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

Mark del Costello Collection, SC 21, Archives of African American Music and Culture, Indiana University, Bloomington

Background

Biographical / Historical:

Mark del Costello was born on June 15, 1949 in Riverside, NJ to Alice and Herman Costello. He did his schooling in St. Paul's School and Holy Cross High School and graduated in 1972 from St. Francis University in Loretto, PA. Post graduation, Electric Factory Concerts employed him as a concert photographer. This led him to meeting artists like Bruce Springsteen and Grateful Dead. Costello attended New School, NYC and eventually began working as a senior cataloguer in the Museum of Modern Arts in their film department. In 1979, Martin Scorsese employed Costello as a photographer; in 1980, Scorsese hired Costello as one of his full-time assistants. He went on to teach at the Art Institute in Philadelphia in 2000s, until his retirement in 2010.

Costello particularly leaned towards Doo Wop music that inspired a 30-year history of searching for original artists to perform at his live show productions. He produced concerts for artists including James Brown, Linda Ronstadt, Torri Amos, and Run DMC throughout the 1980s.

Costello has served on the National Board of Advisors of the Indiana University Archives of African American Music and Culture and has collections in his name at Indiana University and St. Francis of Loretto containing numerous posters and photographs. He served as an advisor to the Rhythm and Blues Foundation at the Smithsonian and as a historical consultant to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Mark del Costello passed away on March 7, 2024 in Willingboro, NJ.

Scope and Contents:

This collection includes materials collected by Mark del Costello throughout his career as a journalist and educator. Videos include the documentary "Soul to Soul" (1971). The photograph series includes both publicity portraits and candid images taken by del Costello of rock, gospel, and rhythm and blues artists. Programs in series 3 document multiple concerts, the bulk of which relate to the Legends Concert series. Sheet music, flyers, posters, and advertisements collected by del Costello comprise series 4 and 5.

Arrangement:

Arranged into 5 series:

Series 1: Videocassettes
Series 2: Photographs
Series 3: Programs
Series 4: Sheet Music
Series 5: Posters/Flyers
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Use of time-based media materials (audio and video) may require production of listening or viewing copies.

Access to streaming audio, moving image, and full resolution digital image materials may currently be restricted to researchers who can authenticate with an IU account or who are physically present on campus. Remote streaming to individual researchers may be allowed with the completion of applicable forms.

For further information about access to online audiovisual materials, contact AAAMC staff at aaamc@iu.edu.

Terms of access:

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Indiana Public Records Act (5-14-3-2 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which Indiana University assumes no responsibility.

Copyright is retained by the creators/authors of items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. All requests for copying and publishing materials must be submitted in writing to the Archives of African American Music and Culture, and may require the written permission of the creator(s)/author(s) or donor(s).

Preferred citation:

Mark del Costello Collection, SC 21, Archives of African American Music and Culture, Indiana University, Bloomington

Location of this collection:
Herman B Wells Library
1320 E 10th St
West Tower, Suite 305
Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
Visit Archives of African American Music and Culture
Before you visit:
Campus:
Indiana University Bloomington
Contact:
812-855-8547
aaamc@iu.edu