Founded in July 1924, the Asociación Amigos del Arte (Friends of Art Association) was a central association within the artistic milieu in Buenos Aires. Particularly beneficial to migrant artists, it provided them with a space for exchange and exhibition. It promoted programmes in different areas (art, music, film, literature, theatre, conferences and publications), allowing a wide range of activities linked to both the traditional and the avant-garde, and to both nationalism and cosmopolitanism.
This private institution received financial support from the state over several different time periods, though this ended with the 1930 military coup.
Frequented by people from different horizons –letters, the plastic arts, politics– it was created with the purpose of promoting literature and the arts. The association had two venues: the first one in Florida 950, and the second one in Florida 659 –at Van Riel's Gallery, whose owner made the ground floor of his premises available to the association from 1927–.
Columns about the Asociación Amigos del Arte habitually appeared in local newspapers, including such popular ones as La Prensa and La Nación, which used to publish in full the conferences held at the association. The association had a management committee, five sub-committees (music, letters, painting, sculpture and decorative arts), and a committee for propaganda and publications. Each sub-committee met to propose a list of themes and possible guests. The steering committee made the final decision on the programme, which was generally more open to foreigners than to locals. It also organised events and music halls to overcome the lack of subsidies. A total of 116 people well-established in the cultural field took part in the association.
The Asociación Amigos del Arte ran for almost 20 years, thanks to the management of Elena Sansinena de Elizalde, the president, Julio Noé, secretary, Alejo B. González Garaño, Maria Rosa Oliver and Victoria Ocampo. They undoubtedly played a part in guiding the public's taste in Calle Florida.