Professional papers of Stephen Foster, art historian, Art History professor at the University of Iowa, director of The Dada Archive and Research Center from 1979-2001, and director and and founder of Foster Vail Fine Arts and Stephen Foster Fine Arts (SFFA). The importance of this collection lies in its robust documentation of fine art provenance and rich primary source material spanning Foster’s extensive career as an art historian and scholar. A record of the early Dada Archives and documentation of exhibitions held here at the University of Iowa's Stanley Museum.

Current intellectual organization for all series is simultaneously at the box level and the file level. Within boxes can exist multiple series, Folders within boxes and their respective series are arranged alphabetically or alphanumerically excluding the "Slides" series. Materials that do not fit squarely within the purview of the University of Iowa or Stephen Foster Fine Arts are listed out at the file level.

The Stephen Foster Papers,a collection which dates from 1972–2018, is largely made up of the series, "Correspondence." This series, like many major series in this collection are divided into two different sub-categories.Communications and their related materials during Foster’s tenure at the University of Iowa, are part of the sub-series "Dada Archive and Research Center, School of Art and Art History." Materials cover topics ranging from interdepartmental communication about programs and areas of study, Foster publications and editorial projects, as well as various national and international exhibits and lectures.

Correspondence associated with the research, representation, and sale of artists' works through the firms Foster Vail and Stephen Foster Fine Arts are listed under the sub-series "Stephen Foster Fine Arts." Correspondence in this sub-series spans the latter portion of Foster’s career (after his departure with the University of Iowa in 2002), consisting of communications between Foster and his associates detailing the provenance, representation, and sale of various works from Franz Kline, Jackson Pollock, Claude Monet, Man Ray, Kenneth Friedman, Hans Richter and others, including correspondence that outlines Foster’s presence in the national and international art markets.Foster's expertise on the identification and authentication of Franz Kline works for different private and public domains, fall under this sub-series.

"Administrative documents," encompasses department and university publications, professional memorabilia, SFFA artist contracts, supporting documents, and artist materials.

Any additional ephemera from exhibitions attended, posters, and art from other major Avant Garde movements without appropriate context are located under the "Ephemera" series. All oversize materials are housed together physically and intellectually for the time being."Oversize materials" include drafts, transcripts, and photographs connected to publications, and exhibition ephemera.

"Exhibition/curatorial" series relates to major exhibitions from the Art and Art History department, Dada Archive and Research Center, and Stephen Foster Fine Arts. Types of materials in this series: gallery announcements, artist and exhibition catalogs, working lists with correspondence, artist and exhibition catalogs, and exhibition ephemera.

"Franz Kline Catalogue Raisonné," a series detailing the complete collection of Franz Kline works compiled by Foster for publication."Franz Kline Catalogue Raisonné"contains provenance, prints, art work specifications, and correspondence for each Kline piece. Other research materials for verification, and samples of Kline signatures for authentication are included.

The "Hans Richter" series contains Hans Richter estate documents and correspondence outlining holdings, sales of Richter’s work, and general correspondence between Foster and the Richter family.

Materials in the "Publications" series are drafts, notes, transcripts and other research materials including photographs, slides, and correspondence.

"Slides" contain a number of topics encompass class lectures, publication research materials, exhibition materials for curatorial projects. Slides are foldered and titled.

"Teaching" materials include lecture notes and other class materials.

"A/V" materials comprise of unidentified umatic tapes other physical media carriers which capture artist works, exhibition materials,and interviews.