MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CLEVELAND
11400 EUCLID AVENUE, CLEVELAND, OH 44106 www.mocacleveland.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE MUSUEM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CLEVELAND IS A UNIQUE AND DYNAMIC PLACE FOR THE VISUAL ART OF OUR TIME. WE CHALLENGE, INSPIRE, AND TEACH A WIDE RANGE OF AUDIENCES. OUR PURPOSE IS TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF INNOVATION, CREATIVITY, AND EXPLORATION THROUGH EXHIBITIONS, PUBLICATIONS, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS.

MOCA STAFF MOVED INTO ITS NEW HOME IN CLEVELAND'S UNIVERSITY CIRCLE UPTOWN DISTRICT IN AUGUST, 2012. THE NEW MOCA OPENED TO THE PUBLIC THE FIRST WEEKEND OF OCTOBER, 2012. MOCA, 50 YEARS OLD AND NORTHEAST OHIO'S ONLY CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM, HAS RECEIVED CRITICAL INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL AND REGIONAL PRAISE FOR THE BUILDING'S ARCHITECTURE AND THE DIVERSE EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS ANIMATING THE SPACE, WITH THE GREATER CLEVELAND COMMUNITY EMBRACING BOTH THE BUILDING AND PROGRAM. MOCA'S NEW HOME IS 10,000 FEET LARGER THAN THE FORMER RENTED FACILITY, AND WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO MEET ITS PROGRAMMATIC, EDUCATIONAL, AND BACK-OF-HOUSE NEEDS; LOCATED IN THE MIDST OF A VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD AMONG CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, UNIVERSITIES, RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL; AND POSITIONED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MANY AREA SCHOOLS AND ESTABLISHED AND NEW HOUSING. THIS PROVIDES ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR VISITOR AMENITIES AND PROFESSIONAL WORKSPACE AND STORAGE. THE NEW BUILDING HAS PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS, ART STORAGE, A MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM FOR MULTI-ARTS PROGRAMMING, A MUSEUM STORE, AMPLE OFFICE SPACE, AND WONDERFUL GALLERIES. THE NEW MOCA IS AN ARCHITECTURAL FOCAL POINT AND CULTURAL ANCHOR OF THE NEWER UPTOWN DISTRICT. FY19 HIGHLIGHTS:GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT HAS ALLOWED MOCA TO CONTINUE TO BE AN INSTITUTION THAT WELCOMES AND ENGAGES DIVERSE VISITORS. A TOTAL OF 42,755 PEOPLE VISITED THE MUSEUM DURING MOCA'S FY19. THE MAJORITY OF MOCA'S VISITORS RESIDE IN THE ZIP CODES SURROUNDING THE MUSEUM, BUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS CONTINUE TO GROW AS THE MAIN SOURCE OF DISCOVERY ABOUT EVENTS, PROGRAMS, AND EXHIBITIONS THAT WE HAVE ON VIEW. MOCA EXHIBITIONSTHE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (MOCA) CLEVELAND PRESENTED AN AMBITIOUS AND EXCITING ROSTER OF EXHIBITIONS OVER THE YEAR, ATTRACTING LOCAL TO INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES, AND INSPIRING A ROBUST ROSTER OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS INVOLVING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND WALKS OF LIFE. MOCA BRING TWO DEEPLY IMPORTANT, VIVID, AND THOUGHTFUL PRESENTATIONS TO OUR MUSEUM AND REGION, ONE LEADING UP TO MOCA'S 50-YEAR MILESTONE, AND THE NEXT THE CAPSTONE OF ITS ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION SEASON. FALL 2018 EXHIBITIONALEXIS ROCKMAN: THE GREAT LAKES CYCLEKEYSTONE TO MOCA'S FALL 2018 EXHIBITION SEASON, THE MUSEUM HOSTED THE GREAT LAKES CYCLE, ARTIST ALEXIS ROCKMAN'S MOST MONUMENTAL BODY OF WORK TO DATE. THE POWERFUL SUITE OF LARGE-SCALE OIL PAINTINGS HIGHLIGHTED THEMES ROCKMAN IDENTIFIED THROUGH HIS EXTENSIVE RESEARCH INTO THE GREAT LAKES. CAPTURING AN EXPANSE OF TIME RANGING FROM THE LAKES' CREATION AFTER THE LAST ICE AGE, THE BEGINNING OF THE PLEISTOCENE ERA, THROUGH AN IMAGINED AND CONCERNING FUTURE, EACH PAINTING IN THE BODY OF WORK WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A KEY IDENTIFYING SPECIES, ARTIFACTS, AND HISTORICAL REFERENCES. PROGRAMS, AUDIENCES + ENGAGEMENT: NEARLY 11,000 PEOPLE EXPERIENCED ALEXIS ROCKMAN'S THE GREAT LAKES CYCLE EXHIBITION AND CORRELATING PROGRAMS AT MOCA. AUDIENCE FEEDBACK AND PRESS WERE HIGHLY COMPLIMENTARY, PRAISING THE ARTIST FOR "SEDUCING" AUDIENCES WITH PAINTINGS THAT CREATE A SENSE OF WONDER WHILE IMPLORING VIEWERS TO UNDERSTAND THE GREAT LAKES' SIGNIFICANCE AND VULNERABILITY.CUSTOMIZED EACH SEASON, MOCA DELIVERS A SERIES OF VISITOR ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO EXPAND AUDIENCES, BUILD ON THEMES FOUND IN EACH EXHIBITION, AND RESPOND TO COMMUNITY NEEDS AND INTERESTS. THE SCIENCE-BASED, EXPLORATORY NATURE OF ALEXIS ROCKMAN'S THE GREAT LAKES CYCLE, WITH SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROVIDED BY NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY (NEIGHBORING GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM, EXHIBITION ORIGINATOR), PROVIDED A RICH PLATFORM FOR CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMMING FOR AUDIENCES BETWEEN MOCA AND LOCAL SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES. MOCA'S EDUCATION TEAM CREATED NEW, COMMUNITY-FOCUSED LEARNING LABS, SPACES FOR EXPLORING INTERPRETIVE TOOLS, PROCESS-BASED ACTIVITIES, TEXT, AND VIDEO CONTENT RELATED TO THE EXHIBITION.2019, 50TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION SEASON LEE MINGWEI: YOU ARE NOT A STRANGER LEE MINGWEI: YOU ARE NOT A STRANGER WAS THE CAPSTONE EXHIBITION OF MOCA CLEVELAND'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY. INSPIRING SURPRISE AND DELIGHT THROUGHOUT THE SPRING AND SUMMER OF 2019, THE EXHIBITION WAS COMPRISED OF FOUR IMMERSIVE WORKS DESIGNED TO CULTIVATE INTERPERSONAL CONNECTION, RECIPROCITY, AND GENEROSITY:THE MENDING PROJECT INVITED VISITORS TO PRESENT A GARMENT IN NEED OF REPAIR TO A VOLUNTEER MENDER SEATED BEFORE A WALL ORNAMENTED WITH SPOOLS OF COLORFUL THREAD. DURING THE MENDING PROCESS, THE VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION WITH VISITORS. THE MOVING GARDEN WELCOMED VISITORS TO TAKE A FLOWER AND, AFTER LEAVING THE MUSEUM, GIVE THE FLOWER AS A GIFT TO A STRANGER. EACH DAY DURING THE EXHIBITION SEASON THE CYCLE REPEATED, WITH THE FLOWERS DEPLETED AND REPLENISHED AS VISITORS TOOK AND DISTRIBUTED THEM TO STRANGERS AROUND THE CITY. SONIC BLOSSOM, A PERFORMANCE-BASED INSTALLATION IN WHICH A TRAINED SOLOIST OFFERS A GIFTTHE SPONTANEOUS PERFORMANCE OF A FRANZ SCHUBERT LIEDERENGAGED MUSEUM VISITORS INTIMATELY IN THE GIFT OF ART. FOR 100 DAYS OF LILY, LEE MINGWEI PHOTOGRAPHICALLY DOCUMENTED THE PROCESS OF CULTIVATING AND RAISING A SINGLE LILY FROM SEED TO DEATH. SPENDING EVERY MOMENT WITH THIS FLOWER OVER ITS LIFE CYCLE, LEE CREATED THE WORK AS AN EXPRESSION OF PROFOUND GRIEF IN RESPONSE TO HIS GRANDMOTHER'S PASSING. PROGRAMS, AUDIENCES + ENGAGEMENT: MOCA WAS ABLE TO PRESENT THE EXHIBITION'S INTERACTIVE WORKS AS VEHICLES TO CAPTURE, INSPIRE, AND BIND OUR AUDIENCES DURING THE MUSEUM'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR. THE EXHIBITION ATTRACTED 15,717 VISITORS EXPERIENCING THREE WORKS AT MOCA, AND THE FOURTH, MUSICAL WORK, SONIC BLOSSOM (CALLED "BREATHTAKING" BY THE PLAIN DEALER) AT MOCA AND THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART, EXTENDING OUR REACH. THE MENDING PROJECT ALONE ENGAGED THOUSANDS OF VISITORS OVER THE COURSE OF THE SEASON, THEIR ITEMS ARTISTICALLY REPAIRED OR EMBELLISHED WITH BRIGHTLY COLORED THREAD AS THEY SAT AND TALKED WITH ONE OF OUR 65 VOLUNTEER MENDERS. COMPLEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS WERE ALSO DESIGNED AS GIFTS TO THE COMMUNITY. RANGING FROM GUIDED TOURS ENGAGING MORE THAN 1,400 PEOPLE IN A CLOSE LOOK AT THE ARTWORKS, TO EDUCATOR-LED WORKSHOPS AND GROUP READING SESSIONS ON MOCA SATURDAYS, MANY ACTIVITIES, LIKE LEE MINGWEI'S WORK, EXAMINED AND CULTIVATED RELATIONSHIPS, KINDNESS, GRATITUDE, AND HEALING. LEARNING LABS AND SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON "STITCHING STORIES". EDUCATIONMOCA'S 2018/2019 EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS INCLUDED EARLY LEARNING INITIATIVE/ELI LESSONS TO HELP PRESCHOOLERS WITH SCHOOL READINESS, K-12 SCHOOL-TO-MUSEUM TOURS, SPECIALIZED "DEEP LEARNING" PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE SPECIFIC AREAS OF SCHOOL CURRICULUM, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNED FOR YOUTH AND FAMILY VISITORS, AND ADULT ENRICHMENT OFFERINGS SUCH AS ARTIST TALKS. WE PARTNER WITH UNIVERSITY CIRCLE (UCI) FOR EARLY LEARNING INITIATIVE (ELI) PROGRAMS. ORGANIZED BY UCI, ELI STRIVES TO ADDRESS THE LEARNING NEEDS OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND REINFORCE THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND DISPOSITIONS ESSENTIAL FOR SCHOOL READINESS. ELI FOCUSES ON IMPACTING FOUR- AND FIVE-YEAR OLD CHILDREN, THEIR TEACHERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES; THE PROGRAM SERVES PRESCHOOLS IN CLEVELAND, EAST CLEVELAND, MAPLE HEIGHTS, LORAIN, OBERLIN, ELYRIA, VERMILION, AND NORTH OLMSTED. IN OUR SCHOOL-TO-MUSEUM PROGRAM WE WORKED WITH EACH TOUR IN ADVANCE TO CUSTOMIZE THE GROUP'S MOCA EXPERIENCE. THROUGH OUR EVALUATION PROCESS, WE RECOGNIZED THAT AS AN INSTITUTION, WE ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN TEACHERS AND ORGANIZATIONS COME TO US AND WE RESPOND TO THEIR NEEDS AND INTERESTS. FY18 MARKED THE LAST YEAR WE OFFERED OUR CURRENT FREE FIRST SATURDAY MODEL: FROM SPRING 2019 ONWARD, ADMISSION IS FREE FOR ALL AGES ON ALL DAYS (SPECIAL EVENTS EXCLUDED). PUBLIC PROGRAMSFY19 WAS THE SECOND YEAR OF A TWO-YEAR RESIDENCY BETWEEN THE ARTIST-RUN INITIATIVE FOR FREEDOMS AND MOCA. A FLAGSHIP PROGRAM FOR MOCA'S PUBLIC VALUE PLATFORM, FOR FREEDOMS PRODUCED FOUR TOWN HALLS THAT WERE MODERATED BY THE CITY CLUB OF CLEVELAND, AND INCLUDED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ARTISTS, COMMUNITY AND CIVIC LEADERS, AND EXPERT PANELISTS IN CREATIVE, BRIDGE-BUILDING DIALOG. THE DEEP ENGAGEMENT TOWN HALLS IMPACTED 400 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR A 50 STATE INITIATIVE BY FOR FREEDOMS MODELED AFTER MOCA'S RESIDENCY. IN ADDITION TO THE EXHIBITION-RELATED PROGRAMMING, MOCA ALSO OFFERED A ROBUST CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR ADULTS SEEKING ENRICHMENT. LOADED, MOCA'S EXPERIMENTAL CONCERT SERIES, OFFERED A SPECTRUM OF MUSIC, SOUND, AND PERFORMANCE TO AUDIENCES JUST OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM ON MOCA'S LOADING DOCK. OVERLAPPING WITH LOADED WAS MOCA'S THIRD ANNUAL ZINE FAIR, BOUND, A FREE TWO-DAY CELEBRATION OF INDEPENDENT ZINE AND ART BOOK PUBLISHERS, COMIC BOOK CREATORS, AND PHOTO BOOK MAKERS. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MOCA CLEVELAND CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.MOCACLEVELAND.ORG.

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