Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville Celebrates 100th Anniversary in 2024

 The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Jacksonville has announced its 100th anniversary and year-long campaign celebrating the institution's past, present and future through groundbreaking exhibitions, events, programs and more. Since its founding in 1924 as the first contemporary art museum in the American South and the second in the nation, the museum has remained focused on the art, artists and ideas of our time, with a vision that unites education, creativity and community-building in the heart of Downtown Jacksonville. 

Founded in 1924, MOCA Jacksonville was the first visual arts organization in Jacksonville, and one of the first art museums in the state of Florida. A pioneering institution, it was the second contemporary art museum to be founded in the United States, behind only the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. The museum grew out of the work of the Women’s Club of Jacksonville, which regularly hosted art exhibitions for the public with the purpose of fundraising for the city’s public schools. The civically minded women of the Club were some of the most influential changemakers in Jacksonville during the early 20th century. Four visionary members held the belief that the exciting art of the moment should be accessible for all in the community to enjoy, and it was that idea that drove the founding of the museum.

“The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville looks forward to celebrating our centennial year by reflecting on our evolution and imagining our future as a destination for contemporary art in the American South. We are proud to play a part of the city’s deep history, which was made possible through a group offorward-thinking local women artists who founded our organization,” said Caitlín Doherty, Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville Executive Director. “Their mission was to aid in the creation of a dynamic city where art, culture and education served as integral parts of the community – and we strive every day to continue that vision. We encourage and invite everyone in the community to celebrate with us throughout the exciting year that lies ahead.”

MOCA Jacksonville is the only museum in Northeast Florida dedicated to contemporary art – meaning art made and produced by artists between the 1960s and the present day. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a Cultural Institute of the University of North Florida, the museum serves the community and its visitors through exhibitions, collections, educational programs and publications designed to enhance an understanding and appreciation of contemporary art.

MOCA Jacksonville’s 100th Anniversary kickoff launched on Thursday, January 18 with a packed museum opening celebrating the feature exhibition, A Walk on the Wild Side: ‘70s New York in the Norman E. Fisher Collection at MOCA Jacksonville. The exhibition showcases a special collection within the museum’s permanent collection paired with loans from around the country by artists like Andy Warhol, Philip Glass, David Bowie, Yoko Ono, Robert Mapplethorpe and others. 

The year-long centennial celebration will continue throughout 2024. In honor of this exceptional milestone, the museum will host a series of events and programs exploring the institution’s evolution, recognizing the legacy of the visionary leaders and important achievements that brought the museum to this historic moment. In addition, the museum will feature Project Atrium installations from renowned artists like Frank Stella and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, and exhibitions sourced from the collections of Norman E. Fisher and Gordon W. Bailey — meant to not only elevate the museum, but serve as a stimulus and create an energized destination for its founding city to build upon.

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