The Institute of Contemporary Art

The Institute of Contemporary Art

Striking contemporary art & performance space with glass-filled walls overlooking the Harbor. The Institute of Contemporary Art strives to share the pleasures of reflection, inspiration, provocation, and imagination that contemporary art offers through public access to art, artists, and the creative process.
The primary activities of the ICA are threefold:

• To present outstanding contemporary art in all media, including visual art exhibitions, music, film, video, and performance, that is deserving of public attention and has not been presented in depth to Boston audiences
• To provide innovative experiential learning opportunities for people of all ages through direct encounters with artists and art-making
• To design interpretative programs that provide context for, develop appreciation of, and add meaning to contemporary art and culture
• A nonprofit organization, the ICA relies on a variety of funding sources for its programming, including memberships, grants, donations, admissions, and store and ticket sales.

Strategic Plan

Our vision for the ICA is a “Radical Welcome.” This new strategic plan takes as inspiration artist Anna Deavere Smith’s idea of a “radical hospitality”—one embodying “hope, radical hospitality, and kindness”—a philosophy we are weaving into all of our activities and programs. We will strive to create a museum at the intersection of contemporary art and civic life, a museum that amplifies the artist’s voice and augments art’s role as educator, incubator, and convener for social engagement.