The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville has been a cultural and architectural landmark Downtown since it opened in 2003.
The provenance of the institution goes back much further to 1924 and the founding of the Jacksonville Fine Arts Society. Over the past nine decades, what began as a group of civic-minded culture advocates evolved in 1948 into the Jacksonville Art Museum, in 1999 the Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art and in 2006, the Museum of Contemporary Art.
The museum’s 90 years will be celebrated at 6:30 p.m. March 15 with MOCA Classic: Anniversary Edition.
After cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from Café Nola, guests will dine on beef tenderloin and grilled shrimp prepared by Catering by Liz. Dinner will be accompanied by fine wines, live entertainment and dancing.
While the institution’s anniversary has traditionally been recognized each year, the 2014 observance will be highlighted by a first-ever fine art auction featuring works by artists who have been invited to exhibit at the museum since it opened Downtown.
Artists represented in the auction are Ingrid Calame, Heather Cox, Sarah Emerson, Alison Foshee, Johnston Foster, David Hilliard, Mark Licari, Chris McCaw and Melanie Pullen.
The artists are sharing the proceeds from the auction with MOCA to support the museum’s future exhibitions and programs.
MOCA’s education initiatives serve more than 15,000 visitors a year. “Rainbow Artists: Art and Autism across the Spectrum” helps children with Autism Spectrum Disorders by using art-making activities to foster new means of self-expression and communication.
“Voice of the People” allows elementary school students to create audio guides that describe and interpret works of art from MOCA’s Permanent Collection, fostering critical thinking, writing and oral communication skills.
ArtFusion is a Sunday afternoon program that provides hands-on projects related to the Permanent Collection and exhibitions for families, led by professional art educators.
MOCA hosts students from Duval County’s Title I schools for tours of the exhibitions and art activities, many visiting the museum for the first time.
For ticket and sponsorship information, visit mocajacksonville.org.
(904) 356-2466