Contemporary Arts Center facts for kids
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| Established | 1939 |
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| Location | 44 E. 6th Street Cincinnati, Ohio, United States |
The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) is a cool art museum in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was one of the very first places in the United States to show contemporary art, which means art made in our time. The CAC doesn't collect art to keep forever. Instead, it focuses on showing new and exciting art. This includes paintings, sculptures, photos, and even performance art.
The museum likes to show "the art of the last five minutes." This means they often display works by artists who are just starting out. Many famous artists, like Andy Warhol, showed their art at the CAC early in their careers. In 2003, the CAC moved into a brand-new building. It was designed by a famous architect named Zaha Hadid.
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History of the CAC
The Contemporary Arts Center started way back in 1939. It was first called the Modern Art Society. Three women, Betty Pollak Rauh, Peggy Frank Crawford, and Rita Rentschler Cushman, created it. They raised money to show modern art at the Cincinnati Art Museum.
Early Years and Name Change
The very first art show, "Modern Painting from Cincinnati Collections," opened in December 1939. In 1954, the Modern Art Society changed its name to the Contemporary Arts Center. This happened when the museum got two new art galleries. These spaces were designed by Carl Strauss and Ray Roush. They had movable walls, which was a cool feature.
Moving to New Locations
In 1962, the CAC had to move out of the Cincinnati Art Museum. This was because the art museum needed more space. For a while, the CAC used different temporary spots. These included the Taft Museum of Art and the Carew Tower.
In 1964, the center found a home on West Fourth Street. It stayed there for six years. Then, in 1970, the CAC moved to the Mercantile Center on Fifth Street. This new building cost $400,000. It was designed by Harry Weese. The CAC had about 12,000 square feet of space there. Even with some money problems in 1971, the CAC put on over 400 exhibitions in this location. They stayed there for 30 years!
Building a New Home
By the late 1980s, people started talking about a new, permanent home for the CAC. They looked at different places. Eventually, the idea of building a brand-new building became possible. The CAC decided on a spot at Sixth and Walnut streets.
In 1997, the museum started looking for architects to design its first-ever stand-alone building. Many famous architects were considered. In 1998, the board chose Zaha Hadid for the job. Construction on the new building began in 2001. The exciting new Contemporary Arts Center opened its doors on May 31, 2003.
Cool Projects and Exhibitions
The CAC often hosts interesting projects and art shows. These events help people learn about new art and ideas.
FORM: Contemporary Architects at Play
In March 2008, the Contemporary Arts Center had a special exhibition and auction called "FORM: Contemporary Architects at Play." This project asked famous architects to create unique pieces.
Some of the architects who took part included:
- Peter Eisenman
- Michael Graves
- Zaha Hadid
- Thom Mayne
- Bernard Tschumi
Eight of these special art pieces were sold at an auction. They raised $425,000 to help the museum. Later, in 2011, a similar collection was shown in New Zealand.
Location of the CAC
You can find the Contemporary Arts Center at 44 East 6th Street. This is at the corner of 6th and Walnut in downtown Cincinnati. It's right across from the Aronoff Center for the Arts. This area is known as the Backstage District, a fun place for culture and entertainment.
Architecture of the Building
In 2003, the CAC moved into its very first building that was built just for them. This amazing building was designed by Zaha Hadid. The CAC named the building the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art. This was to honor two important people who donated a lot of money.
Zaha Hadid's First American Project
The Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art was Zaha Hadid's first project in the United States. A famous architecture critic from The New York Times called it "the most important American building to be completed since the cold war." This shows how special and important the design was.
The building covers about 11,000 square feet on the ground. It has seven floors and a total area of 80,000 square feet. The whole project cost $34 million. The design has cool features like the "Urban Carpet," "Jigsaw Puzzle," and "Skin/Sculpture." These names describe how the building looks and feels.
Awards for the Building
The Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art has won several awards for its unique design:
- 2004 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Award
- 2005 American Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum
See also
In Spanish: Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Rosenthal para niños
