Indianapolis Contemporary facts for kids
| Former name | Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art |
|---|---|
| Established | 2001 |
| Dissolved | 2020 |
| Location | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Type | Art Museum |
Indianapolis Contemporary was a special art museum in Indianapolis, Indiana. It used to be called the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art or iMOCA. This museum focused on showing contemporary art, which means art made in our modern times.
The museum closed down in 2020. Its board decided to stop operations because of money problems. These financial difficulties were made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contents
The Story of Indianapolis Contemporary
Starting as a Museum Without Walls
Indianapolis Contemporary began in 2001. At first, it was a "museum without walls." This means it didn't have one main building. Instead, it held art shows in different places all over Indianapolis. It brought art directly to the people.
Finding a Home and Expanding
In 2004, iMOCA opened its first gallery space. This was in the old Emelie Building. This building is in the Indiana Avenue Cultural District. Later, in December 2009, the museum moved to a bigger spot. This new home was in the Murphy Art Center in the Fountain Square Arts District.
The museum kept growing. In 2014, it opened a second gallery. This new space was inside The Alexander Hotel at CityWay.
Moving Around the City
iMOCA left the Murphy Art Center in late 2016. But it didn't stop showing art! It continued to have exhibits in other places. These included The Alexander Hotel, Cat Head Press, Indiana Landmarks, and the Hoosier Salon.
In 2018, there was a plan to open a permanent museum. It was going to be in an old Ford assembly plant. This new space would have been about 2,300 square feet. However, in January 2019, these plans changed. The museum decided to go back to being a "museum without walls." It continued to host pop-up exhibits in various locations.
A Unique Place for Modern Art
Indianapolis Contemporary was very special. It was the only place in Indianapolis completely dedicated to showing contemporary artists. These artists created new and exciting works.
Since 2003, iMOCA put on more than 40 exhibitions. These shows featured over 75 artists. They came from Indianapolis, the surrounding region, and even other countries. The museum also worked with other groups. It partnered with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Public Library.
