
Draft of ICA's first mission statement, 1964.
University of Pennsylvania Bulletins
Mission Statement
The Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania believes in the power of art and artists to inform and inspire. The ICA is free for all to engage and connect with the art of our time.
History
Founded in 1963 by the visionary dean of the school of architecture, Holmes Perkins, who wanted to expose students to what was “new and happening” in art and culture, ICA has developed an international reputation as a preeminent venue for contemporary art and culture. A non-collecting museum, ICA is also one of the only kunsthalles in America. As part of the University of Pennsylvania, our artist-centric program is complemented by the intellectual rigor of a premier academic institution.
Since our founding, ICA exhibitions have aimed to bring under-recognized artists to the attention of the broader world. This was true in 1965 when we organized Andy Warhol’s first ever solo museum show, helping propel him to superstardom; when we presented early shows of artists like Laurie Anderson, Richard Artschwager, Vija Celmins, Karen Kilimnik, Charles LeDray, Barry Le Va, Glenn Ligon, Robert Mapplethorpe, Agnes Martin, Damián Ortega, Pepón Osorio, Tavares Strachan, and Cy Twombly; and it remains true today.
It is this continued commitment to both accessibility and risk-taking that prompted New York Times art critic Roberta Smith to declare ICA “among the most adventuresome showcases in the country where art since 1970 is concerned…”
Timeline of ICAs
1946
Institute of Contemporary Arts, London established in London, England (United Kingdom)
1948
Boston Museum of Modern Art (est. 1936) in Boston, MA changes name to Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston
1963
Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania established in Philadelphia, PA
1973
Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art established in Los Angeles, CA (closes 1987)
1986
Swiss Institute established in New York, NY
1995
Portland Institute for Contemporary Art established in Portland, OR
1997
Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art established in Portland, ME
1998
California College of the Arts Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts established in San Francisco, CA
2014
Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami established in Miami, FL (developed out of Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, est. 1981)
2017
Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (formerly Santa Monica Museum of Art, est. 1984) opens to the public in September 2017 in Los Angeles, CA
2018
Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University opens in Richmond, VA