Institute of Contemporary Art
Through The Power of Penn Campaign, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) has reinforced its capacity for encouraging engagement with art that expands our understanding of the world. New support for leadership positions and exhibitions has provided a firm platform for the future, reinvigorating ICA’s work to uplift underrecognized and underrepresented artists and deepening its investment in connecting with the community. New programming is making the language of contemporary art more accessible and giving students a glimpse into careers in the art world. The ICA is a place where art can be approached critically, creatively, and collaboratively—an inviting space that is at once a research center, an incubator for innovative ideas, and a welcoming resource for Penn students and the City of Philadelphia.
668
Donors
$31.9
Million Raised
Highlighted Accomplishments
Featured exciting new exhibitions by prominent artists including Tony Conrad, Barbara Kasten, and Cauleen Smith, made possible through new exhibition funds.
Created student leadership opportunities while making contemporary art more accessible through the creation of Pennsight, a student-led initiative in which exhibition tours are guided by undergraduate docents trained in Visual Thinking Strategies.
Increased community engagement, supported by the endowment of the DAJ Director of Public Engagement position and the creation of ICA Gather, a biannual series through which community arts groups are invited to organize programming in the museum space.
Secured curatorial expertise for the long term with new endowed curatorships, established through the generosity of Andrea B. Laporte, Nu’69; Brett, C’01, and Daniel Sundheim, W’99; and Marc Leder, W’83, PAR’21.
“I cannot overstate the transformative impact of this Campaign on ICA’s commitment to championing underrecognized voices. As an incubator of innovative ideas, a laboratory where experimentation and risk-taking are part of our DNA, this extraordinary support ensures ICA continues to break ground with the radical art and unparalleled programming for which we are known.”