| Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art | |
| Location: | Virginia Beach, Virginia |
| Director: | Gary Ryan[1] |
| Curator: | Alison Byrne |
The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art (abbreviated as "Virginia MOCA") is a contemporary art museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, located at 2200 Parks Avenue, near the oceanfront resort area. The museum is on a landscaped campus adjacent to the eastern terminus of Interstate 264 near the Virginia Beach Convention Center and the Virginia Beach Tourist Information Center.
On July 25, 2023, Virginia MOCA announced it would construct a new, state-of-the-art facility on the Virginia Beach campus of Virginia Wesleyan University.[2]
Virginia MOCA was born from the annual Boardwalk Art Show, which began in 1952 and is now the museum's largest fundraiser.[3]
Virginia MOCA had an arts outreach program that was provided to both private and public schools located in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The program provided classes that aligned with what was being learned in school and engagement opportunities. All programs were structured based on grade level for better understanding. It was 10 courses for students in grades first through fifth. Classes combined the Virginia Standards of Learning Goals with principles of contemporary visual arts through the use of props, costumes, artifacts, hands-on activities, and creative movements. Inclusion was important to the program. Students that participated got a guest pass that allowed them to come back to the museum and bring five friends and family members for free. This allowed both the students to experience the learning opportunity as well as giving other members of the community access to learning opportunities. Returning students had the chance to show what they had learned from the class to their friends and family.[4]
In the Fiscal year 2015-2016, the outreach program had an attendance of 10,950 and was working with 48 schools providing 438 programs in schools and libraries.[5]
By operating at a national standard, Virginia MOCA received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2010.
Robert Mapplethorpe