Adam Lerner - New Director at the MCA

photo by shopcomposition

MCA DENVER Announces New Director

I got this email today:

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce that the MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART DENVER (MCA DENVER) has selected Adam Lerner as our new director. This decision comes after a comprehensive, six month, nationwide search. The search committee, working with a search consultant, looked at a broad range of nationally respected candidates in the field of contemporary art. At the end of the process, it was clear that Adam was the ideal candidate.

Adam comes to MCA DENVER after serving as the Executive Director at The Laboratory of Art and Ideas at Belmar (The Lab) for the past five years. The Board of Directors chose Adam because of his curatorial expertise and unique ability to advance MCA DENVER's vision for engaging broad audiences and our efforts to explore the intersection of art and ideas. He received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University and his Masters from Cambridge University.

Adam is recognized as a leading innovator in redefining the museum experience. He frequently serves as a speaker and consultant to museum and educational institutions across the country. He also has created programming that is being emulated by a number of prestigious contemporary art institutions. MCA DENVER's Board looks forward to having Adam bring his expertise in erasing the traditional boundaries between curation and education in contemporary art.

As part of Adam's acceptance of the director position at MCA DENVER, the Board of Directors of both MCA DENVER and The Lab at Belmar have agreed to a merger that will integrate The Lab's important work and unique programming into MCA DENVER. MCA DENVER has built a reputation in the contemporary art world for exhibiting established, cutting edge artists alongside young emerging talent.

By integrating The Lab programs into MCA DENVER's solid curatorial platform, the museum will continue to move forward as a world-class institution. Incorporating dialog-provoking programs, such as Mixed Taste, will enhance the experience for audiences and promote further understanding of contemporary art. In this way, MCA DENVER will engage people throughout the metropolitan area and advance Denver as an innovative center for arts and culture nationwide.

As we carry out the transition, we will invite members of The Lab's Board of Directors to join the MCA DENVER Board. Members of The Lab will receive comparable memberships at MCA DENVER and will have the same access to MCA DENVER as current members effective May 1, 2009.

We will be hosting a reception for MCA DENVER and The Lab members this spring. At that time, Adam will talk about the programs and exhibitions that will be coming to the museum and his creative vision for MCA DENVER.

We are excited about these changes and will welcome Adam in joining MCA DENVER on March 16, 2009. We hope you will join us in doing so, and we thank you for your past support and continued dedication to the presentation of contemporary art in Denver. We hope that you will welcome the members of The Lab as we begin a new and exciting journey together.