The Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB) is a contemporary art museum in Santa Barbara, California, United States.
  Location in Santa Barbara County and the state of California | |
Former name | Contemporary Art Forum |
|---|---|
| Established | 1976 |
| Dissolved | 2022 |
| Location | Santa Barbara, CA United States |
| Coordinates | 34°25′07.3″N 119°42′00.7″W / 34.418694°N 119.700194°W |
| Type | Art museum; contemporary museum for the 21st century |
| Accreditation | American Alliance of Museums |
| Website | www |
History
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MCASB was founded as the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum (CAF) in 1976 by artists and art supporters seeking a venue dedicated solely to contemporary art.[1]
In 2012, CAF was reorganized as the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB) with a refined mission emphasizing education.
In July 2022, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Santa Barbara (MCASB) announced its permanent closure due to persistent financial challenges.[2] Despite varied fundraising efforts and initiatives to increase revenue, the museum continued to incur significant financial losses over several years, culminating in unsustainable operational deficits. In 2020, during the Covid pandemic, the financial situation reached a critical point, with losses peaking at $1.7 million. These consecutive years of substantial financial shortfalls forced the museum to make the decision to cease operations.[3]
However, by January 2023 the museum was able to reopen with an all-volunteer staff and hopes to build a new board of trustees and hire a new executive director.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "Museum of Contemporary Art to Reopen in Santa Barbara". Edhat Santa Barbara. January 14, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2024.>
- ^ Woodard, Tyler Hayden, Josef (July 13, 2022). "Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara Announces August Closure". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Facing mounting financial losses, Santa Barbara's Museum of Contemporary Art will close permanently". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. July 15, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2024.