Series
Ascendant Artist
This series presents the first major museum exhibition and catalogue for artists who have entered full maturity. It acknowledges the risk-taking history of the museum, which gave many important contemporary artists their first shows, continuing the MCA’s legacy of identifying important artists early in their careers.
Atrium Project
The Atrium Project invites artists from all points in their careers to respond to the museum’s bright, two-story entrance through a new large-scale work.
Chicago Works
These exhibitions feature Chicago artists—both up-and-coming and established—who are shaping the local contemporary art scene.
Commons Artist Project
The is a biannual exhibition series that provides a platform for artists to create commissioned installations that consider the big issues of our time. Developed in dialogue with our visitors, the projects provide direct opportunities to interact with the works and ideas of local and regional artists of national recognition. The Commons also hosts an array of programs and community meetings. New events and experiences are added to our regularly.
MCA 50
MCA Chicago Plaza Project
This public art series—free to anyone visiting or passing by—transforms the plaza and plinths in front of our building into something different every year.
MCA DNA
These exhibitions delve into our history to highlight key artists represented in the MCA collection.
MCA Screen
This series spotlights some of the most innovative artists working in video and film today.
Options
This series flourished in the 1980s, introducing our audiences to emerging artists such as Jenny Holzer and Hiroshi Sugimoto, many of whom would go on to great prominence.
UBS 12 x 12: New Artists/New Work
This series of exhibitions presented a different Chicago-based artist each month, highlighting their newest work.
Wall Project
From 1996 to 1999, up-and-coming artists used our walls as their canvas in the second-floor atrium.