our history

About Us

2024: MoCA CT

The transformation to MoCA CT reflects our commitment to expanding our reach and impact across Connecticut. We offer cutting-edge contemporary art exhibitions, diverse performing arts experiences, and comprehensive art education programs for people of all abilities, housed in a beautifully renovated 98-year-old stone building.

Defining Contemporary Art:

Contemporary Art generally refers to art produced from the mid-20th century to the present day. More specifically, it often includes work created from the 1960s onward, following the modern art period. The exact start date can vary depending on context, but it broadly encompasses art from around this time period to now.

At its core, Contemporary Art is a conversation between artists and their audiences, pushing us to question, interpret, and appreciate the world from diverse perspectives. It encapsulates the spirit of the present, while challenging our perceptions and inspiring a dialogue that bridges gaps between cultures, identities, and ideas.

“The art of the past always tends to be about something other than what it appears; whereas contemporary art tends often to be about the very matter of art itself.”–Arthur Danto, Art Critic and Historian

2019: A Museum of Contemporary Art is Born

The Westport Arts Center, which has been a cornerstone of the Westport Arts Community for 50 years, has undergone a significant expansion in order to bring even more rich and diverse programming to Westport.

Now at 19 Newtown Turnpike in Westport, exhibitions and performances from visual arts to classical music are featured year round at the newly named MoCA Westport to inspire art enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. In addition, a unique education program, The Academy at MoCA Westport, provides a diverse range of art classes for all ages.

2002: WAC Builds A Gallery On The River

With substantial support from its Board of Directors, the Arts Center moved into a 3600 square foot gallery space on Riverside Avenue.

1986: Name Changed to Westport Arts Center

The Arts Center moves to a space at Morningside Drive South and Boston Post Road, which offered gallery and performance space as well as studio space for member artists.

1969: Westport-Weston Arts Council Incorporated

The Council was formed “to sponsor and encourage cultural and educational activities in the creative and performing arts in the towns of Westport, Weston, and the surrounding areas.

1934: Westport’s First Official Arts Organization

The town appropriated $3,000 (the equivalent of $60,000 today) to form Westport’s first official arts organization.

As Early As 1929: Several Major Newspapers Report That

Westport was “the home of the most distinctive community in the world.”

2019: A Museum of Contemporary Art is Born

Now at 19 Newtown Turnpike in Westport, exhibitions and performances from visual arts to classical music are featured year round at the newly named MoCA Westport to inspire art enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. In addition, a unique education program, The Academy @MoCA Westport, provides semi-private instruction weekly to allow students to discover their own interpretations of the current gallery exhibitions.

2002: WAC Builds A Gallery On The River

With substantial support from its Board of Directors, the Arts Center moved into a 3600 square foot gallery space on Riverside Avenue.

1986: Name Changed to Westport Arts Center

The Arts Center moves to a space at Morningside Drive South and Boston Post Road, which offered gallery and performance space as well as studio space for member artists.

1969: Westport-Weston Arts Council Incorporated

The Council was formed “to sponsor and encourage cultural and educational activities in the creative and performing arts in the towns of Westport, Weston, and the surrounding areas.

1934: Westport’s First Official Arts Organization

The town appropriated $3,000 (the equivalent of $60,000 today) to form Westport’s first official arts organization.

As Early As 1929: Several Major Newspapers Report That

Westport was “the home of the most distinctive community in the world.”

MoCA CT is a destination for contemporary visual arts exhibitions, music performances, and comprehensive arts education. Our mission is to build a deeper understanding of, and passion for, the arts by presenting thought-provoking and relevant arts experiences. By sharing a diversity of genres and perspectives, MoCA CT strives to positively impact the community, and to connect and captivate the local, national, and international audience that we serve.