MCA Annual Report 2016 The MCA is Australia’s Museum of Contemporary Art, dedicated to exhibiting, collecting and interpreting the work of today’s artists. The MCA exists because contemporary art matters: it stimulates the imagination, engages our aesthetic senses and has the power to transform lives. Contemporary artists address complex ideas, they challenge us to think and see the world differently to inform our outlook on life and society. Located on one of the world’s most spectacular sites on the edge of Sydney Harbour, opposite the Sydney Opera House, the Museum presents vibrant and popular exhibition and learning programs that continually inspire people. With an entire floor dedicated to the MCA Collection and two floors featuring changing exhibitions showcasing Australian and international artists, the Museum offers a major national resource for education and interpretative programs. The National Centre for Creative Learning including a library, digital and multimedia studios, a seminar room and lecture theatre, provides spaces for people of all ages to create and connect with art and artists. Site-specific commissions take art outside the galleries, and the MCA continues to engage with audiences beyond its harbourside home through a program of touring exhibitions and C3West, a collaboration with both arts and non-arts partners in Western Sydney. [ISFC] 2 Huseyin Sami and artist collective Danny Rose , The Matter of Painting, 2016, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia for Vivid Sydney, May 2016, light projection, image courtesy and © the artists, photograph: Anna Kučera MCA Annual Report 2016 Section One 4 Chairman’s and Director’s Messages 6 2016 Highlights 7 Curatorial and Digital 29 Audience Engagement 39 Development and Enterprises 47 Finance and Corporate Services Section Two Financial Report Airan Kang, Digital Book Project 2016, installation view, New Romance: art and the posthuman, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, LED lights, resin, 107 x custom electronic books, image courtesy and © the artist, photograph: Jacquie Manning 3 MCA Annual Report 2016 Connecting a broad and diverse public with the work of living artists, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia pursues curatorial excellence and innovation in audience engagement. The MCA embodies the following key values: • Artists are central to all our activities • Making challenging and complex work accessible • Fostering creativity and critical thinking • An entrepreneurial outlook • Collaboration is key • Sustainable and resilient MCA Chairman Simon Mordant AM and MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE pictured in front of Gordon Bennett , Possession Island (Abstraction), 1991, Tate and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, purchased jointly with funds provided by the Qantas Foundation, 2016, image courtesy and © Gordon Bennett Estate 2016, photograph: Ken Leanfore 4 Nearly five years’ since its redevelopment, the 2016 was another landmark year for the MCA MCA continues to strengthen financially and with record attendances onsite – 1.2 million artistically as an arts and community leader. visitors – and record engagement online and Both operating and comprehensive results for through social channels. the year delivered surpluses, creating an excellent platform from which to continue We realised an ambitious exhibition and investment in initiatives commenced in 2016 and commissions program. A major rehang of the to begin new projects in 2017. MCA Collection opened in September with the new presentation, MCA Collection: Today, Visitation and audience engagement across all Tomorrow, Yesterday, including work by more touchpoints continues to grow, especially social than forty Australian artists from the 1960s to and online media. Opportunities to work with the present. artists and to commission and acquire new and important work of Australian artists increased in Our vibrant temporary exhibition program 2016 through the financial support of Qantas featured both group shows and career surveys, and the MCA Foundation. and highlighted artists from China, South Korea and Japan alongside emerging and established Board and staff members have continued to Australian practitioners. We were especially share their expertise regionally and pleased to present Louise Hearman’s first major internationally through the development of solo museum exhibition – an overdue accolade. collaborative projects, presentations and training and involvement in industry forums. We welcomed new artist commissions on the Sculpture Terrace, the foyer wall and in the We are very grateful for the important support Jackson Bella Room. A collaboration with that we have received in 2016 from our Liverpool Council saw the issue of food security government and corporate partners, the MCA effectively and significantly highlighted in a Foundation, our loyal MCA Ambassadors and the Liverpool carpark by the C3West project Food trusts and foundations who help us change lives Fight. The first acquisitions made through the through engagement with contemporary art and MCA Qantas Tate Joint Acquisition Program artists. The annual Bella fundraising evening were announced in London in the presence of again surpassed all expectations so a special artists, representatives from all partners and thank you to all those who generously donated international media. to ensure that this valuable work continues. We finished the year with a major milestone as I would also like to acknowledge the vision of we celebrated the MCA’s 25th birthday with a MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor and the special weekend full of live art events for all ages hard work and creative endeavour of the team of and audiences throughout the Museum. While dedicated MCA staff who truly ‘punch above we closed this busy and rewarding year with a their weight’. I would like to thank my fellow celebration of our past, we also looked to the board members for their work and commitment. future through the eyes of our enthusiastic and With strong leadership, a dedicated team, loyal insightful Kids Committee and Youth Committee partners and supporters, the MCA can again members who took visitors on engaging art journeys through the Museum. celebrate a rewarding and successful year and continue to grow our ambitions to support a I hope you will be with us for the next 25 years vibrant and thriving artistic community and as we continue to foster discussion, debate, opportunities to engage with contemporary art appreciation and change through for all. contemporary art. Simon Mordant AM Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE MCA Annual Report 2016 Highlights MCA turned 25 On 11–13 November 2016, gallery visitors, artists, special guests, and kids and families joined in the celebrations for the MCA’s 25th birthday. 10,948 visitors attended over the three days, taking part in 45 events and programs. The Twitter Blue Room was on site and we reached over 11 million people with the #MCA25 hashtag and generated 22.8 million page impressions on twitter and Instagram. Photograph: Anna Kučera 1.2 million + In 2016, over 1.2 million visitors came to the MCA, more than ever before. 23 new artist projects and commissions were undertaken and 139,028 people took part in audience engagement activities, including MCA ARTBAR, Zine Fair, workshops, learning programs, family activities, talks, access programs, performances and more. Photograph: Sam Whiteside First acquisitions The first acquisitions by the MCA, Qantas and Tate Joint Acquisition Program (made possible through a $2.75 million corporate gift from the Qantas Foundation), were revealed in May 2016 and include two large video installations, Transit 2011 by Susan Norrie and tall man 2010 by Vernon Ah Kee, two paintings by Gordon Bennett (Possession Island (Abstraction) 1991 and Number Nine 2008) and an artist book by Judy Watson (a preponderance of aboriginal blood 2005). Photograph: Ken Leanfore Social takes off The MCA proved popular throughout 2016 on social media and finished the year with 108.229 Facebook fans (+ 13%) and 66,000 Instagram followers (+60%). Following a guided tour and lunch at GrazeMCA, surprise visitor documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux retweeted the image posted of his visit to his 1.5 million followers. Photograph: Anna Kučera Recognition MCA Volunteer Guide Judy Friend was presented with Lifetime MCA Membership in recognition of her contribution to the MCA over the past 25 years. MCA Chairman Simon Mordant made the presentation at a special celebration in October. Judy also received the NSW Premier’s Volunteer Recognition Program Certificate. Photograph: Jacquie Manning 6 MCA Annual Report 2016 Curatorial and Digital The MCA’s Curatorial and Digital Division celebrates art and artists, connecting audiences with the work of living artists. In 2016, the team presented: • 3 continuing exhibitions from 2015; • 8 new exhibitions; • 2 touring exhibitions; • 23 new artist projects/commissions; • 2 C3West projects; • 1 major international conference; and • published 6 new books. In addition, the first complete rehang of the MCA Collection since 2012 was completed when MCA Collection: Today Tomorrow Yesterday was unveiled in August. Inside/Out, the MCA Collection resource room, was redesigned to coincide with the rehang and features new interactive digital resources and a new artist commission, The Forties. The first acquisitions made in partnership with Tate (as part of the five-year International Joint Acquisition Program for contemporary Australian art, made possible through a gift from the