The College of California, Irvine, mentioned it’s discussing the opportunity of a take care of the Orange County Museum of Artwork in Costa Mesa that may see the establishments merge.
“UC Irvine and the Orange County Museum of Artwork are exploring a transformative settlement that can open a brand new chapter for OCMA and set up a brand new mannequin for public arts engagement, scholarship and entry” learn an announcement from UC Irvine final week. “A nonbinding, exploratory letter of intent has been signed, and the 2 organizations proceed to develop a definitive settlement, pending approval of the College of California Board of Regents.”
In keeping with the Los Angeles Occasions, that board will vote on the merger within the fall.
The announcement got here lower than two months after Heidi Zuckerman revealed plans to depart the OCMA as director and CEO. Later this week, the OCMA is opening its California Biennial, that includes a dozen artists primarily based within the state, from Laura Owens to Joey Terrill.
Sometimes, an establishment’s merger with a bigger entity is preceded by monetary strife, however no studies have emerged to recommend that the OCMA is having cash points. But in 2022, when the museum opened in a brand new constructing, critics appeared to query how the $94 million used to fund the brand new constructing had been spent. Christopher Knight wrote within the Los Angeles Occasions that the constructing didn’t seem like completed upon its opening. Within the Guardian, Oliver Wainwright labeled the brand new constructing “disastrous.”
The museum has mentioned its reopening was a hit, drawing greater than 10,000 guests throughout its first day alone, per the Occasions. The museum right this moment provides free admission following a $2.5 million donation from Lugano Diamonds in 2021.
