Toole Building

In 1992, James Graham, Julia Latané and Dave Lewis founded the Toole Shed Studios under the auspices of the Tucson Arts Coalition (TAC). MOCA was incorporated in the spring of 1997. It was conceived as the next step in the continued growth and development of the Toole Shed Artists’ Studios and as an important addition to the downtown Arts District. In order to better serve the interests of the tenants and the community, and responding to the wealth of local contemporary art activity, the artists of Toole Shed Studios decided to incorporate as an independent cooperative. The articles of incorporation and bylaws were written in 1997 and 501(c)3 status was received by the end of that year. Graham was the Founding Director of MOCA, and Latané served as President of the board with David Wright (founder of Sixth Congress Gallery) as Secretary and Treasurer.

During the spring of 1998, the foundations for MOCA were laid. In August 1998 the opportunity arose to occupy a warehouse space at 191 East Toole Avenue. Over the course of the next four months, volunteers worked to transform the previously abandoned warehouse into the Museum of Contemporary Art, featuring more than four thousand square feet of exhibition space.

Between 2001 and 2003, local gallery owner Elizabeth Cherry served as interim director and curator. In March 2003, Anne-Marie Russell was appointed to the position of Executive Director and Chief Curator,^[2] and in 2017 Ginger Shulick Porcella became the new Executive Director and Chief Curator of MOCA.^[3]

Fire Station

In 2009, Tucson’s Fire Station #1 was decommissioned and the firefighters relocated to a new facility. A request for proposals was issued for the “highest and best use” of the building and MOCA Tucson saw an opportunity to acquire a permanent space while preserving an important piece of Arizona's modernist architectural history. The main hall that once housed fire trucks became the museum's main exhibition space, while the first-floor offices were converted into white-box galleries for showcasing intimate works. The firefighters' quarters were transformed into artist-in-residence accommodations, and the second-floor offices were repurposed into administrative offices and an education space for the museum.^[4] Since 2009, MOCA has presented between eight and twelve exhibitions per year, showcasing the works of local, regional, national, and international artists. The museum has also established an Artist-in-Residence Program, developed youth programming for underserved populations, and hosts a variety of public events such as ArtNow!, Artist Talk series, dance, performance, music, and other celebrations of the arts.

Fundraisers

MOCA Tucson has two large fundraisers a year: an annual Gala and a Fall Fundraiser. Every two years, the gala features the Local Genius Awards, honoring visionary and innovative Tucsonans whose activities have a global impact and whose talents have been internationally recognized.

Artist-in-Residence Program

MOCA Tucson has a competitive artist residency program that was relaunched through a public application process in 2017, receiving several hundred applications for just seven annual slots lasting between two weeks and three months. Selected artists receive private studio and housing space, studio visits with curators, production stipends and PR support, as well as an opportunity to present a public program, exhibition, or lecture at the museum.

Curator-in-Residence Program

MOCA recently launched a Curator-in Residence Program starting in 2019 with the first Curator-in-Residence, Alex Young. Selected museum professionals will be given a three-month residency and MOCA will provide time, space, and access to resources for a curator to develop an exhibition, conduct research, and engage with MOCA Tucson’s artists-in-residence.