Community, Features

The ICA celebrates 10 years of diversity, culture, enthusiasm

Museum-goers dance at The Institute of Contemporary Art’s 10th anniversary celebration. PHOTO COURTESY JENNIFER WADDELL
Museum-goers dance at The Institute of Contemporary Art’s 10th anniversary celebration. PHOTO COURTESY JENNIFER WADDELL

Situated on the Boston Harbor in the bustling Seaport District, The Institute of Contemporary Art offers the Boston community a plethora of up-and-coming collections in addition to world-renowned exhibits. Not only is the ICA well-versed in art, but its recent 10-year anniversary also marks 10 years of acting as a social and cultural institution that unites art lovers around the city.

The ICA 10 celebration, which began on Dec. 1, consists of 10 days of festivities, ranging from an oyster tasting to a free museum tour to a “body positive” dance show.

Colette Randall, the director of marketing and communications for the ICA, expanded on the meaning of this anniversary.

“Ten years ago, there was not this level of excitement for contemporary culture in Boston,” Randall said. “With our waterfront building and our ability with that building to have expanded program offering and bigger exhibitions, I think we have really changed something in our city’s cultural landscape and increased Boston’s appetite for contemporary art.”

The ICA is unlike other museums in the area because of its unique appreciation for community and its extensive array of interactive programs and events, Randall said. Attendees are provided with various forms of entertainment upon their visits to the ICA, enhancing the traditional museum-going experience.

“We offer a wide range of different programs and ways to interact with the museum,” Randall said. “We have an incredible teen arts program, we have play dates for families, First Fridays for people who are looking for a more social experience to experience the museum with their friends on a Friday evening, Harborwalk Sounds in the summer with a free concert on the waterfront.”

The celebration proved this ongoing excitement attracts large crowds, but the museum also draws in distinct individuals, according to Kheli Fallon, a bartender at Wolfgang Puck Catering, which is one of the ICA’s many vendors. Fallon has worked multiple events at the ICA, and said she enjoys meeting the people who visit.

“People who come to the ICA are cool, funky, diverse, laid back,” Fallon said. “Lots of eclectic kids come here. Everyone comes here, it doesn’t just cater to one crowd.”

When describing the museum’s amenities, Fallon lit up with enthusiasm.

“The location, the architecture of the building, the always-changing installations up on the fourth floor, the diversity of the art,” Fallon said. “The exhibits are super popular, especially the dance performances.”

First Fridays is another popular event the museum proudly hosts, as well as the seasonal Holiday Karaoke, which summons “the coolest crowd for all ages,” Fallon said.

The physical location of the ICA is as much of an attraction as the art, Randall said.

“Public access to the waterfront has always been part of our vision,” she said. “We’re one of the only buildings in Boston to have direct access to the water for free, which is our unique role we play in the contemporary art world.”

Debbie Edelman, 62, of Amherst, expressed why she finds the ICA to be particularly special, aside from the waterfront views it boasts.

“I love the architecture, love the store, love the art,” Edelman said. “The art is just so out there and interesting, daring and original.”

The art the ICA showcases marks its originality and progressiveness as well.

Throughout the past 10 years, many of the exhibits “show our strength in new media — in particular, women artists,” Randall said. “We’re very unusual in that we have a majority of women artists in our collection, something that’s quite different compared to many museum collections around the world.”

The museum also strives to ensure the lesser-known undertones of art history are properly represented, “versus the iconic names,” Randall said.

The ICA prides itself in its ability to gather a diverse crowd and unify them in their mutual love for the arts, Randall said. It fosters an endearing community that is fueled by social connection, a rarity among many museums in the area.

“This museum tries to open itself to new ideas and to the community, especially with its summer dinners,” Edelman said. “It’s big on bringing the community together.”

Randall said she wants to make sure the ICA remains a warm gathering place for the community.

“We want to make sure that the museum is a place for public dialogue,” she said, “and that people have a chance, when they come to the museum, to think about, reflect and discuss some of the important issues that we all face today.”

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Coffee is my lifeline, every morning, afternoon and night—and occasionally in between. Find me café hopping with my nose buried in a book and a cappuccino by my side for good company. I’ll never pass up a chance to explore this adventure-packed city and its unique, bustling yet mellow culture.

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