Institute of Contemporary Art
The Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania (ICA) is a global hub for contemporary art and ideas. Free and open to all, ICA supports artistic practices across disciplines and serves as a laboratory for risk-taking, community-building, and knowledge creation. Since 1963, we have championed Penn’s commitment to cultivating the next generation of imaginative creators and thinkers.
Through commissions, exhibitions, programs, publications, and special projects, ICA fosters bold experimentation, deep connection, and boundless curiosity with artists and audiences alike. We value collaboration, learning, and innovation as tools to disrupt form, challenge the status quo, and make art a shared experience.
Giving to ICA enables us to flourish as a free and welcoming space for all. Your support amplifies bold ideas and voices, sparks connections, and ensures access to world-class programming across campus, throughout Philadelphia, and beyond. Contributions sustain our critically regarded exhibitions and programs, connect us with artists and audiences locally and globally, and advance Penn’s mission.
Together, we can create a future full of possibilities—where art continues to inspire, challenge, and transform.
Jenny Laden
Director of Development
Did You Know?
The ICA Student Board is a group of undergraduate students that create and promote active, participatory experiences for students to engage with the art and artists of our time.
Highlighted Priorities
- Amplify bold ideas and voices: At ICA, we believe bold art and inventive ideas have the power to shape the future. As a hub for innovation, we offer a testing ground for emerging practices and expanded notions of art and scholarship. By pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and research, we offer a necessary space where art and ideas can flourish.
- Catalyze connections with audiences: At ICA, we are dedicated to cultivating a space where all individuals are empowered to create, learn, and grow together. By developing dynamic and responsive platforms for engagement, reaching new audiences, and amplifying our vital role in the art world, ICA will continue to be a welcoming space of discovery and dialogue for all.
- Prepare for our future: The challenges facing the arts, our communities, and our planet are urgent, and ICA is committed to ensuring our organization’s long-term vitality. To do this, we will advance financial sustainability for our exhibitions, public programs, and research, while keeping ICA free for all. We will deepen our response to climate change and reimagine our space to increase access, offering room for art and audiences to engage. We will also foster a positive workplace to enhance the health of the organization—inside and out.
“ICA is a hub for bold artistic exploration and transformative ideas, fostering deep engagement with contemporary art. As we grow our research, reimagine our space, and invest in the future, we continue to serve Penn, Philadelphia, and beyond—connecting audiences with the artists shaping today’s culture. Support ensures we can sustain this vital work, expanding opportunities for artists and audiences alike.”
- Hallie Ringle
Interim Director and Daniel and Brett Sundheim Chief Curator
