Change is Afoot

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alabama Contemporary is Taking it to the Street

Alabama Contemporary is embarking on an ambitious redevelopment project that will ultimately make the contemporary art museum more sustainable, increase impact and generate more equitable opportunities for artists across the state of Alabama. Over the last 3 years ACAC has been working with Farris Properties to collaborate on a development plan that leverages and builds on ACAC’s organizational success to even greater impact for the City of Mobile. Although the full scale and details of the development are not yet public, this will include a major renovation to build out the long unoccupied 304 Government Street, as well as upgrade key spaces within the contemporary art museum at 301 Conti Street. In order to facilitate this plan, ACAC will move our programming out of the building.

In 2025 we are shifting into a transient model – taking exhibitions and activations directly to different partner sites and underserved areas in our city and statewide. As the only Contemporary Art Museum in the State, the program plan (linked below) will fulfill its mission through an exhibition and program schedule that bolsters the work of fellow art museums and organizations across Alabama, and creates new artist opportunities in parts of the community that are underserved.

Alabama Contemporary Executive Director, elizabet elliott states:

The most powerful thing we do as a museum is to support creative practice directly, and facilitate new work that drives Alabama’s cultural identity forward. By partnering with other organizations, big and small, we can leverage what we are best at – seeding growth in the creative economy, being good stewards of risk, and creating healthy spaces for dialogue – to extend and build on the mission of partner organizations.

Current partners include major museums and local community centers alike, with programming in 2025 to hit the Wiregrass Museum of Art in Dothan, The International Art Center’s Huo Bao Zhu Gallery at Troy University, The Wallace Center for Art and Reconciliation in Harpersville, The Paul R. Jones Museum at University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and Coleman Center for the Arts in York, AL. Each year will bring new institutional partners on board over the next 3 years, in tandem with the critical work of refining a Museum space built to support the front line of contemporary practice.

In Mobile, ACAC will be a moveable feast that occupies multiple sites, both traditional and non-traditional through partnerships with the Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile Arts Council, Historic Avenue Cultural Center, and many more. Additionally visitors can look for projects that occupy derelict buildings, vacant restaurants, living rooms, and bars throughout the city.

There will be an information session open to the public Thursday, June 20th at 6 pm at 301 Conti Street where the entire staff will be available to answer questions.

We are reimagining what a Museum is and can be as we work toward a bright and ambitious future for the city we love.

For more information about ACAC’s programs and exhibitions, view our 2025 program plan. ###