The MCA annual appeal 2020 is here and now’s the time to get behind our great museum
The Museum of Contemporary Art is dedicated to bringing art to the community – but it needs our support in return.
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The Museum of Contemporary Art is struggling.
No, it’s not in peril. Not by a long shot. But the pandemic has carved a huge swath through the arts community and our great museum is not immune to the suffering.
It may come as a surprise, but close to 80 per cent of the museum’s revenue is raised through community support and self-generated income. Sadly, COVID-19 has seen the MCA hard hit with a massive 40 per cent drop in revenue, primarily due to the loss of income that comes from hiring its rooms and spaces out for events of all shapes and sizes.
One of the ways the MCA can keep open and accordingly entertain, educate and care for the broader Sydney community, is via community donation.
Brand new MCA Chair Lorraine Tarabay puts it succinctly.
“We need your support to make sure we can continue to make contemporary art accessible to all,” says Lorraine.
You can donate anything from $2 on up. All donations are fully tax-deductible. You might also like to consider getting involved with MCA in a more formal basis such as becoming an ambassador.
Being an ambassador to the museum will see you making an annual donation which will provide you membership and all the benefits connected to it, plus connect you with a dynamic group of art lovers.
Sound a bit much? It’s not, says Lorraine, who is determined to spread the message that art is for all. Rich, poor, young, old and everyone in between. Art is human. And that means it belongs to each and every one of us.
Young Ambassador Committee chair Michael Sirmai backs this statement entirely. Michael takes it one step further saying not even artists have a monopoly on the world of art.
Scroll down to read why Michael believes that art matters as much as it does, plus answers a handful of other questions such as why we all need art in our lives.
Art matters because … It’s open to all. Anyone can enjoy it or create it. No one (not even the artist) has a monopoly on what a piece of art means.
As a creative medium, it can hold a mirror up to society, and be a driver of social impact, inclusion and change.
Philanthropy is important because … Acts of kindness and generosity – whether it’s giving money or time and skill – create their own momentum.
One person’s passion can be a catalyst for others, and that’s when real change happens. It’s why conspicuous philanthropy is so important.
What does art mean to you personally? I love its power to bring people together, to empower or heal. A group of school kids might visit the MCA for the first time and try to figure out what they’re seeing and why.
Or someone who has lived on the street may connect with others through a drawing class or a play reading, and find a sense of community. There’s a lot of research to support the idea that art has broad health benefits for communities.
And to you personally philanthropy means what? It’s about thinking beyond yourself and making your community a better place in whatever tiny, incremental way you can. Right now, everyone can find their own way to add a little bit of sunshine to someone else’s life.
How has being involved in art philanthropy changed your world? It’s given me an outlet for a handful of interests that are quite different from my ‘day job’ in finance.
I’ve learnt from some amazing people and had some wonderful opportunities. I’ve seen first hand the social impact of art and the difference it can make.
What would you like to say to those who are considering getting involved? Work out your passion and your capacity to help. Then find someone who’s already involved and ask how you can get involved – mentorship from those who have been there before can make those first steps easier. From there, it’s all upside.