The mission of the New Museum of Contemporary Art is to advance innovative art and artistic practice as a vital social force through its exhibitions, programs and organizational structure. Primary to the Museum s purpose are education and public outreach, original scholarship, and critical investigation of the museum s role and function. Artists and their works are the creative lifeblood of society, as well as the Museum s core subject. All exhibitions and programs emerge from the shared understanding that the Museum s identity is inseparable from the distinct visions of the artists with whom we collaborate. Art today is a global phenomenon, spanning a vast array of cultural activities and media in every region of the world, and includes all age groups and classes within its capacity for communication and learning.
Contemporary art encompasses a variety of related disciplines and areas of inquiry.
The Museum s work is inherently interdisciplinary, supporting the dissolution of boundaries that have isolated the visual arts from other fields of endeavor. The curatorial goals of the Museum are to identify and support ideas and sensibilities that are not yet familiar to mainstream audiences, and to present them in ways which are consistent with the challenges they present to preconceived notions about art. Contemporary art has the power to affect the lives of all people. The Museum seeks to eliminate the barriers that inhibit the participation of the broadest possible audience. The educational goals of the Museum are to provide a meaningful and stimulating environment for the exploration of contemporary art and to promote dialogue among its many constituencies.