MoCA Westport
Your destination for contemporary visual arts exhibitions, music performances, and comprehensive arts education.
Mission
MoCA Westport is a 501(c)(3) visual and performing arts organization dedicated to creating arts experiences that enrich the lives of area residents and the entire community. Formerly known as the Westport Arts Center (WAC), MoCA Westport has been dedicated to connecting the community through the arts for more than 48 years and reaches an audience of 12,000 people each year. MoCA Westport presents compelling and timely contemporary arts exhibitions featuring both local and world-renowned artists. With a goal to inspire and educate, MoCA Westport offers arts education for adults, teens and children, a POD Learning Program to supplement the hybrid learning model, a robust concert series and other community events.
Ruling year
1974
Executive Director
Ruth Mannes
Main address
19 Newtown Tpk
Westport, CT 06880 USA
Formerly known as
Westport Center for the Arts, Inc.
Westport - Weston Arts Council
EIN
06-0890501
NTEE code
Arts, Cultural Organizations - Multipurpose (A20)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2022, 2021 and 2019.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
MoCA Westport has benefited richly from its location and involvement in the Westport, Connecticut community. A challenged faced is the perception the Westport Arts Center is exclusive to the Westport community and it is not. The Westport Arts Center provides exhibitions, programs, and services to all of Fairfield County, Connecticut and beyond. We are working to ensure engagement in Westport remains consistent while expanding awareness in all of Fairfield County Connecticut and beyond that the Westport Arts Center exhibitions, education programs, and services are open and available to all.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Visual Arts
Contemporary art exhibitions engage the public with outstanding works curated by internationally recognized Visiting Curators each season. Integrated programming in Children's and Adult education, and active partnerships with other organizations, connect the MoCA Westport to growing audiences in Fairfield County.
The Academy
Through The Academy, students of all ages and level of expertise will experience a wide variety of arts education classes and workshops as well as private art education. Additionally, our POD Learning Program provides academic support and arts enrichment to students K-5, as a supplement to the current hybrid learning system in Westport, CT.
Concert Series
The Westport Arts Center is excited to announce its new 2017-18 Concert Series led by esteemed curator Alexander Platt.
The Arts Center has combined its previously distinct Jazz and Chamber music programs into a singular stellar Concert Series, featuring the most engaging and renowned music performers from across the globe. The five concerts will be held on Friday and Saturday evenings between September 2017 and May 2018 at the Arts Center.
Alexander Platt has been named as curator for the Concert Series, and will serve as a guide for concert attendees, sharing his perspective and insights at each of the performances. A native Westporter, Platt has previously served as the Music Director of eminent orchestras around the country, and will now make Westport his primary residence and focus.
MoCA Gives Back
Through the MoCA Gives Back initiative, MoCA Westport is able to offer equitable access and meaningful experiences, including employment, to those who are under-resourced in our community. With the generous support of our volunteers and donors, MoCA Gives Back has been able to partner with organizations to provide healing arts classes and employment for adults with disabilities; offer scholarships to summer camp and educational opportunities for those experiencing financial need; and provide regularly scheduled healing arts classes to high school students and collaborate with professional artists to bring events to under-resourced schools.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of classes offered
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
The Academy
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Youth and Adult Studio Arts Classes include after school & evening on site; Continuing Ed classes taught offsite; and Partner Program Outreach classes taught offsite at Partner Organizations.
Number of paid participants on field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
The Academy
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
School groups attended the exhibition of Yayoi Kusama in the fall of 2019.
Total number of paid admissions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Visual Arts
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The Grand Opening in the fall of 2019 brought over 4000 people in the last 3 months of 2019.
Number of paid participants of guided tours
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Visual Arts
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of paid seats filled for performances
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Concert Series
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
The new MoCA Concert Hall allows increased seating capacity, and attracts great performers.
Average dollar price for performance tickets
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Concert Series
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Total number of works exhibited
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Visual Arts
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2019 was the year of the relocation, with galleries closed for half the year.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Westport Arts Center strives to inspire creativity and exploration, enriching lives through a broad spectrum of curated exhibitions, immersive education programs,and distinguished concert performances for all participants.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The strategies launched to successfully achieve our goals and objectives are:
- Ensure a solid, experienced team is in place to plan and deliver the programs and services outlined.
- Ensure our financial development is thriving by adopting and implementing a development plan executed by management, staff and the Board of Directors.
- Ensure that our communication plan is clear and delivered in a timely manner to provide those served with information necessary to engage in all we offer.
*Execution of our programs as follows:
Present Curated Exhibitions - The Westport Arts Center presents four (4) curated exhibitions and art talks each calendar year.
*Education Programs - The Westport Arts Center presents education programs directed toward the young learner or all abilities and backgrounds. It is immersive in making and creative problem-solving and geared to excite the imagination and enrich minds.
*Concert Series - The Westport Arts Center presents five (5) concerts in a calendar year with a wide range of performers.
*Outreach/Partnerships - The Westport Arts Center outreach program engages those with little access to transformational art experiences. We partner with a variety of organizations in Fairfield County Connecticut to make this happen.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Westport Arts Center is strategically positioned to achieve all of these goals in 2019 and going forward. The organization is lead by an Executive Director and Board of Directors who work to ensure all financial needs are met and the staff is fully engaged to execute on strategies through success.
In addition, WAC has plans to relocate to a larger, more flexible space, to allow for growth in programs and inclusion of more members of the community to attend the exhibitions, concerts, programs and services offered as well as participate in educational programs.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The Westport Arts Center is pleased to have successfully...
-Secured a new space for a grand re-opening in September 2019
-Reviewed our programs and services to meet the needs and desires of our current audience and to expand our capabilities (as outlined above) of engaging more in the communities served. This includes days and times of our concerts which has resulted in an increase in attendance to our maximum capacity in the current space.
-We have expanded our reach in the community and lower Fairfield County for Board and volunteer representation.
-We have expanded our reach in the community and lower Fairfield County to renew and initiate collaborations with other nonprofits to fulfill our mission and to expand reach/meet needs of those we serve and would like to reach for engagement.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
MoCA Westport
Board of directorsas of 03/20/2023
William Felton
Felton Properties, Inc
Term: 2015 - 2025
Willliam D Felton
Felton Properties, Inc.
Elizabeth Strick
Joyce Thompson
Joyce Pauker
Rachel Pencu
Cohen and Wolf, P.C.
Deborah Murtaugh
Michael Delgass
Wealthspire Advisors
Derek Goodman
Thomas Hofstetter
Wells Fargo Advisors
Jane Preiser
Oliver Pursche
Shari Lebowitz
Eric Bernheim
FLB Law
Paul Efstathiou
Hollis Taggart Southport
Kristin Foster
Elizabeth Gorayeb
Wildenstein Plattner Institute
Pamela Hovland
Yale School of Art
Jennifer Kanfer
Lucien Vita
Vita Design Group
Adam Moore
Wheelhouse Center for Health and Wellbeing
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
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