In 2019, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) became the center of a controversial community dialogue after posting a Call for Artists for an unpaid exhibition opportunity.

[6] In their open letter[9] published on August 19, 2022, the collective of artists in MMoCA’s 2022 Wisconsin Triennial presented a list of concerns including policy and contract violations, unfair compensation, unequal distribution of resources, and repeated onsite disrespect and harms, especially to Lilada Gee.

But I’m really proud to be part of this collective voice — it’s motivated us to understand what our power is, as individuals and as a collective.” [5] In a response published on August 24, 2022, MMoCA’s executive committee called the criticisms “inappropriate and unfounded accusations of institutional racism [addressing] their handling of this unique situation.”[10] They continue: “the 16-minute period during which hired gallery attendants were not in one part of the exhibit space does not equate to disrespect for the Black artists or guest curator of the exhibit, nor does it point to institutional racism.”[5] Made possible by the philanthropy of W. Jerome Frautschi and Pleasant T. Rowland, MMoCA encompasses 51,500 square feet of interior space, including highly flexible gallery spaces.

MMoCA's primary art and gallery spaces are: Also included are a 230-seat lecture hall, an education classroom, a study center for drawings, prints, and photographs.

Of the more than 1,400 artists in MMoCA's permanent collection, included are Romare Bearden, Deborah Butterfield, Alexander Calder, Sonya Clark, Sam Gilliam, Guerrilla Girls, Frida Kahlo, Jin Soo Kim, Jacob Lawrence, Robert Mapplethorpe, Gladys Nilsson, José Clemente Orozco, Ed Paschke, Christina Ramberg, Cindy Sherman, Kiki Smith, Kara Walker, Andy Warhol, John Wilde, and Wesley Willis.

Exhibitions are the cornerstone of MMoCA's public programs and have featured many of the most respected artists of the last century, including Louise Bourgeois, Cecelia Condit, Tacita Dean, Jeffrey Gibson, Jasper Johns, Brad Kahlhamer, Alice Neel, Shirin Neshat, Rashaad Newsome, Georgia O'Keeffe, Claes Oldenburg, Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Robert Rauschenberg, Faith Ringgold, Peter Saul, George Segal, Alec Soth, Frank Stella, Do Ho Suh, and Ursula von Rydingsvard.

The Imprint Gallery, also on the second floor, is a small black box theater dedicated to time-based media, multimedia, and special installations.

Key support is also provided by museum memberships, fundraising events like the annual Art Fair on the Square, and private gifts and donations.