On October 14, 2020, The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) announced the creation of an Environmental Council, the first for a major art museum in the United States. The Council is focused on climate, conservation, and environmental justice in furtherance of the museum’s mission. The museum has implemented important initiatives made possible by the Council, including financial commitments and expertise to work toward institution-wide carbon negativity, carbon-free energy, environmentally-focused museum-quality exhibitions, educational programming, related artist support, and reductions in emissions and consumption. MOCA publicly shares the Council’s efforts and progress as a platform for public dialogue and engagement on this urgent topic. To read more about the Environmental Council's founding, click here.
Past Council Members
Njideka Akunyili Crosby
Nigerian-born artist currently living and working in Los Angeles.
Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Chairperson of the Qatar Museums, Doha Film Institute, Reach Out to Asia, and Qatar Leadership Centre.
Agnes Gund
American philanthropist and arts patron, and arts education and social justice advocate.
Haley Mellin
Painter and conservationist based in California. She is a Co-Founder of the Environmental Council.
Brian Sheth
First-generation Indian-American, is a leader in business, philanthropy, and private equity.
Council Initiators
Klaus Biesenbach
Director of Neue Nationalgalerie, Director of the future Museum of the 20th Century, Berlin, and former Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art.
David Johnson (see above)
Haley Mellin (see above)
Samuel Vasquez
Director of the Performance Art Museum and former Deputy Director, Advancement of the Museum of Contemporary Art.
To learn more about MOCA's environmental work, please click here.
