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LACMA Poised to Take Over MOCA
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A big shakeup could be afoot in the local art world, as The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is making a formal bid to take over the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).
MOCA "has been struggling with financial troubles and staff and board defections," of late, notes the L.A. Times in their report on the potential takeover.
Apparently the offer came from LACMA's director and board in a letter sent February 24 to MOCA's board:
The letter said that LACMA would preserve MOCA’s two downtown locations and operate them under the MOCA name, according to people who have seen the letter but were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
The proposal, as it turns out, was not unsolicited. The letter and bid came "in response to a request from MOCA board members." There has also been longstanding chatter locally about a museum merger between the two local mainstays of art.
LACMA says in the proposal they would "raise $100 million for the combined museums as a condition for completing the deal."
A combo of LACMA-MOCA would make an impressive showing in the realm of global art institutions, considering their collections.
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MOCA has yet to comment on the proposal.
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